Dana 44 Carnage

I figure everyone likes carnage pics.

 

dang! Thats some good carnage! Care to share the story?

 

excellent work.
Time to go junkyard shopping for a 60 or a nice 14 bolt.


rockwell anyone?

 

Result of several errors.
#1) I was on a difficult climb and let it bounce too much. Now I have been off-roading a long time and know not to do that, but I wanted to see how well the jeep was going to hold together after it's rebuild. I was intentionally a little rough on it.

#2) I only made my traction bar attach on one side. I knew that if I only hooked it on one side that I could possibly spin a tube, so to solve that I welded the traction bar mount to the tube, and also to the housing where the tube slips in. I thought "it can't spin now". Well it didn't spin, it cracked.

#3) I pivoted my rear pinion up when I installed it. That was fine, but, I didn't take into consideration that the gussets that are cast into the pumpkin top and bottom where the tube goes in were no longer on the top and bottom of the tube. So when I landed from a bounce, there was no support where the tube goes in, causing the tube to crack the pumpkin.

So I think that my engineering could have been better. Lesson learned. I need two traction bars to distribute the pressure, and I need to support the axle tubes better. My ring and pinion and detroit locker are fine, so I am going to save money by sticking with the Dana 44, but just build it better.

 

ARB are making some monster diff covers that would help brace up the 44

 

nice touch

 

The diff cover held up, a heavy steel ford one. Actually broke a diff cover bolt near the crack!

 

just put a thick coat of jb weld on it and slap it back under there.

 

I've heard that stuff is expensive. Isn't there anything cheaper?

 

A little all-weather caulking should seal that right up. And its flexible!
Won't break like that hardened steel junk you used the first time.

 

Forget JB Weld, and All weather caulking, use Duct tape, Cause you know... "If you cant duct it......"

 

Forget JB Weld, and All weather caulking, use Duct tape, Cause you know... "If you cant duc' it......"

 

So . . . CJX . . .

What's the solution going to be???
New D44? 14 bolt? D60?

 

Since my detroit and r&p seem to be ok, I will stick with the Dana 44. I already have another housing. BUT, I am going to truss the housing for better support.

 

Looks like maybe you have had some practice doing these things.

 

Wow. Hard to choose between crying or laughing. Well, until the credit card statement comes in. Then it'll be an easy choice!R)