F250 HP44 to Wagoneer Width......

YJTypeR · Dec 3, 2006

F250 HP44 to Wagoneer Width......Lots of Pics

I know it's been covered MANY times and is nothing new but it never hurts to have an extra example.....

Step one: Grind through the weld, if you think you're through give it a couple whacks with a big hammer and see if you can see a crack form (a flashlight helps to see the crack).....

The crack will be VERY faint at first, as shown in this picture.....

From there, heat really helps speed up the process, but you really just have to beat if off the tube from there.

With the knuckle off, you want to precisely measure and mark how much of the tube you are removing. I based my measurements off of Mr. N's website using (REMEMBER: THIS IS TO CUT THE HIGH PINION FORD F250 TO A DRIVERSIDE DROP WAGONEER WIDTH):

For the stock Ford shafts:
34.75" for the long side inner shaft
18.62" for the short side inner shaft

For the stock Wagoneer shafts:
32.12" for the long side inner shaft
15.80" for the short side inner shaft

The difference between the two which is what need to be removed is:
2.63" on the long side
2.82" on the short side

YJTypeR · Dec 3, 2006

This is the measuring "tool" I made to put my angle finder on for setting the caster. Simply a piece of all-thread with deformed thread lock nuts (for their domed heads which self center in the ball joint holes)

It's best to have the axle in the vehicle with weight on it to see what angle it wants to sit at with your pinion at your desired angle. But here's how I did it figuring that it's going to sit very close to level under the Jeep using the factory F250 pinion angle of 6 degrees.

In my situation, I made sure the axle was perfectly level...

Smack a knuckle a little ways on so that it will stay where set.

Put the "tool" through the inner C......

Set your angle.......

Pound the C further onto the tube checking the angle periodically, it gets harder and harder to make adjustments as you go.

If it's not EXACTLY where you want it, remove the knuckle and start over, this is not a time to say "Good Enough".

My angle finder had problems accurately reading the angle with the "camber" of the C. It would hang up and give me some false readings. Be very careful this is not what you are using. Just to be sure that I had the angles perfectly aligned together, and without relying on the angle finder to give me consistent results, I releveled the axle out from the tool, so that the pinion was pointing towards the floor (all thread tool parallel to the ground). I based my opposite angle off of this. I lost quite a bit of faith in the angle finder previously in the process, I had to regrind my newly welded on knuckle to reset it. I figure that as long as my caster angle is acceptable on one side, I'd rather base my measurements off of it for the opposite C to assure that they are as close to one another as possible. I wound up with right at 6.5 degrees of caster. Also measure the "camber" of your C before welding, mine managed to get off by 2 degrees on one side from the other before I readjusted them.

Weld it up and be done with it. I used a Miller 175 set up as high as I could get it, used plenty of preheating, and ran a double pass to assure good fusion.

monsterjeep76 · Dec 4, 2006

always good to see it again. good job being precise.

ZJim · Dec 4, 2006

Nice writeup. I was thinking about using an HP44 in my rig that's cut down a little, but I'm not sure if I don't just want to run a Waggy axle to begin with, especially since I can avoid the cast radius mounts. Either way, cool thread.

jebdrup · Dec 4, 2006

What year waggy shafts and what will WMS be? Great write up and I am doing this same thing when I get back from Kuwait. I bought a 78' F250 HP44 and can't wait to put this axle in my TJ.

Great write up.

YJTypeR · Dec 4, 2006

ZJim said:
Nice writeup. I was thinking about using an HP44 in my rig that's cut down a little, but I'm not sure if I don't just want to run a Waggy axle to begin with, especially since I can avoid the cast radius mounts. Either way, cool thread.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure that you only have to deal with the cast mounts in the half ton HP44. I didn't have to deal with them luckily. The shafts that fit come from (according to Mr. N's website) 80-85 Wagoneers, and 85-92 Grand Wagoneers. That's also without the vacuum disconnect stuff. If I remember correctly my WMS - WMS was 61.5". I'll have to double check that.

N24low · Dec 8, 2006

I am in the middle of the same project. Good info!
What about the brake lines? Do the Jeep/Ford share the same banjo? What are you using for brake lines?

Mr.N · Dec 9, 2006

YJTypeR said:
I based my measurements off of Mr. N's website

Nice wright up! ALways good to have nice pictures!

For a quick link, my Dana 44 chart...http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Spicer/graph/Dana44_Front_Axle_shafts_Mr.N_.gif
It has all Dana 44 front axles lengths from 1967-2005 that I could find.
I've the TJ Dana 44 info now, just need to update chart.

YJTypeR · Dec 9, 2006

Thank you for your webpage Mr.N. It was very informative and I used it several times throughout my build :beer:

Mr.N · Dec 10, 2006

YJTypeR said:
Thank your your webpage Mr.N. It was very informative and I used it several times throughout my build :beer:

Glad it helped!
That's why I did it. Back in the day people didn't know what was what :grinpimp:

jeepin82 · Nov 23, 2012

I would like to ressurect an old thread here. With the cast spring perch being Level the pinion is rotated up 6 degrees, did you run a CV shaft in the front to combat that or just run a regular 2 joint shaft the way it was?

F250 HP44 to Wagoneer Width......

YJTypeR

YJTypeR

monsterjeep76

ZJim

jebdrup

YJTypeR

N24low

Mr.N

YJTypeR

Mr.N

jeepin82

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