full width question

[JusticeJMB]

At some point I will upgrade my current Dana 30. I've been casually looking for a 44 but have also thought of going full width and doing it all at once the first time. I found this on craigslist and it seemed like a good deal:
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/2025678478.html
Do all full size Bronco axles work with an EB going full width or are their particular years and things I should be looking for?
Thanks,
Justin

[blwngsket]

Re: full width question

Be nice having everything in em so all you have to do is installation fab work (axles, lockers, gears). 4.56 is a good ratio up to 35" tires. I'm sure you can hagle the price a bit but with all the goodies he's stuffed in those axles he may hold firm. Your thinking on full width is golden though. May as well do it once and be done with it.....

[PDXBronco]

Re: full width question

Thats a real good deal. Would be an incredible upgrade all with one fell swoop.

[CityHick]

Re: full width question

I'd confirm first that the front D44 is actually a Ford D44 with high pinion. From the pictures it is a driver's side drop, so it most likely is. It looks like he's got some kind of custom suspension with coilovers - so you will probably have to cut his bracketry off and return it to a more original type setup to fit it under an EB - not a big deal... but it will help if the C-wedges are still on the axle tubes.

I would not even bother with the rear D44 and if he'll separate the two, leave the rear 44 with him and get a full width 9" or something bigger. $700 seems like a pretty good price for two axles, and if he'll sell one at a time and take less for just the front, you're set.

[PDXBronco]

Re: full width question

I doubt the rear is a 44? WTF would he put a 44 in the rear, would be stronger with the 8.8, FW 9" would bolt right in.

Nevermind, I guess it is if its got a diff cover on it. Strange...

[TBS-POPS]

Re: full width question

In that add those are swapped in axles already into a 80's vintage bronco. From the pics looks like they have been beat pretty hard. I'll get more into this later as I'm on my phone now.

[71BRONCO71]

Re: full width question

word to the wise...

35's will fit with FW but 37's look AWESOME!

I havent done my research yet on FW stuff yet but i do know that the axles you want to stay away from are the ones with cast c-wedges. Im not sure if 44's have cast or weld on.

Ill let someone else take over from here.

[PDXBronco]

Re: full width question

The 44's came cast and welded. Nothing wrong with the cast, you just will either have angled coil springs like POPS and I or you could move your coil buckets out. The welded is handy cause you can cut the wedges and move them in the 2.75" or so.

I took mine out of a 78 Bronco, worked great.

[71BRONCO71]

Re: full width question

dont you also have to move the radius arm brackets outward.

[blwngsket]

Re: full width question

I like the idea of moving the wedges inward whenever possible and keeping the springs close to verticle. Seems to me you take advantage of the leverage gained by having a little more axle length on the outside of the spring. Might not really matter for all I know.

[71BRONCO71]

Re: full width question

Thats called a fulcrum.

Closer the springs are to each other the easier it is to lift/drop the axle.

But then again...
Jeff has his springs angled, or as he calls it "Oakie Flex" and his still performs great!

[TRAILBOUND]

Re: full width question

I called and it is a d44 in the rear. He said it is a ford rear d44 that could be found in Canadian trucks. He also said that there are no aftermaket axle shafts for it, that is why he had the dutchmens made and the originals will come with as spares. He is running 8.8 drums but all factory brake parts can be gotten through normal means. He said he think warn makes a d44 full float kit for jeeps and that should be able to be used. The front still has the wedges and coil cup mounts.

D44 are not notoriously strong by anymeans and that has to do with a relatively small ring gear. Hence why you can buy extra thick ring gears for d44 low pinions.

All that being said, if your just building a mild trail rig but want the flex,stance and road manners of full width. I think I would buy this setup. The D44 only becomes a liability if you running a real torqy motor and really low gearing in the transfer case. Your 302 and d20 are not gonna break that axle unless you have the pedal to the floor and your bouncing the ass end of your rig violently enough to be detrimentally.

So my vote is go for it, gears, LS front and Detroit rear. It will work out just fine in your application. Besides tell him your a little leery about the rear and maybe talk him down to 6 or even 5.

[TRAILBOUND]

Re: full width question

But it that front axle depending on the condition of the brakes is worth atleast 5 on its own so keep that in mind to.

[blwngsket]

Re: full width question

Thats called a fulcrum.

Closer the springs are to each other the easier it is to lift/drop the axle.

But then again...
Jeff has his springs angled, or as he calls it "Oakie Flex" and his still performs great!

Fulcrum...................

Looks like someone has been reading a dictionary again....

[TRAILBOUND]

Re: full width question

Actually you don't want your lower mounting point to be closer to frame. Any suspension that uses a track bar will articulate in and arc. Meaning as the tire goes down, the spring that is responsible for that side will gravitate toward the frame with respect to that arc. If you look at stock coils they have an outward bow to them. So you really only have one option if you absolutely must have straight coils and that is to extend the coil buckets out ward approximately 2" on each side to give you a stock look. But in either case, moving buckets out or springs in: would only net you gains in theory, in reality the gains would not be noticeable.

**disertation on all things FW to come**