not as simple of a question as it look now days.

this is my problem, i have a dana 44 in the front of my jeep (5 on 5.5, cusom width so i didnt have to outboard my springs, hy steer arms) .

i run 36 tsl's but will proly go 38's or 39.5's in the future.

i was wondering if i sould leave the 44 the way it is (welded, soon to be open) and save for a dana 60 (outboard springs, get eight lug wheels) with an arb or ox when it comes out?

or build up my dana 44 with warn shafts, CTM's, and OX then go 38's?

how are the CTM's and warns holding up for you all?

thanks

Chris G.

it all depends on what you want to do, but you can make a Dana 44 take the weight of 39.5's with CTM joints and Warn alloy axles, but if you got the cash you might as well swap in a front 60, but the 44 is a great axle.

Originally posted by Jeepmangled87
... you can make a Dana 44 take the weight of 39.5's with CTM joints and Warn alloy axles ...

I wouldn't bet on that ... :flipoff2:

Another question you should ask yourself is if your willing to go to 38's are you just gonna want to go bigger after that? Then the 44 is just a halfstep. No matter what you do you can always sell the front 44 and get a little money for it in the future more if its all modified. This is a simple question and it has been discussed before search for the pros and cons.

Don't forget about your ball joints on that D44 - with big meats your are going to eat them up :D

Originally posted by brector
Don't forget about your ball joints on that D44 - with big meats your are going to eat them up :D

Every one keeps saying that,But ive been running 38s on a 44 for a little over 2 years now on a DD that i do wheel quiet a bit,and mine dont show any signs of ware:confused: With a heavy vehicle like mine im a little suprised too. 5100 lbs

Same boat here. I run 36x12.50 SX, may go to 38x14.50 SX in the future.

I have a D44 front end, internal hubs, detriot. I was planning on going to Warn and CTM for the shafts and not worry about it again ever. I mean.. if the competition guys can fully GET IT with that combination and not break. surely I can. ;)

On the Balljoints. I have heard that the high-steer arms eat the ball joints.

Now... isn't it possible the guys that keep saying that the big tires will eat them, are also running high steer by the time they get the tires on? Meaning, its not the tires doing it, its the steering.

Originally posted by twaldher
On the Balljoints. I have heard that the high-steer arms eat the ball joints.

Now... isn't it possible the guys that keep saying that the big tires will eat them, are also running high steer by the time they get the tires on? Meaning, its not the tires doing it, its the steering.

I guess i should have included the fact that i am running high steer and have had it on sence day one. If all goes well this weekend will have hydro assist to.
I know that people arent saying the ball joints are a weak piont just to here them selfs talk,Im not to shure why im having such good luck?(knocking on wood)

so does steering or big tires wear out balljoints? with my 37 MTR`s and high steer, i go through 2 sets of ball joints a year.

I have heard its the Highsteer that does 90% of the damage. Like at least a set of balljoints a year.

Thing is.. by the time you need Highsteer, you also have the big tires. So I think people just prefer to blame tires size as an "obvious" cause. At some point I'm sure the larger tire can cause a balljoint to ultimately fail sooner than a smaller tire. But I am under the impression the damage done to the balljoints before that is teh high-steer.

Could be because when you steer right... you try to push the upper ball joint out, and the lower one in. With standard steering, the pressure is applied outwardly on both joints? I dunno.

I'm talking BIG tires - like 39.5's and up

Originally posted by 2stroke
so does steering or big tires wear out balljoints? with my 37 MTR`s and high steer, i go through 2 sets of ball joints a year. :eek:

That dosent sound right:confused: How is it that i can have bigger tires,heaver vehicle,DD,high steer ,and have no sign of ware in two years?Are there different qualities of ball Joints ? How about your alignment?

my buddy has a fullsize 78 or so ford with a d44 and has never blown it up.. he runs a beefed 351, 410's, and 42" swampers.. and he muds it pretty hard....... has gernaded the rear a couple times-is switching to a D60 right now- but has never bsted anythign on the front...

Originally posted by joes75bronco
my buddy has a fullsize 78 or so ford with a d44 and has never blown it up.. he runs a beefed 351, 410's, and 42" swampers.. and he muds it pretty hard....... has gernaded the rear a couple times-is switching to a D60 right now- but has never bsted anythign on the front...

mud is a completely different beast than rocks. it's still amazing he hasn't busted it in mud with 42s but get him in the rocks and that thing WILL go.

-Steve