D44 front axle lengths? - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Lloyd · 02-14-2002, 01:25 PM

Someone has posted that the housings (and thus the inner axle shafts) are interchangeable with the GM version. Is this really true? What are the inner axle lengths for mid-late '70s Dodge 44 fronts really supposed to be?

And for the main question - Does anyone make alloy shafts for a Dodge 44 front, or are we supposed to use GM-version inners?

tv_larsen · 02-15-2002, 12:58 PM

I don't know about the GM interchangability, or the alloy options for you, but I can tell you that Dodge used at least 3 different front axle widths in the '70's. '72-'74 is the widest, '75's are about 1/2" narrower, and '76-up are about 1" narrower than the '75.

Lloyd · 02-15-2002, 01:47 PM

OK, thanks for the info. I've checked with Superior, Dutchman, Currie and Warn, and Moser, using the 37-5/16 number that someone posted way below (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...threadid=29445) for an '82, and everyone stops at a 36" blank except Moser, who go to 40". Guess that narrows down the selection considerably. I've got this '77 M880, and while I'd desperately love to bolt a 60 under it, they just don't seem to be falling out of the trees around here. I know, $300 for alloy inners, $300 for alloy outers, $300 for CTM joints, $500 to put on GM outers (and I've already got the knuckles and spindles) assuming that I can find a set of the big backing plates. I'm still looking for that 60, but just checking out other options... Any other suggestions?

Scouter · 02-15-2002, 03:32 PM

The top axle is a Chevy dana 60, middle axle is a Chevy Dana 44, and the bottom axle is a Dodge 44.

tv_larsen · 02-15-2002, 07:31 PM

Wow, great pics Scouter. The Dodge D44 is definitly longer, and beefier than the GM D44. But I must admit, I have a '78 Dodge D60 in the front of my '75 Dodge, and it looks very similar to that GM D60 in that pic. It starts out at 1.5" 35 spline, and necks down to 1.3".

Lloyd · 02-16-2002, 07:35 AM

Here's what you need. Me too, once I can find a housing.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...threadid=32800

02-14-2002, 01:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lloyd * Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 538 Posts: 1,795	D44 front axle lengths? Someone has posted that the housings (and thus the inner axle shafts) are interchangeable with the GM version. Is this really true? What are the inner axle lengths for mid-late '70s Dodge 44 fronts really supposed to be? And for the main question - Does anyone make alloy shafts for a Dodge 44 front, or are we supposed to use GM-version inners? Last edited by Lloyd; 02-14-2002 at 02:05 PM.

02-15-2002, 03:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
Scouter Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Member # 51 Location: Placer County, CA Posts: 745	Axle lengths The top axle is a Chevy dana 60, middle axle is a Chevy Dana 44, and the bottom axle is a Dodge 44. Last edited by Scouter; 02-19-2002 at 08:52 AM.

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02-15-2002, 12:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
tv_larsen Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Member # 5395 Location: Logan, Utah Posts: 706	I don't know about the GM interchangability, or the alloy options for you, but I can tell you that Dodge used at least 3 different front axle widths in the '70's. '72-'74 is the widest, '75's are about 1/2" narrower, and '76-up are about 1" narrower than the '75.

02-15-2002, 01:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
Lloyd * Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 538 Posts: 1,795	OK, thanks for the info. I've checked with Superior, Dutchman, Currie and Warn, and Moser, using the 37-5/16 number that someone posted way below (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...threadid=29445) for an '82, and everyone stops at a 36" blank except Moser, who go to 40". Guess that narrows down the selection considerably. I've got this '77 M880, and while I'd desperately love to bolt a 60 under it, they just don't seem to be falling out of the trees around here. I know, $300 for alloy inners, $300 for alloy outers, $300 for CTM joints, $500 to put on GM outers (and I've already got the knuckles and spindles) assuming that I can find a set of the big backing plates. I'm still looking for that 60, but just checking out other options... Any other suggestions?

02-15-2002, 07:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
tv_larsen Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Member # 5395 Location: Logan, Utah Posts: 706	Wow, great pics Scouter. The Dodge D44 is definitly longer, and beefier than the GM D44. But I must admit, I have a '78 Dodge D60 in the front of my '75 Dodge, and it looks very similar to that GM D60 in that pic. It starts out at 1.5" 35 spline, and necks down to 1.3".

02-16-2002, 07:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
Lloyd * Join Date: Mar 2000 Member # 538 Posts: 1,795	Here's what you need. Me too, once I can find a housing. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...threadid=32800