Anyone run a D44 front like this: waggy inners, ford outers, 8-lug. what's the WMS??

[Krash80]

I'm trying to setup a d44 front to match the width of my 14b rear which is 63" WMS. I'm wondering if i can get the front close to 63" (a little wider is acceptable) by using a combo of some waggy inners and then using my ford outers and the 8-lug hubs.

So, any of you guys w/ custom waggy 44's or 44's narrowed to waggy width and 8-lug hubs, what are your WMS measurements?

Thanks!

-Ron-

[66CJdean]

If you remove the 5 or 6 lug stuff and go to 8 lug it will make the WMS an extra 1.5" wider than it was when 5 or 6 lug.

[TNTOFFROAD85CJ]

I've only done it with Chevy 8 lug outers. Should work though if the ford uses the same kind of spindle.

[Krash80]

Originally posted by 66CJdean
If you remove the 5 or 6 lug stuff and go to 8 lug it will make the WMS an extra 1.5" wider than it was when 5 or 6 lug.

I've heard both 1.5" and 2" wider...not like .5" is a big deal, but i'm just trying to get as accurate an idea as i can. The way i see it is a typical waggy axle is 61.5" (don't quote me on that...just memory), so if i were to use waggy inners and run for 8 lug outer stuff, it *should* be 1.5-2" wider than a stock waggy axle...so right at 63-63.5".

I'm just trying to see if anyone has this actual combo and if the measurements really worked out like that.

-Ron-

[H8monday]

I run a waggy axle with Chevy 8 lug outers.
Its just a bit over 63" wide.
It matches the C&C 14 bolt very well.

[Krash80]

Thanks H8! Seems like you have the answer to every question i ask! Glad to hear someone had some info i could work with, now i just need look up what the difference in width between the ford and chevy hubs is (if there is one).

I know the ford outers are 9.72", and the chevys are a tad wider at 9.94", but i'm curious as to how the shaft length correlates to the actual mounting surface of the wheel and thickness of the hubs. Hopefully it's a directly proportional relationship, cause .44" difference in total width doesn't mean jack. So my axle *should* end up right around 63" as you've stated yours to be.

And here i was worried i'd be running custom front shafts to come close to matching the C&C 14b...i feel much relieved.

Thanks,
-Ron-

[JohnnyJ]

Originally posted by Krash80

The way i see it is a typical waggy axle is 61.5" (don't quote me on that...just memory)

Ha! I quoted you.

And I just sold a 6-lug Waggy D44 this weekend, it was 60.5" WMS-WMS. The 6-lug WT Cherokee D44 I have is 64.5".

[SanDiegoCJ]

Originally posted by H8monday
I run a waggy axle with Chevy 8 lug outers.
Its just a bit over 63" wide.
It matches the C&C 14 bolt very well.

Right now that's what I'm trying to decide. I have a waggy D44 housing and
Chevy flat-top knuckles, but no hubs or rotors yet. I also want to up grade the
rear D44 to a D60 or 14 bolt. The choice I make for the rear will probably dictate
what I use for the front lugs.

[kajeepxj]

this is a good topic, i have been looking for a way to widen my front 44 w/o changing steering and all that crap since i have invested so much in it already. so what should i look for in the junkyard to rob some 8-lug hubs off of? just any 44HD?

[JumpinNRollin]

Kind of on the same line but opposite, what inner axel (long side) can you use to shorten a Chevy D44 to get to ~63"wms ?

PS; I know the housing needs to be cut down

[Krash80]

SanDiegoCJ-

After doing the research i've done about the 14b vs a 60 rear, i really can't see ANY reason why someone would go with a rear 60 over a 14b, with the one exception being slightly better ground clearance w/ the 60 and a better selection of low low gears. The 60 just sounds like a lot more work having to change out everything, drilling the spindles out to fit bigger shafts, having to get expensive 35 spline shafts...the stock 14b already has everything you would upgrage a 60 to, with the benefit of easier to set-up gears (that are bigger) and a super cheap detroit available for it.

I dunno....why do people go w/ 60 rears???

Originally posted by JumpinNRollin
Kind of on the same line but opposite, what inner axel (long side) can you use to shorten a Chevy D44 to get to ~63"wms ?

Your chevy longside 44 should currently be 36.13" or 35.46", depending on if it's a blazer or a pickup.

Check this chart for shaft lengths:

http://www.warn.com/truck/axles/inner_axle_app.shtml

I have no idea what your current WMS is on your stock chevy 44, but say it's 67", and you want to get down to 63", find a shaft that's about 4" shorter than your current shaft...or as close as you can get one. But if your shafts are the 28 spline ones, you're SOL cause i think chevy's are the only ones w/ 28 splines...so you'd have to change both shafts to something else, possibly shortening both sides of the axle, and then would need different spider gears to accept 30 spline or 27 spline shafts or whatever........i dunno, something like that...you do the math!

=Ron=