Dana 44 Flanged Axle Conversion

Ummm here? build your own full float dana 44?

 

I used early Chevy small bearing spindles, Chevy backing plates and calipers, 77-79 Ford F150 rotors and 19 spline drive flanges from an 80's dodge 1/2 ton. I measured from the axle to the drive flange (Or lockout if you prefer..I have to many wiseguy friends to put lockouts on the rear) and had Moser (I think it was Moser) make me the axle shafts with a 19 spline on each end. I had a local machine shop cut the shafts for a c clip at the end, once I made sure where it all came out. Pretty sure I got all my info from this site. I did it because I wanted internal spline hubs and disc brakes all around, to share rotors, calipers and brake hoses for less spares to carry.

 

Not on the D44s were talking about here Howard.

 

I'm confused Howard says the stock 30 spline axles are retained by a C clip. This is not true. I have a 1970-71 Dana 44 30 spline flanged from a CJ5 and there is an inner bearing retainer collar and then the axel is held in place by a retaining plate. My axle looks in assembly exactly like the diagram above in tarry99's post (except the "original protective guard" is not part of my assembly).

I have had this axle setup with an Eaton E locker and all brand new internals (except the shafts) the work was done by one of the best rear end shops in the state. I installed the axles and stood there while a friend (his shop builds engines etc) pressed the bearing and retainers on so I know for a fact there is no C clip

 

As stated above no C-clip on the Dana 44 ............early tapered and flanged axles are held in by the still conventional way of backing or retaining plates...........and my diagram above shows parts consistent with an earlier offset Dana 44 with the tapered axles........lots of options among different axles types that can become confusing at times.

 

Tarry is absolutely right. It is doable with Dutchman axles; I have a tapered axle 44 with Dutchmans in it. I picked up the axles from a friend who was parting out his dads old 2A after he passed away. The old guy was an old school, hardcore wheeling guy all his life and was well known. When I got the axles I noticed the Dutchman tag on the center of the axleshaft and asked about it. My buddy told me that his dad had had them made decades before, and once he did it all his buddies called and had their own axleshafts made. The ones I have are 19 spline with a Detroit Locker.
Dutchman probably did a ton of these back in the day, even before 30 splines. The 70 1/2 thru 71 flanged axles do have bigger tubes and bearings but if you don't want to take the time to source one the Dutchman axleshafts are a good option.

FWIW,
Mike

 

Hey Mike, Glad to hear that someone else did this mod also.................Yep, I remember guys talking about this conversion back in the day........a few years ago I started to ask around about it ...........I finally talked to my old buddy that owns Foothill 4 wheel. They used to be in Auburn Ca. now based in Phoenix ............he remembered he had the parts list somewhere.......a few weeks later he came up with the list and the contact at Dutchman......... the rest is History!

 

If you are able to buy a set of axles from Dutchman, please post up the total cost of the project so that in the future someone is able to get a ballpark from a quick search. The devil is usually in the details of the total final cost of a project like this.

 

I would like to know too, because it seems to be fairly easy to do. Especially if Dutchman has all the specs to make the axle shafts in house. I have heard over and over again its not worth it, So why not? Post up some costs.

 

Wow , I'm really glad we can now finally put to bed all the questions and doubts regarding whether or not there is a viable option or solution to the implementation of adding flanged quality axles to a tapered D-44 offset axle housing be it 19 or 30 spline........Yes you can!

All that stuff is still available..........Now granted , Dutchman may be the big question mark as I had to do a little coaxing to get him to find the records a few years back........the print I posted above is my copy from Dutchman to produce the 30 spline axles sets and has all the correct dimensions for the tapered axle housing out of my 65 CJ. My cost in 2012 for the axles, the upgrade to 4140 material , the extra access hole, the wheel studs , the over sized pilot on the shafts, a set of set 10 bearings & seals , shipping and sales tax to Cally was............$633.39 ...........Installation was of course extra and since I work cheap that didn't amount to much.

This order was placed through Foothill Offroad and as a token to his hard work helping me out years back anyone wanting to get all the instructions and a deal should give him a call................( I still have that number somewhere)

Now that's not to say this option nor approach is right for everyone........but do to the fact that thousands of these axles are still in service , in many Jeeps with higher than stock Horsepower getting to a flanged axle this way is in my eyes a viable option.

 

Anything is possible, but at $700 for the axle shafts I would think that most would find that to not be a very practical addition to a small, thin tube early axle.

 

Hey Daryl , all good points, But then again , if the housing is an issue one could ask the very same question on how practical is it to then Full float the same housing? Tons of that stuff on the road and I have not heard much of anything about failure.

$633 and your flanged & done or floaters , or a 70-71 housing....... Lots of options for the consumer................I think It's all about how the person looking uses there vehicle and what the goal is they are trying to accomplish.

 

Or do this: 9 inch Ford 40 spline axles and 1 ton components.............. Done!

 

Terry- correct me if I'm wrong, but you are talking of putting a semi-float flanged axle in a tapered axle, right?

For what it's worth, I contacted Dutchman a year or so ago to get a ballpark figure on a flanged axle for a full float set up. This is different from Herm's kit or the old Warn set up which had a shaft splined at each end and used drive flanges or lock out hubs. What I'm looking at is a single piece shaft, splined only on the inboard end. It would require the same spindle/hub the Warn full float used, with the spindle machined to recess into the axle and bored out to accept the axle shaft. The drive flange is part of the shaft, set up just like a 3/4 ton truck axle.

Another way to describe the set up is the original MB/GPW/early CJ-2A full floater. AKA a Dana 23-2. I had one in my '45 2A as a kid. The 23-2 is a 10 spline set up and somewhat weak, but I wheeled it moderately hard and never had a problem. Anytime I wanted to tow the jeep, I just pulled the axles and put on some extra drive flanges to cover things up.

My current plan is to go with a 19 involute spline vs the 30 spline. The A1 will not need the strength of a 30 spline, even if I re-power the jeep and the powerlock I have is a 19 spline. The cost from Dutchman for two flanged axle shafts was about $340. (Add 10% or so for the chrome-alloy). Shipping from Boise on top of that as well. I already have the hubs and spindles but machining would come out to another ~$50, so I figure about $450 all in.

I can't recall how I determined to go this way, but after thinking on it some, I found a guy who posts in various forums, mostly Pirate, who goes by "meiser". He did this with his modified MB. He wheels hard and never mentions any problem. He uses a 30 spline shaft.

There's no running lock-out hubs on a set up like this, but as mentioned earlier, you just pull the axles out and you're good to go.

 

Gunner, to better answer this question.........Yes , were taking special flanged 30 spline axles and installing them in a early Dana 44 offset tapered axle housing.

And the Ford 9 inch stuff that I have can either be run with drive flanges both front and rear which would then be locked up all the time and / or removed for towing or simply install Lockout hubs on all 4 corners and run them as you please. Using the drive flanges is similar to the full float concept except these use a Unit bearing in the 4 corners.

 

A frame of reference I built a 70-71 30 spline flanged Dana 44 for my Willys

I got the housing, cover, and axle shafts locally for $140.00
I bought all new G2 Gears Used an Eaton E Locker and bought all new Japanese Bearing (same ones used OEM in Toyotas version of the D-44 Had the Gears setup by a local shop ($250 labor) and I have about $2000.00 in the Rear Axle. But my 90 HP Flat head will never break it.

 

I tried this conversion. Didn't work for me. I paid a total of $4000.00. Ended up with the FF setup and set of new custom made Flanged Axles I could never use. Unless you have some skinny bearings and axle seal that will fit in the early housings. I don't see how it can work.

 

Scott , unlike what you tried a while back this is not the same nor is it a full float using flanged axles.............this is flanged axles going into an early tapered axle housing replacing the tapered axles.........been done many times prior and the bearing used is a Timkin set-10 bearing which is a standard axle bearing that has been around & used for many years in CJ5's , Cherokee's ,Wranglers, full sized Chevy's , Fords and Cadillac's.

Look a look at #8 to see how it works.