Ford Dana 44 offroad question

[kool55]

I have a 90 F250 IFS front diff that is tore up. Ring gear bolts came loose and tore up the carrier. Can I put a full spool in this? This truck is an offroad farm truck and I really would like all the traction I can get. It has manual locking hubs.
Next choice would be an Auburn posi unit but it is about $200. more.

 

[W650Mike]

Auburn or Eaton / Detroit Truetrac

I have the Truetrac in the D44 and an Auburn in the 9" - Early Bronco.

 

[eldirector]

You certainly can. Be prepared for a real workout while steering, and making 50-point turns.

A friend has a spool in the front of his off-road Jeep. Great traction, but terrible steering.

It might be easier to find a junkyard carrier and toss in a cheap (maybe even used) locker.

 

[kool55]

I did not know if I would have trouble with the hubs or u joints breaking. This truck has power steering. Would still be hard steering?

 

[eldirector]

I did not know if I would have trouble with the hubs or u joints breaking. This truck has power steering. Would still be hard steering?

A spool would absolutely put more stress on everything in the axle. Especially if you ever drive on pavement. In mud or dirt, it may not be THAT big of a deal. If you drive on pavement with the hugs locked in, then you might be asking for problems. Add in some weight (I'm assuming that is why you have a truck!), and I definitely see some new front u-joints in your future!

With the hubs locked in, steering will be harder, and your steering radius will be larger. Your power steering will certainly help with the effort, but will have no effect on the radius.

This is just a farm truck? Toss in a replacement carrier and watch for a deal on a drop-in locker (Lock-Right or similar). Just my $0.02.

Wait, what am I saying???? I really meant to say "spool it, get some big tires, and go muddin'!"

 

[jam0o0]

spools ****. i've got an ARB in my front dif in my bronco. it's a spool when i send air pressure to it and an open dif when i don't. the turning radius on dirt is twice as big with the spool engaged. if you need a new carrier get a limited slip. for light offroading they are great.

are you sure your f250 has a TTB d44 or does it have a TTB d50?

 

[csmitty]

a spool or locker will make no difference in the front. Other than maybe a lunchbox locker will give before a shaft or ujoint but unlikely. usually its the locking hub collar from my experience. But a locker will be locked under power, which in 4wd is usually all the time. i've got a spartan locker in the front of my jeep and it can be a pain to turn sometimes. However the slippage usually helps.

For the purpose i wouldn't waste the money on a locker. Just spool or find a used carrier for next to nothing and weld it up. Still have to resetup the gears, or make sure its not to bad. For the application i wouldn't think it needed to be perfect. Especially with locking hubs.

 

[PaulR]

Ummm offroad Farm Truck? -------->Weld the spider gears and be done!, that'd be free.

 

[nehog]

Ask anyone with a locker in the front and they'll tell you that steering (off or on road) will be seriously compromised!

But, hell, why not! ;-}

Running on pavement will be even worse--but dirt will be doable. Also, tires may well scrub off in a few thousand miles, will that be a problem?

 

[kool55]

jamOoO, I believe I have a 44. It has a 8.5'' ring gear and the axle u joints have the c clips inside the yokes. Someone told me a 50 has a 9'' ring gear and c clips outside on the yokes. A 50 has a 4500lb. rating and mine is rated at 3540 lb.

 

[csmitty]

Ask anyone with a locker in the front and they'll tell you that steering (off or on road) will be seriously compromised!

Is that a sarcastic comment? Because anyone will tell its non existant. In 2wd of course. I wouldnt even put mine in 4wd, auto lockers all around, in anything over 5mph on road. Auto lockers only work with torque applied, so even with auto hubs it still won't engage. With locking hubs, nothing spins so it doesn't matter. again, 2wd

 

[northwoods]

I personally would just weld the spider gears up. Otherwise a spool is a good choice - don't go for the mini spool (just too weak!).

 

[crewchief888]

I have a 90 F250 IFS front diff that is tore up. Ring gear bolts came loose and tore up the carrier. Can I put a full spool in this? This truck is an offroad farm truck and I really would like all the traction I can get. It has manual locking hubs.
Next choice would be an Auburn posi unit but it is about $200. more.

lincoln lock it

since you have manual hubs, if you get in a bind with both hubs locked just unlock one of them.

friend of mine has a ford d44 in the front of his yj and plays in the rocks on tight trails with it. he has broken a couple of ujoints in the process, before he started unlocking a hub before the damage ocurred.

you should be fine out in the fields with a locked front.

 

[Buckgnarly]

jamOoO, I believe I have a 44. It has a 8.5'' ring gear and the axle u joints have the c clips inside the yokes. Someone told me a 50 has a 9'' ring gear and c clips outside on the yokes. A 50 has a 4500lb. rating and mine is rated at 3540 lb.

Yup, that's the same worthless axle I have in the front of my plow truck. One drivers side u joint (destroyed the shaft ears too) after only a month of plowing here.

If you are in no rush, I am dropping in a D60 from the same year 350. I've got 4.10s in it, if you want the R&P along with carrier I will be ripping that thing out as soon as all this snow melts away, probably about a month. You can have them CHEAP if you are interested.

 

[kool55]

I appreciate the offer Buckgnarly, but I can't wait that long.
northwoods,I was thinking of the mini spool until I saw your post,and I never could feel good about welding up the spider gears.

 

[Mr.N]

Are you 100% sure it's a Dana 44?

That truck also came with a 50.



If you never got stuck before, leave it open.
Should be able to find very cheap parts in a junk yard.

 

[DoubleDResources]

I've ran welded spider gears for years with no problems. Just realize your now getting more traction and "traction" is what breaks things.

BTW, it won't be much harder to turn your steering wheel but since the tires will now rotate together, they want to push you through the turn, rather than make a tight turn. Its hard to explain until the first time you experience it.

 

[davidj]

another vote for welding it here. my d44 in my jeep is welded, and with the hubs unlocked you really cant tell. i know you said you had ifs... but i dont think that matters.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Hell no, a 3/4 ton truck with a dana 44 is bad enough, let alone welding or spooling the diff.

Get a real locker, or leave it open, unless you like replacing axle shafts. Even with a real locker, you'll have to be careful.

If you're going to spool it anyway, there's nothing wrong with welding the spiders, if done properly. Personally, I think they're both piss-poor answers for a front axle, but each to their own.

 

[cag310]

Most importantly, before anyone should be trying to answer your question, is WHAT KIND/SIZE OF TIRES ARE YOU RUNNING? That makes a big difference..I would stay away from the Detriot TrueTrac. They're not cheap, and supposed to be one of the best posi's money can buy, being that they are an all gear driven design with no clutches to burn out. I had one on the front of my Jeep with 36"x13.5" swampers however, and it didn't do a damn bit of good. It couldn't turn them. Okay so it was only a Dana 30..but it still didn't leave a good taste in my mouth. Not for the money

Ummm offroad Farm Truck? -------->Weld the spider gears and be done!, that'd be free.

Sure, if the front diff wasn't already blown. Depending on what tires you're running, if you decide to lock the front axle, I WOULD throw in a spool since you're already tearing everything out. There's no point in throwing in a "lunchbox" locker that you can throw in "over lunch" when you have to rebuild the axle already anyhow. Or welding up the spiders. I mean you can, but that depends on just how tight of a budget you really want to run.

And you're steering isn't going to be affected if you don't have the hubs locked in.

Have you got a Pirate4x4 account? Wouldn't hurt!

 

[kool55]

I can get a good take out for $250. Rebuilding mine will cost between $450.-600. in parts, depending on the locker-posi-spool option. If I go the full spool option and leave one hub unlocked, I am back to one spinning tire. Unless I get out and lock that hub in a bad situation. Still thinking. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[kool55]

cag 310, I am running stock 16'' tires. I have viewed the Pirate 4x4 site, not as a member

 

[cag310]

I can get a good take out for $250. Rebuilding mine will cost between $450.-600. in parts, depending on the locker-posi-spool option. If I go the full spool option and leave one hub unlocked, I am back to one spinning tire. Unless I get out and lock that hub in a bad situation. Still thinking. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Okay, but it does help the vote for the spool since you will be replacing the gears I would think

cag 310, I am running stock 16'' tires. I have viewed the Pirate 4x4 site, not as a member

What diameter are the tires you're running though? Stock tires, 35's, or larger? The larger the tires, the more stress is going to be placed on the drivetrain and differential. If you were running large diameter tires (~37's or larger), and you tend to get a little heavy on the skinny pedal at times, I would not throw a full spool in to a Dana 44 because of the weight of your truck. You're probably going to break something eventually. lol

If you are running stock size tires or similar and don't beat on your truck too bad, a full spool will get you the better traction you're looking for.

And yes, with the truck in 4wd, you're steering will be degraded. Just as it would with a lincoln locker (welding the spider gears).

Pirate4x4 is probably the biggest collection of the most experienced 'wheelers' and 4x4 tech's around. If you feel the need..