D44 custom axle truss?

XtrmTJ · Dec 13, 2006

I am swaping in a HP D44 and a 9" into mt Jeep. The 9" is simple to truss, but would like some ideas/pics of trussing a front HP D44. Thanks ! :clappy:
Pics would be great.

KarlVP · Dec 13, 2006

Not a 44 but you get the idea. If you incorporate your lower control arm mounts into the axle it makes it beefy.

This does hang me up sometimes, but I think its better than not having it there. If you are building your own axle mounts and stuff you could do it on the top.

KarlVP · Dec 13, 2006

Or, here's another 30 from stu-offroad. I like it but it isnt a complete knucle to knuckle truss. I'm sure if you got crafty and trussed the axle and then added your coil buckets you could get some free lift out of the deal too.

http://www.stu-offroad.com/guards/orffab/fab-1.htm

crash2 · Dec 13, 2006

Unless you plan on jumping your rig your going to waiste your time. Plus if you are not carefull you will warp your housing....

TreeClimber · Dec 13, 2006

I agree. Dana 44s are a lot stronger and the tubes are both larger in diameter and thicker in material, especially on the fronts, than a Dana 30/35. I doubt you'd ever bend a D44 front tube. No need to truss. Just run em.

KarlVP · Dec 13, 2006

crash said:
Unless you plan on jumping your rig your going to waiste your time. Plus if you are not carefull you will warp your housing....

Not nesecarrily. I've seen a couple 44's that are tweaked and they haven't seen any airtime. Not "smiling at you" tweaked but enough to cause problems with a locker.

crash2 · Dec 13, 2006

KarlVP said:
Not nesecarrily. I've seen a couple 44's that are tweaked and they haven't seen any airtime. Not "smiling at you" tweaked but enough to cause problems with a locker.

Then mine should have been bent :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

KarlVP · Dec 13, 2006

crash said:
Then mine should have been bent :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

Well I guess Hip farms bent 44's in his backyard.

I've seen two come through his shop that the housing was flexed enough to cause problems. One in his Neighbors YJ, and another in a Fullsize K5. And these guys don't wheel hard by any means.

crash2 · Dec 13, 2006

KarlVP said:
Well I guess Hip farms bent 44's in his backyard.

I've seen two come through his shop that the housing was flexed enough to cause problems. One in his Neighbors YJ, and another in a Fullsize K5. And these guys don't wheel hard by any means.

Lets see---the YJ--that housing was "bent" prior to being installed(and that was bent in the center)---abuse under a full size? hmmmm

And the other--hmm, K5--fullsize... hmmmmm

crash2 · Dec 13, 2006

XtrmTJ said:
I am swaping in a HP D44 and a 9" into mt Jeep. The 9" is simple to truss, but would like some ideas/pics of trussing a front HP D44. Thanks ! :clappy:
Pics would be great.

But to answer your question. Its all about clearance---go with an over the top style of truss--But be VERY carefull as its VERY easy to warp a housing if you are not carefull.

TreeClimber · Dec 13, 2006

KarlVP said:
Not nesecarrily. I've seen a couple 44's that are tweaked and they haven't seen any airtime. Not "smiling at you" tweaked but enough to cause problems with a locker.

Fronts or Rears.

Rear 44s don't use nearly as thick of tubing and are much more prone to abuse bending.

Secondly, Dana 44s have been around forever. FOREVER. and as such you may have found a quality control issue with a manufacturing and just found a bad one.

That said, yeah anything can break or bend.

, but I still think it's not commonly needed.

Hip · Dec 13, 2006

yeah that blazer was smiling but the HP ford isnt actually bent, it has a loose socket??? the long side tube flexes just enough to throw the locker center dimention off just from the weight of the vehicle. if he hadnt spent so much time grinding perches into it and adding shock mounts and stuff he would just get another housing.

we will end up trussing this housing cause we can.

the ford HP fronts from 78/79 broncos with the cast radius arm brackets arent very thick tube. not like chevy.

Jaydog · Dec 13, 2006

XtrmTJ said:
I am swaping in a HP D44 and a 9" into mt Jeep. The 9" is simple to truss, but would like some ideas/pics of trussing a front HP D44. Thanks ! :clappy:
Pics would be great.

Are you talking a truss for structural, or a truss for your upper control arms to attach to?

bobbed_84_toy · Dec 13, 2006

Here is how mine is trussed. 1 1/4 diameter x 1/4 wall chunk of tube boxed in with 1/4 plate. I'm going to brace the knuckles the same way to help make sure it stays together

PUO-BANNED · Dec 14, 2006

crash said:
Unless you plan on jumping your rig your going to waiste your time. Plus if you are not carefull you will warp your housing....

I have to agree wit crash here. Unless you plan on launching that sucker at the dunes then the truss is overkill. you should spend more time,money,and effort on another aspect of the rig.

And the pic of that 10 bolt with the truss. Im sorry but that looks like $hit

the axle looks about as bent as the tie rod you have attached to it

XtrmTJ · Dec 14, 2006

Jaydog said:
Are you talking a truss for structural, or a truss for your upper control arms to attach to?

I am swapping in the HP D44 for a D30. I will be running 39.5 " IROKS. I want to truss it for structural strenght. Thot, "I got it on the floor, what can I do to make it stronger." It is getting fitted with a Detroit, 5.38 gears, hi zoot inners and outers, and anything else I can think of to make it "BEEFY". Thanks for all the help/pics ! It will help alot ! So, you are saying, that for "normal" rockcrawling on a "light"(97TJ) rig, the D44 does not need to be trusses, it is strong enough as is ? Again, Thanks for all the input ! :beer:

Wildman1 · Dec 14, 2006

Here are how thick the front tubes are on a HP44. This was out of a 76 F150. I have heard the F250 tubes are even bigger. Are you staying full width or going to narrow it? I narrowed mine to Waggy width.

Your biggest issue is going to be trying to keep that front axle alive with 39" tires.

XtrmTJ · Dec 14, 2006

I am leaving them full width. Keeping them "alive" ? Is 39" too much tire ?

I have been running a 36X12.5 SS SX on the D30 (warn inners an outers and trussed) for years now.

KarlVP · Dec 14, 2006

XtrmTJ said:
I am leaving them full width. Keeping them "alive" ? Is 39" too much tire ?

I have been running a 36X12.5 SS SX on the D30 (warn inners an outers and trussed) for years now.

I don't know on the axles, didn't want to get into it in this thread.

I've seen guys like Tom Tom wail on his D44 chromo on 36 inch IROK's on the trail, only to break an axle in his driveway putting the rig in the shop. :wtf:

Check out this page, at the bottom is a video of GaryTJ hammering on his D44, mind you this incline is probably about 70% He breaks a u-joint. http://www.timbertamers.org/runs2006/mtloop06/Mountain%20loop%2006.htm

It's all relative. Most folk on the board here will Scream DANA60!! When I first got here, I thought 60's were for hillbillys with too much horsepower. Now that I have seen 44's vs 60's my opinion has changed.

Mild to Hard wheeling, 44. Extreme 60.