Dana 44 front axle issues

[mattsk8]

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.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Either broken spiders, or an axle shaft u joint.

Full lock heavy throttle is very hard on them.

 

[mattsk8]

Either broken spiders, or an axle shaft u joint.

Full lock heavy throttle is very hard on them.

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.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

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.

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.

 

[mattsk8]

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

 

[mattsk8]

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.

 

[Old Guy Bill]

Time to look into a new or used carrier.