Dana 44 front axle issues

mattsk8 · Sep 18, 2024

77 K20 said:
Nice to hear you like the TruTrac. I put one in the D44 in the front of my truck years ago. That and the detroit locker in the rear has been perfect. I typically play in the deep snow and it doesn't hurt my turning radius like a full locker would. And I didn't have any interest in an air locker. And back then there was some issue with the Eaton E locker unlocking and not working in reverse.
I did upgrade my axle shafts to come chromoly units. I was running Yukon Hardcore hubs but one gernanded for unknown reasons on the highway and basically turned into a blender. Everything inside including my spindle was ruined. After that I just installed my old full time 4 slugs.
I too have crossover steering and often think about a D60 but would cost BIG bucks now to recreate what I have now.

I'm running Warn Premium hubs. In that gigantic POS big hub 44 setup they were nothing but trouble, but I've never had an issue with them in a 10b.

I almost did the axle upgrade to the chromoly when this all happened but I was already spending enough, and damn are those expensive. Thankfully I haven't broken an axle... yet. If I do, then I'll pull the trigger.

Sounds like we have nearly identical setups as far as lockers go. I couldn't be happier. I'd love to drive a square with a D60 on the highway just so I can know rather than reading that they drive worse than a 44 (not sure I believe that, but that's what I've read). When I built mine I had an opportunity to get a D60 for next to free and didn't because I was worried about highway driving. And yeah, doing that swap now is way out of the question cuz I have too much into my 44. I sorta wish I would've welded trusses on my 44 when it was out.

squaredeal91 · Sep 18, 2024

Any experience or insight on the ox locker? Are they similar animals?

77 K20 · Sep 18, 2024

I don't know much about them. A jeep in my off road club has them and he loves them. Has a mechanical cable? to lock and unlock them. Seems like a good idea for a selectable locker.

squaredeal91 · Sep 18, 2024

Thanl you! Cable idea sounds kinda cool. I haven't been able to find one yet so i think there out of production. Found Eaton e-lockers and those seem good and reliable. Don't want an air locker. Had my hart set on a selectable locker for years lol but see you guys are very happy with your Tru track. I've had a welded front diff for a decade and broke my carrier finally so I'm looking at all my options. Can't afford any right now but I Don't want to miss another wheeling season.

bucket · Sep 18, 2024

77 K20 said:
Nice to hear you like the TruTrac. I put one in the D44 in the front of my truck years ago. That and the detroit locker in the rear has been perfect. I typically play in the deep snow and it doesn't hurt my turning radius like a full locker would. And I didn't have any interest in an air locker. And back then there was some issue with the Eaton E locker unlocking and not working in reverse.
I did upgrade my axle shafts to come chromoly units. I was running Yukon Hardcore hubs but one gernanded for unknown reasons on the highway and basically turned into a blender. Everything inside including my spindle was ruined. After that I just installed my old full time 4 slugs.
I too have crossover steering and often think about a D60 but would cost BIG bucks now to recreate what I have now.

So how does the tru trac do on the road with drive slugs?? Not much binding then?

mattsk8 said:
I'm running Warn Premium hubs. In that gigantic POS big hub 44 setup they were nothing but trouble, but I've never had an issue with them in a 10b.

I almost did the axle upgrade to the chromoly when this all happened but I was already spending enough, and damn are those expensive. Thankfully I haven't broken an axle... yet. If I do, then I'll pull the trigger.

Sounds like we have nearly identical setups as far as lockers go. I couldn't be happier. I'd love to drive a square with a D60 on the highway just so I can know rather than reading that they drive worse than a 44 (not sure I believe that, but that's what I've read). When I built mine I had an opportunity to get a D60 for next to free and didn't because I was worried about highway driving. And yeah, doing that swap now is way out of the question cuz I have too much into my 44. I sorta wish I would've welded trusses on my 44 when it was out.

Who says a D60 goes down the road worse than the lighter axles?

Mine go down the road just the same as the 10 bolts do. Which is nicely.

mattsk8 · Sep 18, 2024

bucket said:
So how does the tru trac do on the road with drive slugs?? Not much binding then?

Who says a D60 goes down the road worse than the lighter axles?

Mine go down the road just the same as the 10 bolts do. Which is nicely.

I've read a couple places that because the Dana 44 is (a lot) lighter, it handles better. I've also read that unless you're going bigger than a 35" tire, the 44 is a great axle. But like I said, I have zero experience driving on a Dana 60 so everything I'm saying is just what I've read. Part of me wishes I'd have grabbed that 60 when I had a chance, I could've probably avoided this whole scenario. But if I did, I'd probably never know how much I love having a Trutrac in the front either.

This article sums it up well. But I'd love to hear your opinion on what he's saying.

Dana 44 vs Dana 60

bucket · Sep 19, 2024

mattsk8 said:
I've read a couple places that because the Dana 44 is (a lot) lighter, it handles better. I've also read that unless you're going bigger than a 35" tire, the 44 is a great axle. But like I said, I have zero experience driving on a Dana 60 so everything I'm saying is just what I've read. Part of me wishes I'd have grabbed that 60 when I had a chance, I could've probably avoided this whole scenario. But if I did, I'd probably never know how much I love having a Trutrac in the front either.

This article sums it up well. But I'd love to hear your opinion on what he's saying.

Dana 44 vs Dana 60

I've never noticed that the added weight hurts the handling and ride quality at all. I could see it making a difference on a truck with links and coils, but not our leaf spring trucks.

I currently have two operational trucks with a D60 in the front, they both drive just as well as trucks I've had with a 10 bolt and D44 fronts. I've got an estimated 200k spent driving the smaller axles, between my K-Burbs and my K5 so I'm familiar with how those drive. Not nearly as many miles spent (by a long shot) with the two D60 trucks, but still familiar with those too. One is a short wheelbase and the other is a crew cab, so I've got the wheelbase comparisons covered as well.

Oh, and I haven't run anything smaller than a 33" in a long time. So the added unsprung weight of larger tires I'm sure can mask the difference in axle unsprung weight, to some degree.

mattsk8 · Sep 19, 2024

bucket said:
I've never noticed that the added weight hurts the handling and ride quality at all. I could see it making a difference on a truck with links and coils, but not our leaf spring trucks.

I currently have two operational trucks with a D60 in the front, they both drive just as well as trucks I've had with a 10 bolt and D44 fronts. I've got an estimated 200k spent driving the smaller axles, between my K-Burbs and my K5 so I'm familiar with how those drive. Not nearly as many miles spent (by a long shot) with the two D60 trucks, but still familiar with those too. One is a short wheelbase and the other is a crew cab, so I've got the wheelbase comparisons covered as well.

Oh, and I haven't run anything smaller than a 33" in a long time. So the added unsprung weight of larger tires I'm sure can mask the difference in axle unsprung weight, to some degree.

Thank you, that was thought out and helpful. Now I kinda regret not grabbing that D60, but on the next one I will :Big Laugh:

FWIW, this is the first D44 front axle I've grenaded. I've worn one out but never had this happen. I'll never know, but I imagine this would not have happened if I was using a D60.

mattsk8 · Sep 19, 2024

squaredeal91 said:
Any experience or insight on the ox locker? Are they similar animals?

Just saw this. I've never used any type of manual locker. I actually would've avoided a Trutrac too if I hadn't rode in my son's truck, I was pleasantly surprised how well it performed, and how you didn't know it was there until you needed a locker. And I chose it because I wanted to minimize any sort of binding in my front axle when I steer. I imagine when that Ox is locked it'll be a handful thru the curves off-road.

In a rear axle I hope you try it! I'd love to know what you think.

77 K20 · Sep 19, 2024

bucket said:
So how does the tru trac do on the road with drive slugs?? Not much binding then?

There is zero binding with the tru trac and the drive slugs. Feels just like if the front end was open differential. No noises, it is almost the perfect differential. Only once I was trying to get up a "waterfall" section at the local ORV park and I had a front tire almost in the air on a wet very slick rock and it spun while the other front tire didn't want to spin. I was able to "power brake it" a bit and force the torque to transfer over. But didn't matter- all 4 tires then spun and I still couldn't climb it.

Dana 44 front axle issues

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