I need to nab a 44 asap, need one with a perch ground into it with flat tops, so that leaves me with Chebby or Dodge. Going to convert it to 5 on 5.5 and narrow track it (yea I know but I'm a poor college student and I have some money invested into my rear 44 so I can't swap to the 14 bolt yet). I figgure I can get a dodge with 5 on 5.5 with my needs but is there any pros or cons to either one just seems like a bit more work to track down a 76 and earlier Cheb 44 then swaping to Ford hubs and rotars. BTW does a 76 Cheb have the 297x U joints or would it still have the earlier 260x? Looking for some strong U joints as I want to spool this mofo (I'm on 33 MT/R's so I don't need to worry so much about breakage) and ad a set of Warn premiums.
- Zach

narrow track it?...as in cut it down? If a couple Ford 44's will do you any good I'll sell you a couple cheap. One is a 79 F250 8 lugged...the other a 78 or 79 Bronco. parts have been scavanged off both of them but I think you could make a complete one between the two. The F series one is flat topped knuckles. I have various other 44 parts too. One is a 4.10, the other a 3.50. Don't know where in Pa ya are, but I'm real close to Louisville, Ky.
I know it isn;t what you asked for, but if it will do you any good you can have the stuff cheap.
Louis

Just how narrow is "narrow track it"???

Why does it have to be '76 or earlier Chev 44? Go up to '78 and find '74-76 spindles (Jeep also work) to go 5 on 5.5 if need be. The entire axle doesn't have to be '76 or older.

I see 14 bolt in your sig. Are you going 5 on 5.5" with it also? If so, it sure would be easier to convert any 44 to eight lug.

cumminsbronco I'm guessing he needs a 44 with a passenger side diff.

CSP thanks for the spindle info that helps at the bone yard, no I will be going 8 on 6.5 with the 14 bolt. As far as the front 44 staying after the conversion hahaha I'm actuially going to try to build a 14 bolt front end 64 wms to track with my 63 wms C&C but thats a topic for next summer when I go to 37/38's and drop in the injected 360. I'm going to go to the exact wms that my D30 front currently is which is 53 inches. I have a plan for these axles when I get the 14 bolts built, got to pick up an MB first. Would keep the 30 front esp since I have MORE SOA mounts for it but I want the locker and parts availability of the 44 and the stronger U Joints. I'm thinking to spool it and forget it. Cummins thanks for the offer on the fronts but I need a pass drop, if I needed a drivers drop I would be all over it though. Is there any advantages or disadvantages of a Dodge 5 on 5.5 front end? There's nothing in the tech bible about it.
- Zach

All Chevy 44s, '73 and up have 297 series u-joints.

I figured you were wanting a pass. drop, but if you were going to "narrowtrack" it, which I assumed is shorten it, then maybe it wouldn't be too much more trouble to swap both tubes and make it a pass drop. I've done enough tube swaps on 60's lately that its gotten to be not so big a job. I've worked out a deal with a Dana rep to get his "non usable" SD60's, and it's been neccessary to lengthen the shortside tubes and shorten the longside one on several of those. Been cutting them too to get centered up "pumpkins" for use in the rear on rear steers.

BTT