I put a high pinion d44 under my toyota to hopfully have less axle breakage but after four time out on my neww front end I lost a ujoint cap and destroyed a custom cut axle. with a four cylinder 35 in. mtrs and 1oo-1 gearing

who has done this? how has it worked for you

yes I, know the draw backs, can't service the u-joint, the welding process can cause destortion.

my main consern is throwing caps that leads to torn ears. witch = being skrewed.

Sounds like the axle was AFU from the start. Find it hard to believe a 4cyl even w/ cralwer can FU D44 axles. I used to run a bronco w/ low gears, D44 & 35, and never broke a cap - joint yes but cap no. I am not a fan of welding caps. Heat = loss of temper/strength. Instead I would make sure that the axle 'ears' are straight and parallel, the holes round (not egg shaped) and use good u-joints & keeper clips. You might be able to put a small tack weld on the inner side of the axle ear to hold the clip to the the ear. I would not weld the cap to the ear.
Just my .02
:D

Just weld them fawkers in...
http://www.snort4x4.com/~crash/thetoy/rc44/RC27.jpg

Holy smokes batman!!!!!! I mean crash. I've done small tacks, but that's some major weldin there. I would recommend the small quick tack method, just one should work unless you have other problems.

Us snort fools kinda overkill every thing, and have seen TACKS even launch caps off.. You gotta remember how much stress there is on that joint to push the cap outboard, and that forch can literaly oblong the yoke, so even with a tack the possablility of a "rocking" motion so to spreak in the yoke is very likely.. GRanted, I think 2 full welds opposite of each other would be sufficiant..

I know what you mean, but a line should be drawn somewhere. You guys sure put on a good show at Cal Rocs, is the same group going to Reno? I'll be spotting toyfamily in the unltd's.

Oh ya, maybe afew more this time, depending on funds, i might try to make it myself..

Ya, we are only just a little nuts,lol...

another alternative is to mod the axle to allow the use of full c-clips. there was a thread in the gen4x4 section about a week or so ago about it.

- jack

BAHAHAHAAHA!!!!
Ya, right, been there done that, actually ripped the area of the cap that the cip sits, just tooooo much deflection in a stock yoke to hold up.... Weld them fawkers up and BE DONE WITH IT!
Since 2/3 of all front axle failures are due to the u-joint caps

hally shit- :D

I've had the same problem with my Dana 44. Granted my front end is welded, I've still had a problem w/ throwing caps. It's happened twice in two months. It happened last week at Tellico and sheered the ears off my longside shaft. Time for a real front locker.

Yikes, welded front end, man, you guys are just asking for punishment aint ya :)

I'm running a RC D44 with a Detroit and 217 to 1. I've hosed my share of front axles by spitting caps and snapping crosses. Once you've distorted the ears might as well run a full bead on the fawkers for one last go before you snap the cross and completely waste the fawkers. If it's a stock x-297 joint that will happen a lot faster than it goes south from the burned out grease and lack of maintenance. I recently went to Warn shafts with x-297 joints and full circle snap rings and snapped another cross after a couple of wheeling trips. This week I'm putting the production forged CTM joints in the Warn axles. If I keep breaking axles I'm going to resign myself to the occasional trail repair and start defraying costs by making cyborg lawn jockys out of all the fawkin broken axle parts stacking up in the corner of the garage!

Originally posted by BlueCoyote3
Find it hard to believe a 4cyl even w/ cralwer can FU D44 axles. :D

your kidding right? i have seen countless toys spit 44 joints.


weld them suckers on.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D