Okay I should know the answer to this but for some reason it looks different from what i am normally used to seeing. The dana 44 is off a 74 3/4 ton truck. Here is a pic of the hub:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/brian4x4/hub.jpg

What hub is this? Internal or external? It doesnt look long enough to be external but the bolts look too big to be internal. Is it a spicer hub? I have read they are strong (from CK5), is this true? Should I pass this axle up for a regular internal warn hub style? It will be running a detroit, 5.13's and 38" tires. Will this combo grenade that hub?Eventually will have warn axles and ctm's. Thanks for putting up with a stupid question, I tried searching but without a pic it wasnt very helpful.

that is the 44 from a 73 vintage, they switched over in 74 so you might have gotten a 73 part in a 74 from the factory, they're good at that. that is a better front end in my opinion due to the bigger wheel bearings then the later model stuff. those are spicer hubs, I've not heard of any problems with them. I'd buy it if it was me. Good Luck.

That is an External Hub. If you get into the times when you are worried about grenading it, just throw on the drive flanges.

Originally posted by FJ-Dave
I'd buy it if it was me. Good Luck.

I can get it for between $300 and 350 complete delivered w/ 4.10's, flat tops knuckles both sides, tie rod, steering arm and the wheels and tires (~30") that are on it in the pic. still a good deal?

If those spicers break, I would have to get externals right?

That is an external style hub, as for strength between those and the later internal style, well, teh debate could go on all day. Those big Spicer lockouts do fail however, and the replacements are the more recogniseable external lockouts. The drive flanges for these hubs are super beefy, and the external hubs use the same wheel bearings that the later internal hubs use.

Okay, looks like I will buy the axle but I am going to switch the hubs etc. with the internal hubs off a 10 bolt 8 lugger. They should bolt right up right? The spindles should have the same bolt pattern from the 74 dana 44 to the late 70's early 80's 10 bolt correct?

Any other tools I will need besides these to do it in the field:
various sockets and extensions -All should be standards right?
rubber mallett
3/4 ton hub socket (same as for a 14 bolt with the teeth sticking out)
picks?
allen wrenches to take hubs off
jack

Thanks.

There's nothing wrong with those hubs, I'd just use them, but if you're set on swapping them, then yes, those hubs should use the same big bearing spindle, so you don't even ened to pull the spindles off, the 10-bolt hubs should slide right on. The wheel bearing nuts are the same as any 1/2 ton Dana 44 or 10 bolt, not the same as the 14 bolt, it's a different socket.

hears a pic of the drive flange




so that locking hub just repleces that flange:confused:


http://atlas.binderbulletin.org/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=22031

Originally posted by Chief Yelling Alot
so that locking hub just repleces that flange:confused:


Yup, that huge old Spicer lockout consists of a big beefy spacer with coarse splines inside it, and the cap and dial that enguage the splines, but in this case huge doesn't really mean strong, I would bet that the newer replacement hubs are stronger.

The only drawback I can see to the external hub driveflange is that the metal cap over teh stub axle and snap ring doesn't seal very well, I've taken these apart on parts trucks where the snap ring is so rusted to the axle that it had to be chipped off, and the drive flange would no budge off the end of the stub. As long as they are kept in working order they should be fine.

Here is the 10 bolt hubs I would swap with the d44 externals:
PIC (http://www.webphotos.com/view_photo.asp?mi=1&smi=1&a=90904&p=1901802)

I would just swap those spicers out for some internal warn premiums that I already have once I got it home.

So the spindles/ bearings are the same between the 74 external hubbed d44 and the late 70's 10 bolt internal hubbed? I thought the later stuff had smaller bearings.

Also does the hub socket have 4 teeth and fit around the nut?
which one is it:
http://www.drivetrainwarehouse.com/images/mmspindlenuts.gif
Thanks.

Yes, the spindles, bearings, hubs will work from a ten bolt to a 44. Just take the whole thing off of the one axle and put it on another. Or use the drive flanges. The socket that will work on the spindle nuts is the second from the left in the bottom row with the four external teeth.

Originally posted by 4Bangler


Yup, that huge old Spicer lockout consists of a big beefy spacer with coarse splines inside it, and the cap and dial that enguage the splines, but in this case huge doesn't really mean strong, I would bet that the newer replacement hubs are stronger.

The only drawback I can see to the external hub driveflange is that the metal cap over teh stub axle and snap ring doesn't seal very well, I've taken these apart on parts trucks where the snap ring is so rusted to the axle that it had to be chipped off, and the drive flange would no budge off the end of the stub. As long as they are kept in working order they should be fine.

shitty cuz I cant eaven get the cap off on one side :mad:

going have to grind it off

Originally posted by 4Bangler
and the external hubs use the same wheel bearings that the later internal hubs use.


Check your part #s, the 73 inner load carrying bearing is larger then the late model ones I keep tearing up. they may have the same ID so they will interchange on the spindal, but the inner bearings are bigger.