[timdog]

What all is different between a 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton dana 44? I know the 3/4 typically have 8 lug but after that I have heard several different "facts", so I just wanted some clarification.
Tim

 

[Dodge 85 RC]

Bigger brakes and 8 lugs on the HD and thats about it.

 

[BrianT]

That nadi think they are 30 spline axles i think not the 28 in a regular 44 .

 

[RXT]

There can be differences in spline count even on just 1/2 ton axles. The Dana 44HD has three more lugs and slightly bigger brakes, and thats about it.

Ed

 

[timdog]

Thanks guys, I was talking with a bud about getting some 1 tons while back but they are hard to find (for a good price) around me. I wanted to run 38's, but thought I would be breaking axles on a 44...he said get a 3/4 ton but I thought they had the same shafts.
Tim

 

[WyzGuy]

Thanks guys, I was talking with a bud about getting some 1 tons while back but they are hard to find (for a good price) around me. I wanted to run 38's, but thought I would be breaking axles on a 44...he said get a 3/4 ton but I thought they had the same shafts.
Tim

You will people who swear that they run 44" tall tires with a 44 front with no breakage, but I was shredding my old 44 front with 37" Boggers. I pissed away too much money on the Dana 44, should have went with a Dana 60 right away. Best mod I have made so far, except for the locker.

 

[Guest]

The older D44HDs have 1/2 inch thick axle tubes versus 3/8 inch of the standard duty version. It doesn't matter thought, if you bend an axle tube, chances are the center section will crack where the tube enters the housing. HDs have eight lugs. I think the bearings are the same as a half ton. Axleshafts are identical to a half ton. Most have flat tops.

But as discussed previously, there are very few differences from that.


Now, differences in HDs: The fulltime 4wd D44HDs have the closely spaced bearings and no locking hubs (just like the half tons versions...and I don't think these were flattop either). Some HDs have a CAD (later versions). Some are a hybrid...cross between a D44 and D60...only a very few were produced (I have only read about these...I have only seen one), basically similar to the Ford D50 (a D44 center, D60 outers). Some of the older ones (I have three 1974 versions) have locking hubs but are drum braked.

And as stated before, many versions of the same axles were produced...this is generally what I have found from the D44s I have torn down. But you will only know for sure what you have when you tear into it.

As far as it being better than a standard D44, it gets you eight lugs. They are no stronger than a standard D44. I agree, if you plan on big tires or abuse offroad, find a D60F.

19464

 

[RXT]

Some are a hybrid...cross between a D44 and D60...only a very few were produced (I have only read about these...I have only seen one), basically similar to the Ford D50 (a D44 center, D60 outers). Some of the older ones (I have three 1974 versions) have locking hubs but are drum braked.

The only other Dana axle between the Dana 44HD and Dana 60, is the Dana 50. It's only offered by Furd and the aftermarket. Basically the Dana 50 is a Dana 44 with larger ring and pinion gears, and since Furd uses reverse rotation gears, most Dana 50s are reverse rotation. The outers are not Dana 60s. Later Dana 50s were equipped with unique unit hubs that can be locked in or out but these also used the newer knuckles that have a wider spacing between the upper and lower ball joints, so it's not interchangable with older Dana axles yet they are the same size axles, joints and stubs as newer Dodge Rams which also went to the wider spaced ball joints on their Dana 44s (Before going to IFS in '02)

Your 74 is likely to have the Dana 70 which had a huge ring and pinion, but small Dana 44 sized axleshafts and closed knuckles.

Ed

 

[Guest]

What are you smoking...where did the D70 come into this?

Dodge had a hybrid d44/d60. I have seen one with my own two beady little eyes. It was in a 87 dodge truck...3/4 ton. I stated it was "similar to a Ford D50", not that it was a D50. Guess you didn't catch that And it isn't even a Ford version...guess the only ones who can have a D50 (or something not D44 or D60) is Ford??

I love you people who think you know everything...it is not a perfect world as you must believe you live in. I know there is a lot more out there that I don't know, but I know what I have seen and looked at. Just because you have never seen one must mean they can't exist? And just for the record...the truck is sitting in a yard in Gallup, NM...it is a former forest service truck, puke green in color...so you can go look at a D44/D60 hybrid for yourself.

I'm still trying to see where you got a D70 from any of this since the original post was asking about D44 and D44HD similarities/differences. Ohh, wait a minute...you musta figured since I said I had three drum braked versions (OF THE D44HD) that I was speaking of the hybrid...ok, I can see that. And don't tell me there wasn't a drummed version of the D44HD in 1974...I have 3 of them...and they are flattop open knuckled versions too. And FYI, the D70 has decent sized axleshafts (35 spline inners/21 spline outers), it is in fact the tracta joints in the steering knuckle that make them weak.

Go back to the books.

@

 

[CLRracer]

I love you people who think you know everything...

u sound like this type of person urself. and coming onto a site and disrespecting one of the smartest and most respected members isnt exactly the best way to prove otherwise.

Duane

 

[Guest]

Getting attitude from a respected member doesn't sit right with me either. Is this how all members who are not "respected" get treated...like we are not equal?

We are all human. I stated some things I have personally seen hands on, only to have someone else (respected member) tell me I did not see it. To question me is one thing (I look forward to debate), to tell me I'm completely wrong is wrong in itself. We all have things to add to this board. I was adding first hand information...not something I had read or been told. And you will see I said I don't know everything...I only post on things I do know or can add some info about. If I don't know, I don't post. Neither do I tell someone they are completely wrong...I usually add another possibility or question it, maybe they have seen something I have not. I wish I had taken pictures of that front axle so I could show you first hand that I did see an oddball. I had only heard about these hybrids, I actually saw one less than a year ago.

I was a member of this board when it had less than 400 members and deleted myself from this board for exactly this kind of "respected" member personality. Everytime I come back, I see the same misinformation floating around that someone who is researching will read and consider it "the word" and then they are misinformed as well.

I will delete myself (again) and let you continue it. There are a lot of knowledgeable members here and some that aren't.

@

 

[CLRracer]

u obviously know a good deal about dodges and their parts, but ur attitude comes off as that of someone who feels superior to others around u. sorry that u will be leaving us.

Duane

 

[dodgecharger]

I have a dana 44hd in an 89 light 3/4 ton pickup it isn't any different than a regular 44 other than it has 8 lugs, bigger brakes, and slightly larger diameter hubs. I personally don't think it is any stronger than a regular 44. I am also not a big fan of the cad axle, seems to be an overly complicated way to accomplish something that is relatively simple. What's wrong with just plain old manual lockouts anyway?

 

[CLRracer]

I am also not a big fan of the cad axle, seems to be an overly complicated way to accomplish something that is relatively simple. What's wrong with just plain old manual lockouts anyway?

the consumer wanted shift on the fly 4x4. personally, i like it. when i swap to 60s, im going with drive flanges instead of lockouts.

Duane

 

[RXT]

What are you smoking...where did the D70 come into this?

Dodge had a hybrid d44/d60. I have seen one with my own two beady little eyes. It was in a 87 dodge truck...3/4 ton. I stated it was "similar to a Ford D50", not that it was a D50. Guess you didn't catch that

The part I caught was when you said it was similar to a Dana 50 and then went on to describe it as having a Dana 44 center and Dana 60 outers. This isn't similar a Dana 50 at all. A Dana 50 is very similar to a Dana 44HD but has a bigger ring and pinion set then the '44, but that set isn't no where near the same as a Dana 60 gear set. Anotherwords a Dana 60-ish center and Dana 44 outers, opposite of what you discribed.

I don't know what hybrid Dana 44 you were looking at, unless the axle in question was some custom one off axle or perhaps a late model axle that appears to have bigger outers due to the fact that the ball joints were spaced out making it look like it had Dana 60 outers.

And it isn't even a Ford version...guess the only ones who can have a D50 (or something not D44 or D60) is Ford??

Exactly, neither Chebby or Dodge ever spec'ed out a Dana 50 for use in their trucks. This was a Furd exclusive. It was Furd which spec'ed out a new Dana 44 but with a larger ring and pinion set. Dana built the axle and named it the Dana 50. The first Dana 50s were actually third members for the Twin Traction Beam axles, later they became solid axles when Furd discontinued the TTB. The aftermarket picked up on this axle quickly.

Now it's possible to swap in a Dana 50 but if it's from a Furd, then the pumpkin will be on the driver's side. You didn't mention which side the pumpkin is on. The only other source for a Dana 50 is from the aftermarket. While it's possible, I don't think it likely because aftermarket Dana 50s aren't cheap and if strength is an issue, they'd be better off swapping in a more common Dana 60

I love you people who think you know everything...it is not a perfect world as you must believe you live in. I know there is a lot more out there that I don't know, but I know what I have seen and looked at. Just because you have never seen one must mean they can't exist?

I do know everything and if I never see it then it doesn't exist. I wonder how you got to know me so well from one post?

Yes I know anything is possible as there are many different versions of the Dana 44. It's also possible that the axle you saw isn't a Dana axle at all. It can be a rare GM / NAPCO axle from the late 50s, maybe a Furd / Marmon-Herrington axle or even an old Dana-Spicer military axle.

And just for the record...the truck is sitting in a yard in Gallup, NM...it is a former forest service truck, puke green in color...so you can go look at a D44/D60 hybrid for yourself.

I haven't been thru Gallup in along time and I'm not likely to go thru there anytime soon. I'd love to see this hybrid axle and if you have a camera, you can post a pic and prove me wrong.

I'm still trying to see where you got a D70 from any of this since the original post was asking about D44 and D44HD similarities/differences.

I brought up the Dana 70 not as a result of the original topic, but as a response to your post.

Ohh, wait a minute...you musta figured since I said I had three drum braked versions (OF THE D44HD) that I was speaking of the hybrid...ok, I can see that. And don't tell me there wasn't a drummed version of the D44HD in 1974...I have 3 of them...and they are flattop open knuckled versions too. And FYI, the D70 has decent sized axleshafts (35 spline inners/21 spline outers), it is in fact the tracta joints in the steering knuckle that make them weak.

Considering that you described an axle with a Dana 44 center and Dana 60 outers, and that I mentioned that it doesn't sound like a Dana 50 has me to believe that it could have been another production axle. This brings up the Dana 70. But it still can't be described with having a Dana 44 center and Dana 60 outers. So who knows what you saw?

Since you bring up the fact that this truck is an ex-Forest service truck leads me to believe that the axle isn't some kind of a hybrid simply because government agencys tend to spec out the most bare bones, basic truck, the tax payers can buy. Unique parts tend to cost more and thats not likely in a government truck. I won't deny that it could have been retired and later modified.

As for the drum brakes I didn't bring that up. You did and I didn't disagree. I know those exist.

Go back to the books.

@

Prove me wrong...I can take it

Ed

 

[auwing]

Hell I am going to put in a 44 hd its got to be better then the stock 44 in my 79 hate that f ing bearing setup

 

[RXT]

Hell I am going to put in a 44 hd its got to be better then the stock 44 in my 79 hate that f ing bearing setup

The 70s 44HDs also used those same unit hubs you have already. You'll need to find a later 80s-90s model Dana 44HD axle to get away from those bearings.

Ed

 

[GunPilot]

Or even better, a Chevy D44HD. BTW, Ed, kudos to you for staying civil through this thread. Your input is valued here, as is everyone's. Evidently, offering different info is construed by some as 'attitude.' What a shame.

FWIW, a '74 ex-Forest service truck I know has D70's front and rear originally.

 

[AdventurerSport]

D70s front and rear?? Really? I'd like to see that...I've never seen a D70 front. I know for a few trucks that are D60 front and rear, and D60 front/D70 rear, but not D70 front...?

If possible, I would like to see pics of this setup. Thanks!

JS

 

[RXT]

Sorry don't have a pic. All I can tell you is they were once used by Dodge long ago, they had closed knuckles and were likely drum braked equipped.

Ed