EB/F150 Combo Front Axle

[boondocker]

Picked up a RC D44 from a 76' F150 and planning to put them under my 72 EB. I will leave the driver side tube as is (1/2" longer than the EB), but will cut the longer tube to exact EB length. This way, I don't need custom axles. Will just use the EB long axle length by cutting and resplining the longer F150 axle, the use the F150 short axle. Overall, I will be 1/4" wider on both sides. The pumpkin will also move by 1/4" towards the center.

What do you guys think? I don't think there will be a problem, but I need some advise before I proceed.

Thanks in advance.

Joel

[Dusty]

That's a quite common procedure for people who cut down the F150 D44s for the EB. All you gotta do is cut and respline the long side inner.

Not to hawk the WAH twice in two days, but if you don't already have some sort of articulation aiding device (wristed arm or long arms), now would be the perfect time to install the Wristed Axle Housing from BC Broncos. Part of the install involves cutting the axle tube so you can do the install and shorten the axle housing in one operation. That's what I did when I put in my RC 44.

Dusty

[boondocker]

Thanks for the input. I hear a lot of good things about the WAH, but never really talked to anyone with real experience with it.

I have a pair of long radius arm from JD which I will use with the RC D44. The long radius arm and WAH would have been an awesome set-up.

I always thought that the WAH only works for the stock EB D44 with 3/8 " wall thickness tubing and 2.75 OD. I have the same tube diameter, but 1/2" thick, which makes my bore diameter 1/4 smaller that the EB. The sleeve that goes inside the axle tube will only fit the EB D44, I thought.

Should have called BC Bronco's before making assumption.

Please advise.

Thanks.

Joel

[Dusty]

You may be right on the tube wall thickness thing. I seem to remember Chuck saying there was a certain year cutoff for the high pinion D44's that were eligible for the current design of the WAH. Mine is one of the later ones, with the cast C-bushing wedges. I'm not sure what year it is but its apparently the same tube wall as the EB D44. Perhaps yours is an earlier year or some Heavy Duty type application. At any rate, I think Chuck was going to work on a version of the WAH for the thick tube D44 as well as the D60, but I don't know if either of those are out yet.

As for running it with the Duff arms, I don't think that would be such a great idea. You'll already get as much flex as you can practically use from the Duff arms. I doubt you'd see much additional benefit from adding the WAH into the mix. You'll already have increased body sway from the long arms, no sense in making it even worse with the WAH. I'd recommend sending the Duff arms back and running a WAH with stock arms but I know that's a tough sell because those tubular arms look so trick! But if you're sticking with the Duff arms I would just cut down your axle housing without using the WAH and call it good. Then start working on relieving suspension bind elsewhere, such as shocks, steering, track bar, etc., which will all become suddenly more apparent.

[boondocker]

Finally did it. Cut the long tube to about 19 5/16 from the axle housing end.

Hope it's the right length.

Joel

[Mr.N]

Originally posted by boondocker
Finally did it. Cut the long tube to about 19 5/16 from the axle housing end.

Hope it's the right length.

Joel

How did you come up with this length?

[boondocker]

I measured the stock EB long tube, from end of the housing edge to the tube end (inside the knuckle).

Then use that length in cutting mine.

Please tell me I did the right thing!

Joel

[boondocker]

The tube piece that was removed is about 5 3/8" long, including the one inside the knuckle.

Joel

[Mr.N]

Originally posted by boondocker
I measured the stock EB long tube, from end of the housing edge to the tube end (inside the knuckle).

Then use that length in cutting mine.

Please tell me I did the right thing!

Joel

Should work just fine. Make sure to check your u-joint for bind once it;s all together.

I'm a fan of running the correct axle shaft and spindle to gether so you can run the axle shaft snap ring.

[boondocker]

Thanks. BTW Mr. N, I enjoy reading your informative write-up about the Dana 44. Anyway I can contribute, let me know.

I'm getting it welded tomorrow and should come out good.

Joel