Got fooled by big hubs....

[Blmpkn]

Pulled a pair of axles out of a beat up half ton, a 14bff and what I thought was a dana 60 (huge hubs, 8 lug)

Whelp, upon closer inspection it's not a dana 60. Its gotta be a 44. Bummed that I got duped by the big hubs... but whatever... the pair were cheap enough and its DEFINITELY a ff rear lol.

Is the big hub 44 really weaker than the small hub 44? The truck is going to have 35x10s on it and get wheeled occasionally.. but nothing crazy, and I'm pretty easy on the skinny pedal.

The budget on this thing is getting blown out of the water, naturally.. lol.. so I'm pretty stuck with running it regardless. I probably wouldn't be able to afford to re-gear my current 10 bolt to match the 14 bolt this year unfortunately.. so I'm hoping this big hub axle is up to the task at least for the meantime.

 

[John-Ryan]

I have a big hub Dana 44 with the spicers from a 73-77 truck on the front of my Burb. I wheel and trailride just fine on 37s. I tow my enclosed shop trailer a few times a month and keep everything lubed and torqued down. I would like a Dana 60 but what I've got has worked so far.

 

[Blmpkn]

I have a big hub Dana 44 with the spicers from a 73-77 truck on the front of my Burb. I wheel and trailride just fine on 37s. I tow my enclosed shop trailer a few times a month and keep everything lubed and torqued down. I would like a Dana 60 but what I've got has worked so far.

Thanks for the input. Is your 44 pretty factory or have you upgraded it at all?

 

[John-Ryan]

Thanks for the input. Is your 44 pretty factory or have you upgraded it at all?

All factory still. I've been keeping an eye for spicer parts for the locking hubs, they are hard to come by. For instance on ebay there is a factory gm set that is used in the same condition as mine for $500..they must be good!

 

[Termite_Delight]

All factory still. I've been keeping an eye for spicer parts for the locking hubs, they are hard to come by. For instance on ebay there is a factory gm set that is used in the same condition as mine for $500..they must be good!

I have a pair on my 75 K25, it would be nice to find new chrome covers.

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[idahovette]

Late to the party, but I got fooled by big hubs once.............wait.....what................oh wrong party

 

[Blmpkn]

What parts interchange with the "regular" 44?

Like.. shafts, bearings, brakes? Is there a master thread somewhere on the d44?

I need to figure out what year axle I have so I can start picking away at making sure its road ready

thanks again!

All factory still. I've been keeping an eye for spicer parts for the locking hubs, they are hard to come by. For instance on ebay there is a factory gm set that is used in the same condition as mine for $500..they must be good!

 

[Vbb199]

What parts interchange with the "regular" 44?

Like.. shafts, bearings, brakes? Is there a master thread somewhere on the d44?

I need to figure out what year axle I have so I can start picking away at making sure its road ready

thanks again!

73-78ish is the years for a Dana 44 front axle

If you want to know the year
1. Look for a tag on the diff cover, under a diff cover bolt, sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not.

1. Look on the top of one of the axle tubes, there's a BOM number which can be looked up. It'll tell ya the year.
Should be the long side, which is driveer side for a Chevrolet.

On the small bearing 44, I think shafts, carrier, gears and maybe knuckles interchange

The "big bearing/big hub dana 44" I believe features larger bearings (obviously lol), a larger hub, larger brake rotor size as well?

 

[Strick]

I've got the same setup under my 74 K5. I pulled the factory Spicer hubs and spacer and put a set of external Warn hubs on a couple decades ago. I always look for the seam on that "big hub" setup as that and the hoghead size of the differential are a dead giveaway along with the knuckle ends where the kingpins go on a D60.
The 44HD has bigger wheel bearings on the spindle but all the other components are the same a half ton stuff I do believe. The advantage to running these is that usually they are 4.10 geared and have the 8 lug wheel pattern. With larger wheel bearings this allows for running larger wheels and tires. I've had 36 Swampers under mine for years with no issues.

Strickland

 

[AuroraGirl]

73-78ish is the years for a Dana 44 front axle

If you want to know the year
1. Look for a tag on the diff cover, under a diff cover bolt, sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not.

1. Look on the top of one of the axle tubes, there's a BOM number which can be looked up. It'll tell ya the year.
Should be the long side, which is driveer side for a Chevrolet.

On the small bearing 44, I think shafts, carrier, gears and maybe knuckles interchange

The "big bearing/big hub dana 44" I believe features larger bearings (obviously lol), a larger hub, larger brake rotor size as well?

theres more years but they significantly change design in 77-78 from what I could research
well, sorta... its weird

 

[dvdswan]

You didn't get fooled. You've got a Dana 44 HD.

Just remember when looking for a D60 to look for the kingpin ball joints. 4 bolt caps on the upper ball joint.

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[SquareRoot]

Late to the party, but I got fooled by big hubs once.............wait.....what................oh wrong party

I was drunk and married "big hubs". Took me 15 years before I realized I was fooled. Happens to the best of us.

 

[John-Ryan]

73-78ish is the years for a Dana 44 front axle

If you want to know the year
1. Look for a tag on the diff cover, under a diff cover bolt, sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not.

1. Look on the top of one of the axle tubes, there's a BOM number which can be looked up. It'll tell ya the year.
Should be the long side, which is driveer side for a Chevrolet.

On the small bearing 44, I think shafts, carrier, gears and maybe knuckles interchange

The "big bearing/big hub dana 44" I believe features larger bearings (obviously lol), a larger hub, larger brake rotor size as well?

Grab some pb blaster and a wire brush for the axle and differential. The numbers are there just covered up.

 

[AuroraGirl]

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[Blmpkn]

Awesome! Thanks everyone for the input & info.