Dana 44 front axle issues

Long story, but I built this truck out of a few trucks I had. I kept the 3/4 ton axles, the rear is a 14 bolt which has been great, the front began life as the older, "big hub" Dana 44 from like 1975 When I started playing with this POS axle I didn't know anything about big hub Dana 44 axles, had I know then what I know now I'd have taken this axle in for scrap steel. Instead I rebuilt it, new gears, new wheel bearings, and new lockouts. This was about 6 years ago.

Right away I had issues with the lockouts, the bolts that hold the lockouts to the hub would come loose, and that would destroy the lockouts. I got better at catching this design flaw and used Loktite, but still had issues with the lockouts.

Fast forward to last spring and I swapped the "big hub" over to a standard 10 bolt hub with the later style lockouts (this included new wheel bearings, spindles, hubs, lockouts, etc). I took it thru the dunes and pounded on it a couple weeks ago and figured my front axle issues were solved because the truck did great. Until today...

I was coming up a taller, fairly steep dune on an angle, getting sorta cocky with it. I turned to go straight up the hill and got a loud clunking/crunching noise from my front diff. I limped the truck off the dunes, hearing the clunking/crunching noise every now and then. Got out of the dunes, put it in 2wd and the truck drove home great in 2wd.

I just took it for a drive up to a bigger parking lot. When I lock the hubs, but leave it in 2wd, I get a loud bang when I turn the wheel, the bang seems to come from either side of the axle, depending on which way I'm turning but it's tough to isolate exactly where it's coming from. When I put it in 4wd, it drove straight for a bit, but then started binding, like if I gave it gas to try to overcome whatever was binding I would break a driveshaft or an axle (that's how badly it was binding).

So... Before I pull the diff cover and inspect, any guesses as to what the frick is going on with this? I've about had it with this axle, but I've had a lot of GM 10 bolt front diffs and didn't have this many issues (that's why I've hung in there so long with this stupid Dana 44). I'm leaning towards throwing in the towel and getting a Dana 60 but I already have crossover steering for this POS axle and I'm not sure how many of those parts will swap over from my 44 to a 60.

I guess I'm venting and looking for advice lol.

Either broken spiders, or an axle shaft u joint.

Full lock heavy throttle is very hard on them.

PrairieDrifter said:

Either broken spiders, or an axle shaft u joint.

Full lock heavy throttle is very hard on them.

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I was thinking possibly a u-joint too. I checked them and they aren't loose, but maybe one is froze. The clunking with hubs locked while it's in 2wd def points to a u-joint.

It wasn't full clock when I steered and this all started, maybe half. I know better than to jam it full clock.

mattsk8 said:

I was thinking possibly a u-joint too. I checked them and they aren't loose, but maybe one is froze. The clunking with hubs locked while it's in 2wd def points to a u-joint.

It wasn't full clock when I steered and this all started, maybe half. I know better than to jam it full clock.

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Sand will be much less forgiving because it moves so much but is also a lot of friction compared to other surfaces.

The spiders will clunk too with the hubs locked, because they only spin when the axle shafts turn.

Well I'd say it's a worse case scenario for the ole Dana 44

Because I have new hubs, rotors, lockouts, and crossover steering for this axle I think I'll try to nuke-proof either this Dana 44, or get a used 10 bolt and build that (all those parts will work on a 10 bolt). I'll report back but if anyone has suggestions on how to go about this I'm all ears.

Time to look into a new or used carrier.

mattsk8 said:

Because I have new hubs, rotors, lockouts, and crossover steering for this axle I think I'll try to nuke-proof either this Dana 44, or get a used 10 bolt and build that (all those parts will work on a 10 bolt). I'll report back but if anyone has suggestions on how to go about this I'm all ears.

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Keep the Dana 44.

Also daaangggg!! That's a good one! I've had spiders let loose, even the center pin let loose, they never cracked the carrier though!

PrairieDrifter said:

Keep the Dana 44.

Also daaangggg!! That's a good one! I've had spiders let loose, even the center pin let loose, they never cracked the carrier though!

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I was surprised. Is it possible the front driveshaft is a smidge too short, and maybe that's what did this? It just seems too coincidental that it happened when I turned on that hill. I have a 4" lift and put a new driveshaft in it last fall, the driveshaft bolted in just fine but I don't remember how much play I had left in the spline on the shaft. Possibly had a lot of frame flex and the shaft pulled hard on the diff yoke when I made that turn and stepped on the gas?

mattsk8 said:

I was surprised. Is it possible the front driveshaft is a smidge too short, and maybe that's what did this? It just seems too coincidental that it happened when I turned on that hill. I have a 4" lift and put a new driveshaft in it last fall, the driveshaft bolted in just fine but I don't remember how much play I had left in the spline on the shaft. Possibly had a lot of frame flex and the shaft pulled hard on the diff yoke when I made that turn and stepped on the gas?

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Doubtful. More like a u joint bound up in the turn, as they do, and it shocked the spiders. They may have been sloppy too, then shocked them so hard it spread the carrier and cracked it.

PrairieDrifter said:

Doubtful. More like a u joint bound up in the turn, as they do, and it shocked the spiders. They may have been sloppy too, then shocked them so hard it spread the carrier and cracked it.

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U-joints are good, I checked them. I think it's a classic case of $hit happens.

I'm leaning towards getting a TrueTrac, this will replace my carrier and give me better traction. Might as well take advantage of my crappy luck in this scenario.

mattsk8 said:

U-joints are good, I checked them. I think it's a classic case of $hit happens.

I'm leaning towards getting a TrueTrac, this will replace my carrier and give me better traction. Might as well take advantage of my crappy luck in this scenario.

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I installed a TruTrac in my front 10 bolt, haven’t had a chance to try it yet but they get great reviews.
If you’re going with the TruTrac it uses different size carrier bearings than the original GM carrier.

Old Guy Bill said:

I installed a TruTrac in my front 10 bolt, haven’t had a chance to try it yet but they get great reviews.
If you’re going with the TruTrac it uses different size carrier bearings than the original GM carrier.

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(Edited)
I called Eaton and they said this is the TT I need. They also said my carrier bearings should be the same, they should work with this TrueTrac?? Curious if you needed bigger bearings and I don't because yours was a 10 bolt and mine is a Dana 44??

mattsk8 said:

(Edited)
I called Eaton and they said this is the TT I need. They also said my carrier bearings should be the same, they should work with this TrueTrac?? Curious if you needed bigger bearings and I don't because yours was a 10 bolt and mine is a Dana 44??

EATON 913A592 Eaton Detroit Truetrac Differentials | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Eaton Detroit Truetrac Differentials with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Differential Carriers at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

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Yes, there’s probably differences between the two, I’m definitely not schooled in that area.
I used Eaton 912A557, it required a bearing with a larger inside diameter.
Let us know how it performs when you get it in, my truck is still months away from being mobile.

Old Guy Bill said:

Yes, there’s probably differences between the two, I’m definitely not schooled in that area.
I used Eaton 912A557, it required a bearing with a larger inside diameter.
Let us know how it performs when you get it in, my truck is still months away from being mobile.

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Definitely will. I'll probably post a million questions along the way, I've never rebuilt the actual differential so this will be a first for me. I used to take my axles to a local place by me but the guy retired and closed the doors. I need to figure this out because guys that do this are getting tougher to find.