I did a search and I am alittle confused about the difference between the two. I was told that the 1979 was a better year but after reading a few posts I hear that it is not. I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and plan on putting it in the front. I was going to cut it down but I dont think I can.
Now what is the difference again for the slower people (like me)? Should I go with the 75 with drums and put the 79 disc brake stuff on?
If the brakes work then what all do I need to do?
Thanks for the help.
NateH

I'm not really sure there man, but hopefully someone will get ya what your looking for here soon

i think the 75 might be a reg standard rotation axle but im not positive. the 79 is a high pinion, i cant see any reason not to use the 79 axle, i used one in my yj before i stepped up to 1 ton axles.

there both R/C axles the 79 has the ears for the radius arms cast on and are a pain to shortin . the 75 has the ears welded on you can grind the welds in about an hour and knock them off so you can then gring the welds around the knuckle and knock it off to shortin it ,wich is easyier than pull the tube outa the housing end to shortin it :flipoff2:

if i remember corectly 73-74 all the way to 79 is R/C
if it was on a 150 with coils :D

Originally posted by alx

if i remember corectly 73-74 all the way to 79 is R/C
if it was on a 150 with coils :D

The RC started earlier than that...don't know the exact year but sometime in the late 60's.

68ish

Also the 75 will have drum brakes, and the spindle will be held in with 6 bolts instead of 5.

So what should I do to change it to disc in the front?

Just run it full width Nate! I keep telling Bob (Trango) the same thing! :D

I lucked out by finding a good deal on a rc44 housing that was already narrowed. Good thread though, I was hoping to find out eventually, what my 44 came from.:smokin:

There were some F250's (Most of em) in '79 that had a Reverse rotation 44, with leaf spring mounts instead of Radius arm ones.

just use the knuckles out from the 79 axle for disc brakes or do the E/B swap and keep your knuckles:D

Originally posted by NateH
I was told that the 1979 was a better year but after reading a few posts I hear that it is not. This is a very common misconception; a lot of people recommend these. Stay away from the 78-79 F100 & F150s stay far away (unless your running the Ford coils, even then I don’t like them). Do a search and find the post with a picture of a 79. They are JUNK. (Notice the F100 F150)

Should I go with the 75 with drums and put the 79 disc brake stuff on?. Stick with the 75 axle, do the 79 brakes if you like. I’d do the Chevy brakes and spindle If I was you, better brakes and cheaper!

Before you take advice on this from some one ask them "Do you know what year Dana released the Reverse Spiral gear sets?" I;ve yet to see a correct answer post here. Not to exclude FordPowr and emsoffroad, they have a LOT of good knowledge is this area.

i thought the 75 was a closed kunckle as well

Why cut it down, find an EB D44 front and use that, with Disc's its right around 60 WMS to WMS

Originally posted by welndmn
i thought the 75 was a closed kunckle as well

Why cut it down, find an EB D44 front and use that, with Disc's its right around 60 WMS to WMS

75 is open ball joint. I will look into the last year of the closed knuckle when I get home on the 16th. I have a HP open knuckle 44 that has king pins. I would be guess that this is the first year of open knuckle.

Also I would bet he is going to cut it down, so he is HP. All EBs are standard rotation.

Here's one problem with the f-150 knuckles.....pictured on the left.

Use EB knuckes(middle) and do the cheby disc conversion and cheby tie rod over conversion......The knuckle on the right is a scout, which can be used with some work.

Don't pass up an axle just because it has drum brakes. Sure they don't work so well when wet, but they work. They will get you down the road just fine until you can scrounge the parts for a disc conversion. I've got a year on my drum (all 4) brakes, and I really can't complain. The disc swap is low on the priority list. I won't spend the cash for new drum brake parts, but I'm going to run them until the disc brake stuff magically appears.

http://home.earthlink.net/~mattsara/bb/knuckles.jpg

Originally posted by welndmn
i thought the 75 was a closed kunckle as well Open knuckle King pins from mid-late 60's-71, open knuckle king pins from 71-72 (different type), open knuckle ball joints on 73-79. All on F100 and F150's
Why cut it down, find an EB D44 front and use that, with Disc's its right around 60 WMS to WMS Why? because it has a high pinion! (read much stronger and better for drive lines, this work well for vehicles that are lifted and run larger times, and I'm not talking 31's)

Originally posted by Mr.N
Open knuckle King pins from mid-late 60's-71, open knuckle king pins from 71-72 (different type), open knuckle ball joints on 73-79. All on F100 and F150's
[b]Why? because it has a high pinion! (read much stronger and better for drive lines, this work well for vehicles that are lifted and run larger times, and I'm not talking 31's)

RR are only stronger going forward, weaker in reverse. Of the front R&P failures I have seen, it's usually from the person pulling someone in reverse, or backing up while winching etc...the weight of the motor makes a big difference in reverse. Kind of a give/take situation. But when it comes down to it, the u-joints and axles should give out before the R&P whether it's standard rotation or reverse. The biggest advantage to RR is definately the help with the driveline angles, and plain ol more clearance for the driveshaft.

The HP 44 are easier to find than the EB axles, but you'll be paying to narrow it. You should only have to narrow the long side though.

I have a ford 9" with 4.56 gears and a air locker in the rear. It's WMS to WMS is 63.3" As for the dana 44 front it is coming out of a F-150. I think that the WMS to WMS is close to 63" so I will not narrow it. I want both axles very close to the same width. I plan on looking at the 79 F-150 axle on Saturday. I am picking up a 75 dana 44 tomorrow. I will see what one is better. That is why I am asking the questions. Thank you everyone for your help. Keep it coming.
NateH

Originally posted by Mr.N
Open knuckle King pins from mid-late 60's-71, open knuckle king pins from 71-72 (different type), open knuckle ball joints on 73-79. All on F100 and F150's
[b]Why? because it has a high pinion! (read much stronger and better for drive lines, this work well for vehicles that are lifted and run larger times, and I'm not talking 31's)
Thanks ;)
But stronger yes? in reality no, the pinion brakes WAY before anything else, no matter RR or standard
I dunno, some people just like RC stuff, seems like a waste of money to me, but thats just my opion

Mark if the guy is not going to shorten the axle and it's the same or cheaper than an eb axle then how is it a waste? Since going hi pinion i have barely scratched my front driveshaft, that's got to be worth something.

Nate both axles should be around 64"wms. The 79 is not junk it just has an ears that are not easily moved. You might argue that it would be easier to twist a tube but fwiw my 79 has held up to 4500lbs, 36 & 38" tires with 80:1 reduction for 4 years. If you want more beef then quite screwing around and get a D60. If the D44s are cheap then by all means get both and put the 79 disc on the earlier housing.

Originally posted by MIke Mondloch
Mark if the guy is not going to shorten the axle and it's the same or cheaper than an eb axle then how is it a waste? Since going hi pinion i have barely scratched my front driveshaft, that's got to be worth something.
.
Yeah, but worth time is the question, i mean i would swap to a high pinion if someone trade me, bu anyhoo
It used to say he wanted to be @ 60 inchs wide up there, i think it was edited out

78/79 axles are not that hard to narrow it took me about 1 1/2
hours with 2 trips to home depot :D

heres some pics narrowing a 78/79 ford D44 (http://alxsbronco2.homestead.com/axles.html)

Lookin good alx. What are you doing about the axle shaft?

I was thinking that the front axle will be close to 66" or so. If that was the case then I would have it narrowed to fit the rear. I am going to try the 79 44 first. I will leave on the ears and just cut more of my brackets to fit on the housing.
NateH

Originally posted by alx
78/79 axles are not that hard to narrow it took me about 1 1/2
hours with 2 trips to home depot :D

heres some pics narrowing a 78/79 ford D44 (http://alxsbronco2.homestead.com/axles.html)

Nice pics Alx, thats a sweet log splitter, I mean home made press, in the last one. :flipoff2: :beer:

Any suggestions for getting castor right when you put it back together?

the caster whats that ?

yea set it up on a level surface and hang a plumb bob on both sides,then ajust accordingly :D

Originally posted by alx
78/79 axles are not that hard to narrow it took me about 1 1/2
hours with 2 trips to home depot :D

heres some pics narrowing a 78/79 ford D44 (http://alxsbronco2.homestead.com/axles.html)

Nice job alx. I'd never seen a 78-79 F150 axle shortened. I'm impressed.

I'd still stay away from those years as the tube is only 3/8" thick, some even only has 1/4", but I'm also running 38" tires.

Yep...reviving an old thread...

I was looking at the link in the above thread which shows how to narrow a 79 D44 and had a couple questions.

1) When you cut the tube to length...how do you stuff/press the freshly cut end into the housing when it is missing what apprears to be the machined end...i.e..you just cut it off? It appears a wood splitter was used. Does this work?

2) Okay...assuming it does work...you then have to weld it up. How do you do this. Cast to steel? Plugs?

3) I would love to think this will work and be strong, but the I seem to question it. Can you convince me other wise?

:confused:

Originally posted by NOTPRETTY
Yep...reviving an old thread...

I was looking at the link in the above thread which shows how to narrow a 79 D44 and had a couple questions.

1) When you cut the tube to length...how do you stuff/press the freshly cut end into the housing when it is missing what apprears to be the machined end...i.e..you just cut it off? It appears a wood splitter was used. Does this work?

i knocked it off with the splitter and its not machined its just clean compared to the out side it actuallt slides right back in with a little help

2) Okay...assuming it does work...you then have to weld it up. How do you do this. Cast to steel? Plugs?

its just welded around the tube i used a 220 stick with a 6011 rod (my welding sucks its not on the street ) seems to holding up fine with no issues ,ie leaks

3) I would love to think this will work and be strong, but the I seem to question it. Can you convince me other wise?

i dont think its any weaker by what i did in fact the tube is shorter so it would be stronger less leverage on it

:confused: :eek:

Originally posted by Mr.N
This is a very common misconception; a lot of people recommend these. Stay away from the 78-79 F100 & F150s stay far away (unless your running the Ford coils, even then I don’t like them). Do a search and find the post with a picture of a 79. They are JUNK. (Notice the F100 F150)



What's so horrible about the 78-79 front ends?:confused:

Read Mr.N's article on the Dana 44

Where do I find that?

omg, open your eyes and read Mr.N's sig Newbie!