3/4 front axle

[tdub209]

So in a debate for front axles under my truck. it currently has a leaf sprung 10 bolt 8 lug axle. i have a dana 44 housing with 3:73 gears, it is just the housing and ring/pinion. I want to link the truck for the ride and comfort but debating to spend money on an axle before hand to make the longevity worth it. My truck is on 35” tires and need to be regeared. i have a complete disc brake 14bf with 4:10 gears that i’m going to swap for the 14sf. in the front i’m in a pickle on spending money for a d60 then having to gear and lock it, save a little money and use the d44, or just build the 10b. my truck won’t get heavily used rock crawling so i’m not worried about the strength of having a d60 with chromoly axles and 5:38 gears. just curious if it’s worth it to spend the money on the d44 to do, gears, axle shafts, steering, lock it, and link it. or just gear the 10b and link the axle. any ideas or feedback would be good to hear before i start.
just for ideas truck is a 85/75 K20 single cab, with a flatbed, 350 bored .60 over with aluminum heads, comp cams valvetrain, SM465 manual, and np208. i do have a built TH350 that is waiting to go in to pair to a np205 once i find one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yevgenievich]

I so not see much use in spending more on a d44 vs staying with 10bolt. The d60 is a good question. The use intended does seem to have a need for d60, but it does not hurt to have a stronger axle

 

[tdub209]

I so not see much use in spending more on a d44 vs staying with 10bolt. The d60 is a good question. The use intended does seem to have a need for d60, but it does not hurt to have a stronger axle

yeah i just figured in the price for a d60 i could do everything to the 10b or d44. after i purchase a d60
i’m still going to have to spend more in fixing it up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Big Chip]

@Honky Kong jr

 

[Honky Kong jr]

So in a debate for front axles under my truck. it currently has a leaf sprung 10 bolt 8 lug axle. i have a dana 44 housing with 3:73 gears, it is just the housing and ring/pinion. I want to link the truck for the ride and comfort but debating to spend money on an axle before hand to make the longevity worth it. My truck is on 35” tires and need to be regeared. i have a complete disc brake 14bf with 4:10 gears that i’m going to swap for the 14sf. in the front i’m in a pickle on spending money for a d60 then having to gear and lock it, save a little money and use the d44, or just build the 10b. my truck won’t get heavily used rock crawling so i’m not worried about the strength of having a d60 with chromoly axles and 5:38 gears. just curious if it’s worth it to spend the money on the d44 to do, gears, axle shafts, steering, lock it, and link it. or just gear the 10b and link the axle. any ideas or feedback would be good to hear before i start.
just for ideas truck is a 85/75 K20 single cab, with a flatbed, 350 bored .60 over with aluminum heads, comp cams valvetrain, SM465 manual, and np208. i do have a built TH350 that is waiting to go in to pair to a np205 once i find one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Find your self a 10 bolt out of a 90 or 91 Burb or Blazer. They have bigger 30 spline axles. Swap your 8 lug stuff over to it. People hate the 10 bolt, but most don’t know about the 30 spline thing. That’s what I have in mine on 36s and a bigblock. I installed a 8.6 Eaton posi in it and never looked back.

 

[tdub209]

Find your self a 10 bolt out of a 90 or 91 Burb or Blazer. They have bigger 30 spline axles. Swap your 8 lug stuff over to it. People hate the 10 bolt, but most don’t know about the 30 spline thing. That’s what I have in mine on 36s and a bigblock. I installed a 8.6 Eaton posi in it and never looked back.

good to know , thank you for the info.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Honky Kong jr]

@tdub209 i tried to edit it but it’s pissing me off. I wanted to add that being that people hate the 10 bolt they are relatively cheap and being armed with the 30 spline knowledge will help you. The back tears are 30 spline as well. 89 was the first year but you have a 50/50 shot with the 89s that’s why I said 90-91

 

[Honky Kong jr]

good to know , thank you for the info.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No problem.

 

[bucket]

For ride and comfort, custom front leaves should do the trick, and be much simpler than going with a link setup.

@77 K20

@roundhouse

 

[tdub209]

For ride and comfort, custom front leaves should do the trick, and be much simpler than going with a link setup.

@77 K20

@roundhouse

i looked at ORD’s custom front springs and for about the same price i could do coil overs. i’m already doing the crossover/high steer so the only thing different would be brackets. i have a lot of dom tubing and 3/4 rod ends around my shop. so i would only be paying for the brackets additionally compared to leafs. and if i stuck with leafs i’d cut the plates off the axle and put new ones with the correct driveline angle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[77 K20]

You had pretty much the same debate I was going thru a while ago. I couldn't find a good used D60 around here and when I priced out a new one it was over $6,000 dollars... so I stuck with my D44.

My axle now has:
-Reid Racing knuckles (which will be used for crossover steer eventually)
-Ten Factory chromoly axle shafts with the slightly upgraded 760x axle u joints
-Eaton Truetrac diff
-Yukon Hardcore hubs
-ORD bigger tie rod

I have 35" tires and use the truck to go places most people don't think I can go... I'm happy with my build now that it is done. I had some surprises but since you are going to coil springs then you won't have the issue of the tie rod hitting the ORD front spring packs.

What type of locker in the front are you thinking of? I went with the truetrac because it is "more friendly" than a true locker. With a "real" locker and a heavier foot there is a possibility of snapping parts they say. With the truetrac I can still turn easily.

Here was a thread about replacing some of the parts on my D44:
https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/installingd44-reid-racing-knuckles.24055/

It looks like I didn't post pics of the chromoly shafts vs my stock ones... the stock ones neck down after the splines and will snap there- as it is the weak point. The aftermarket shafts are straight there and with the more material they are stronger. On ORD's page they have some info about shafts:
https://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/cmfrontaxleshafts.htm

And I just went with the 760x axle u joints. For more $$ then you can get the CTM u joints that don't have needle bearings on them. Just grease and brass? bushings. Strong but some say are not good to use on a daily driver. OR spend more $$$ and look at the RCV axle CV joints. They have the advantage of staying strong with the steering wheel cranked- as this will bind up the axle u joints and make them weaker. I didn't see the point or have the money to go those routes.

 

[tdub209]

You had pretty much the same debate I was going thru a while ago. I couldn't find a good used D60 around here and when I priced out a new one it was over $6,000 dollars... so I stuck with my D44.

My axle now has:
-Reid Racing knuckles (which will be used for crossover steer eventually)
-Ten Factory chromoly axle shafts with the slightly upgraded 760x axle u joints
-Eaton Truetrac diff
-Yukon Hardcore hubs
-ORD bigger tie rod

I have 35" tires and use the truck to go places most people don't think I can go... I'm happy with my build now that it is done. I had some surprises but since you are going to coil springs then you won't have the issue of the tie rod hitting the ORD front spring packs.

What type of locker in the front are you thinking of? I went with the truetrac because it is "more friendly" than a true locker. With a "real" locker and a heavier foot there is a possibility of snapping parts they say. With the truetrac I can still turn easily.

The dana 44 i have already had a passenger flat top knuckle and i have some spare driver flat tops laying around so i had WFO concepts in Auburn, CA machine it and drill the passenger side for me to run the steering. i’m going to have to swap pan hard bar sides though, i’ve heard nothing but issues with running the upper link on the driver side. it comes in contact with steering arm a lot unless you adjust it A LOT. I have not decided on a locker yet, it really doesn’t matter how street friendly and stuff it is for me just the fact that my truck won’t be locked in on the street.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[77 K20]

Even if you are unlocked on the street they can cause some drawbacks on the trail though. A few days ago on a snow trail drive one of the Jeeps I was with had detroit lockers front and rear. There were several tight switchbacks and he would just plow straight ahead and had to stop and back up to turn. The snow was deep enough he didn't want to hop out and unlock one of his hubs (this makes it easier to turn).
Same thing happens in slick mud.
But having both tires locked together is great everywhere else.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Great infos in here.

 

[tdub209]

Soo the Dana 44 is a 3” axle tube size and the 10 bolt is a 3.5” .why would they make the dana tubes smaller?