D44 DRW front?

[nevada]

ok guys, ive searched, and so far....not much luck.
this might seem kinda dumb, but....

ive got a customer that wants to swap a 4wd frontend into his old 52(?) chevy. right now hes got a mid 80's DRW d60. it'll work just fine, but its heavy, and WAY overkill for how the truck will be used.

hes now thinking about putting a d44 under it instead. this truck will NEVER haul any weight, nothing more than a few 100 lbs.
its a DRW truck now, so we would need some hubs, or spacers to get the front out. the biggest spacer i found was 2", which wouldnt be enough.

do such things exist? AND if we were able to get it done, would it be road worthy, and dependable? this thing will need to be able to run across the US. i dont want something thats gonna need constant attention to keep it together.
if its not safe/doable, then we will continue with the 60.


thanks for any help, or atleast setting me straight:redneck:

 

[Toyotanut]

Personally I'd just keep the 60 and save the headache.

 

[CHOP SHOP]

I have some dually spacers. They are about 8 inches thick. They look like a huge gatling gun barrel. They have some studs that go with them to. They were made a few years ago and Ive had two pairs including this pair. I once seen a set at walt and verns years ago, but thats it only three Ive ever seen.:;

Kinda rare.:beer:

 

[WHITE TRASH1]

Jc whitney used to carry them. Sounds like what chop shop is talking about.

 

[nevada]

I have some dually spacers. They are about 8 inches thick. They look like a huge gatling gun barrel. They have some studs that go with them to. They were made a few years ago and Ive had two pairs including this pair. I once seen a set at walt and verns years ago, but thats it only three Ive ever seen.:;

Kinda rare.:beer:

8"..thatd be TOO wide..wouldnt it? the D60 spacers are 5". but i have no idea how wide the 44 is. hes already got one...but im waiting to hear back on what it was out of.

if they would work...are they for sale? how much?

Jc whitney used to carry them. Sounds like what chop shop is talking about.

would this be something thatd be safe for DD type use? like road trips and whatnot? honestly, i dont see how itd really be any different than a factory dually set-up. i suppose we could loctite the spacer mount bolts for some piece of mind.

 

[mark]

3" spacers are pretty commonly available. My D60 DRW hubs were only 4" wider than SRW hubs, so that might be close enough for him.

Was it Ford or Dodge that actually used bolt-on spacers for their late model, DRW trucks????

 

[leadfoot067]

google is amazing.....here ya go

http://www.arrowcraft.com/arrowcraft.php?pageid=products&subpid=catalog&category=3&pagenumber=1

 

[nevada]

google is amazing.....here ya go

http://www.arrowcraft.com/arrowcraft.php?pageid=products&subpid=catalog&category=3&pagenumber=1

thanks.
i did search for them. didnt find anything over regular 2" spacers.

 

[nevada]

last i heard..he still plans to use the d44.



soo that means the 60 will be available.
should i try to get it, and mess with regearing, and converting it to srw?
ive got no idea right now how much he might want.

to those that have converted them over...is it worth it? or am i better off getting a srw one?

 

[leadfoot067]

its a simple bearing hub swap... single wheel hubs can be had new about 350 buks...

 

[nevada]

its a simple bearing hub swap... single wheel hubs can be had new about 350 buks...

right, i seen that. ive gotta see what kind of deal he would make me on it.


but i thought i read somewhere about somehow modifying the existing stuff, without buying expensive hubs?

 

[WHITE TRASH1]

but i thought i read somewhere about somehow modifying the existing stuff, without buying expensive hubs?

There is a write up on PBB on machining the whole wheel mount flange off and facing the fingers that the rotor bolts to. They then cut a 1/4" piece of plate to go over the new flange to spread the load on the fingers. The holes in the fingers were drilled for standard studs too.

Not a bad idea if you have access to a lathe.

 

[nevada]

There is a write up on PBB on machining the whole wheel mount flange off and facing the fingers that the rotor bolts to. They then cut a 1/4" piece of plate to go over the new flange to spread the load on the fingers. The holes in the fingers were drilled for standard studs too.

Not a bad idea if you have access to a lathe.

yeh, thats what id read. i seen it referrenced several times. but never could find the actual thread about it.


is there a reason you couldnt just unbolt the dually adapter, and bolt the wheel straight up?

thats just too easy huh...:eeek:

 

[WHITE TRASH1]

yeh, thats what id read. i seen it referrenced several times. but never could find the actual thread about it.


is there a reason you couldnt just unbolt the dually adapter, and bolt the wheel straight up?

thats just too easy huh...:eeek:

There is no adapter, the dually hub has a wheel mount out by the lockout and 8 tabs that the rotor bolts to. On a single wheel hub the tabs are replaced by the wheel mount flange.

 

[nevada]

There is no adapter, the dually hub has a wheel mount out by the lockout and 8 tabs that the rotor bolts to. On a single wheel hub the tabs are replaced by the wheel mount flange.

*lightbulb*
got it.
if id tore it apart, i would have seen it right away... the rotor attaches to the BACK side of the hub. instead of the spacer bolting onto the rotor/hub.:awesomework:

is it ford that works the other way? where you can just unbolt the dually spacer, and mount up the wheel? im sure if heard of it working that way...on something.

 

[WHITE TRASH1]

*lightbulb*
got it.
if id tore it apart, i would have seen it right away... the rotor attaches to the BACK side of the hub. instead of the spacer bolting onto the rotor/hub.:awesomework:

is it ford that works the other way? where you can just unbolt the dually spacer, and mount up the wheel? im sure if heard of it working that way...on something.

Not sure who used bolt on adapters, probably IH they did all the weird **** like that.

If this is a chevy or dodge axle you can use d50 big hub parts to convert it. You'd need a ford 60 outer and spindle, a 50 spindle may work but no guarantees. drill the 6 stud GM pattern into the spindle, and bolt that shiat together with 3/4 ton brakes and flat caliper brackets and you're done. I may have missed something but I can update this when I get home tonight.

 

[nevada]

yeh, its a chevy.

i still gotta see what kind of deal hes gonna make me. not sure i even wanna mess with it. be nice to find a srw, with the right ratio. even if i did end up paying a bit more. itd be cheaper in the end.

 

[WHITE TRASH1]

yeh, its a chevy.

i still gotta see what kind of deal hes gonna make me. not sure i even wanna mess with it. be nice to find a srw, with the right ratio. even if i did end up paying a bit more. itd be cheaper in the end.

If you want cheap and easy pm madmax, he has a set of srw dodge external hubs he'd sell ya cheap. Ask him about his spare 60, bet he'd cut you a sweet deal, tell him I sent you. ;:

 

[nevada]

ok, little update....its a 10bolt, not a d44. but...no worries there. and he still plans on going through with it.



AND the d60 is up for sale. i dont have the cash right now....