Hi,

I searched the archives on this subject, but i didn't find very much.

I take my '77 W200, with front d44 with a powr-loc, and rear d60 with a detroit locker, 4.10 gears, 36'' tires and 300 hp 318 into mudholes whenever i get the chance.

Since I break more than my share of front axle shafts, i scored another front d44 this weekend, only this one has auto-locking hubs. To me it would seem that that is just another 'feature' i'll break soon, but otoh, it seems that you can adjust the wheelbearings on these, which i think is a good thing. (My standard d44 has some play on the wheel bearings now)

Can i just swap over the axle-shafts and hubs over to my 'standard' d44, or will i have to change the knuckles too ? Would i even want to have auto-locking hubs on my full time W200 ?

...and yes, i know about front d60's, but these are almost impossible to find at this side of the atlantic.

The swap is pretty easy but you will need to put a part time kit in the T-case when you swap the knuckles..

I still don't quite get it. I scored some other parts from the same scrapped W200 from the same guy this weekend, and i was a bit surprised in finding that it had a 203 T-case.

Why would Dodge have made W200's with full-time T-cases AND a front axle with auto-locking hubs. What's the point in being able to unlock your front hubs automatically when your T-case is full time ?

I don't understand....

Its possible he already did this.
http://www.offroadexchange.com/milemarker_page2.htm

No, he didn't, the 203 is still a full time case.

I also have a few Wagoneer drivetrain parts lying around, among one Dana T-case, dunno which type, but it has 2 shifting rods, and the shifter can move in a U-pattern, with 2H-N-4H on the left 'leg' of the U, and 4L on the right. I have no clue what case this is, and also don't know if it 'll bolt right up to my 727 loadflite. Only one way of finding out i guess...

I'm still not sure if i should or should not convert to the D44 front axle with auto locking hubs. Changing an axle shaft in the field looks like a lot more work, with a lot of tiny parts, and, though the wheelbearings are adjustable on these, the entire bearing setup seems a lot flimsier (even) than on a full time D44 front.

Anyone ever done this conversion, and why ?

FYI, I put Auto hubs on my GM Dana 44 because I thought they would break before my shafts. Wrong! I've broken 2 shafts since then. :(