My Flame suit is on...i tried searching but it failed to load properly
Anyway, i was curious as to what you hardcore guys would say the strength of the stock d44's is, behind a 304 or 327 Scout...i plan on getting 36 or 37" tires w/ lockers and need to know how much i need to upgrade
Well that is a non IH related question really...and totally substantial upon your driving style...
If you are a dipshit and drive without your brain attached to its stem you can brake any axle with 31"ers.
What is your driving style? Are you aggro or passive...
What is the tranny? Stick....auto...
what terrain...the fucking mall parking lot? Or are we talking some trails here...
You should be fine if you take care of your rig...and remember that you have a lot of unsprung weight. Full throttle drops and a perverse steering angle will blow the u-joint caps like popcorn and usually take an outer or inner with it. This is regardless of rig weight or type or hp...
Carry a spare of each side (assembled is best and quickest).
Ohhh and NEWBIE...you forgot to mention if the rig has front and rear 44's and or what they are from...stock IH or donor rigs....and it would be nice to hear the gearing in the diffs that you are or are planning on running.
Just trying to douse the flames for you...
Ohhh and I am in a decent mood...so I would just recommend you look around...and gather all the details you can...
If you've already got it/them, just build it.
Upgrade later.
Carry spares.
35" seems to be the average D44 upgrade/breaking point.
I say that from my research only.
I'm on 35s & 44 F&R (Detroit/Spool), but still building & haven't tested it yet.
I plan on going with 36-38 eventually, along with a new rear to start (9", 60 or 70).
Spares can be had cheaply if your patient.
Custom shafts will be stronger but cost you more (especially if you break them :evil.
i'm going to attempt 38 x 12.50s on d44s with a 4 banger. so we'll see how well it goes. I know they wont last long once i drop a v8 and an np435 in there.. but i'm just trying to get it on the trail to have fun with it. on d44s and 37s you wont be standing the rig on the front tires and backing up a ledge with the wheel cranked without grenading the whole front end. But i don't see why , with a careful right foot, that you couldnt make them last.
the front can be made to last, the rear will be the harder stressed of the two.
HOS's questions to you are the ones that need answering, as show trucks make 44" boggers last on D44's and 10/12-bolts but I have know guys that wheel hard to blow up parts with 31's.
Lockers or no?
Welding the caps on good front u-joints will help extend the front shaft life. Upgrading the rear should be a soon priority.
What's the vehicle on top of these axles?? 304 IH motor or 327 Chevy????
i believe it is a 304, and its a scout with an automatic trans and dana44's front and rear, i plan on locking both axles and putting 4.56's in the axles, what i think the smartest plan will be is upgrade to a 9" rear and keep the d44 in the front, SOA with maybe alittle lifted leaf spring, 37" MT/Rs, and then cut to fit
I'm not a throttle jockey, but with my 33's, behind a new V-8, stock D20, TF 727, and 3.54 gears, I twisted the splines on my rear axles, snapped a stub shaft on the driver side front. Put new axles in the rear, replaced the front stub and ujoint on the drivers side, put on 35's, and promptly fragged the yokes and ujoint on the passenger front. Granted, they were 25 year old parts. Almost forgot, a few years back, on 31's, I snapped the tranny output shaft...
We'll see what I break at the end of this month.
First time I break a rear axle, I will upgrade both to alloy. Once alloy becomes available for the front, I will swap those when I break also...
Are IH d44's jus that weak? Ive had several 10 bolt front and rear half ton blazers or pickups that have had a lot of throttle put through them with 33-35" tires and the worst problem I've ever run into is blown hubs and I sheered off some steering knuckle bolts jumping it once. I never got them really bound up on rocks or anything but with a healthy dart headed 406 small block I've never had axle or u-joint problems. Im I just lucky? LoL.
not really, I have run with Hooper on many occations run a spooled rear, open front. 33's and am not always gental on the right foot.
To date I have not actually broken any shafts. Front or rear... but then, with as often as I change things, I might not always run the *same* parts for more than 2 years in a row... but I always use used parts so....
I think allot has to do with vehicle set-up, driver, use and luck. With quite a bit on the "luck" side.
Run it till it breaks, then upgrade it when you can.
Ive had several 10 bolt front and rear half ton blazers or pickups that have had a lot of throttle put through them with 33-35"...blah blah blah......I never got them really bound up on rocks or anything but with a healthy dart headed 406 small block I've never had axle or u-joint problems. Im I just lucky? LoL.
No according to your post you aren't really putting the 10 bolt shit to the test...
Like was mentioned earlier...Driving style, terrain type, and gearing really play a lot into what will and will not survive.
I never had an issue with 33" swamper's on my front and rear 44's. This was with 3.54 gearing and a close ratio t-19. Mucho wheelspin...it is knowing when to pull cable and when not to.
If you have the gearing, and the traction, and articulation to take your time and pick the right lines and follow thru with your choice....then you will probably see a lot longer life from a 44....
Ohhh but wait that sounds like 'wheeling...not really what you are describing....
I am running a full width HP44 in the front of a Cherokee with 4.56's and a 9" in the rear running 37" MTR's. The front caps are smiling a little at me...So I know that I can not flog it with wreckless abandon and not expect some carnage...
Well since Im not big on the rock thing my stuff should hopefully last a while. I do plan on doing the dusey trail and chicken rock here in CA once or twice but other than that, I just go play in the sand box. I dont have a problem upgrading to D60's I just don't wanna find out that I put a small fortune in my 44's for nothing.
44's F/R with 4.88's and lockers 35" of tire, 383 chevy TPI with a shit ton of torque and 700r4 in a 68 800. My last blazer with a similar combo but a throttle body motor and 3.73's would pull most stock 5.0 mustangs out of the hole untill I hit that wall called wind resistance....
Harvester of Sorrow said:
No according to your post you aren't really putting the 10 bolt shit to the test...
Like was mentioned earlier...Driving style, terrain type, and gearing really play a lot into what will and will not survive.
I never had an issue with 33" swamper's on my front and rear 44's. This was with 3.54 gearing and a close ratio t-19. Mucho wheelspin...it is knowing when to pull cable and when not to.
If you have the gearing, and the traction, and articulation to take your time and pick the right lines and follow thru with your choice....then you will probably see a lot longer life from a 44....
Ohhh but wait that sounds like 'wheeling...not really what you are describing....
I am running a full width HP44 in the front of a Cherokee with 4.56's and a 9" in the rear running 37" MTR's. The front caps are smiling a little at me...So I know that I can not flog it with wreckless abandon and not expect some carnage...
Are IH d44's jus that weak? Ive had several 10 bolt front and rear half ton blazers or pickups that have had a lot of throttle put through them with 33-35" tires and the worst problem I've ever run into is blown hubs and I sheered off some steering knuckle bolts jumping it once. I never got them really bound up on rocks or anything but with a healthy dart headed 406 small block I've never had axle or u-joint problems. Im I just lucky? LoL.
Weak? I don't think they are weak. But, with only two tires making significant contact, good traction, steep climb, that is a lot of stress on axles on opposite ends of the truck... add to that the heavy Scout II, and something has to give....
I blasted a U-joint and shaft at once. I had one tire on the ground and I was turning in reverse. Kablam-blooie and I watched the cap go skipping across the ground off to my left.
But thats with a full size 44 and not a Scout 44 so its a whole different axle :shaking: So I guess it doesnt apply to anything.
well... id rather nut trust luck on mine.. .so i picked up a 14 bolt this morning.. i prefer to over build. fixing a rig while keeping an eye on my kid out on the trail is not an option for me... besides, i dont know how to drive, and some how the nerves conecting my brain to my right foot got cut.....
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