why wouldn't a dana 44 work

[stax25]

would a dana 44 work in a truck that you dropped a cummins in as long as you don't pull sleds, run big tires or do to many engine upgrades. Because they use to put big blocks in 1/2 tons and 3/4 tons, I would use one of the big bearing dana 44. I want to put a cummins into a 70s powerwagon.

[Richie O]

It would work fine till it broke. I suspect ball joints would wear quick. I always had to replace ball joints on my plow truck. I broke lots of axle shafts and a ring and pinion.

[stax25]

was that with a cummins and a 44 or a big block and a 44. I ain't going to be plowing with it just hauling a trailer bumper and a gooseneck

[burnt_servo]

dana 60's are cheap and plentiful

[stax25]

whats cheap to you. i have a 91 dodge cummins D350 and i want a 4 wheel drive. Beaceuse duallys suck on snow. I either want to put my drive train in a 4x4 or put a front axles and transfer under my truck.

[Richie O]

was that with a cummins and a 44 or a big block and a 44. I ain't going to be plowing with it just hauling a trailer bumper and a gooseneck

That was with a small block chevy. If its all you have do it. You can always find a 60 later.

[pulltilbroke]

It would work for a while, but like Richie said it will eat ball joints axle shafts and axle U-joints. I had a 75 K20 with a mild 350 it was always eatin axle joints. I wasn't very nice to that truck.


There is a reason a D44 was never under a Cummins


But on the flip side A local guy picked up a clean 89 D250 from Mark Nixon and converted it to 4X using a 44 and a 208 and have had no issues....... Yet. It is also stock With moderate sized tires.

If you ever got stuck and got the front end on a bind the 44 would spit its guts out with the torque with a stock VE motor. Do a little research and find some side by side axle shaft pics from a 44 and a 60 There is a reason a D44 was never under a Cummins


The D60 axle joints are twice as strong.

[stax25]

Oh i know i have a 73 dodge powerwagon pulling truck with a built 408 big block. I just put a dana 60 in the front of it last summer. But before i put the 60 in i had a 44 and i never broke anything and i pulled and mudded it all the time. So i was just wondering if it was going to last if i did put a 44 under a cummins. I guess i will just find me a 60 and a divorced 205 transfercase and turn my D350 to a W350

[Mark Nixon]

Seems to me that the '94-up C&C trucks use a straight axle WITH BALLJOINTS and those are considered a "heavy duty" axle.
In fact, I KNOW they use balljoints, because I have one out in the yard, under 6 inches of new snow, that has balljoints.

Come to think of it, ALL of the '94 up Cummins trucks use balljoints on the 3/4 and 1 ton 4x4s and they don't appear to be any heavier duty than the D-44 HD ones are.

As pulltilbroke said, a local guy bought an old '89 Cummins 4x2 truck I had.
He and his kid did the 4wd conversion with a 1990 D-44 HD and they haven't had a problem at all with it in 6 months of highschooler driving.

Toss it under there and don't worry with it until it gives you a reason to.

Mark.

[PRINCETON_JAKE]

Seems to me that the '94-up C&C trucks use a straight axle WITH BALLJOINTS and those are considered a "heavy duty" axle.
In fact, I KNOW they use balljoints, because I have one out in the yard, under 6 inches of new snow, that has balljoints.

Come to think of it, ALL of the '94 up Cummins trucks use balljoints on the 3/4 and 1 ton 4x4s and they don't appear to be any heavier duty than the D-44 HD ones are.

As pulltilbroke said, a local guy bought an old '89 Cummins 4x2 truck I had.
He and his kid did the 4wd conversion with a 1990 D-44 HD and they haven't had a problem at all with it in 6 months of highschooler driving.

Toss it under there and don't worry with it until it gives you a reason to.

Mark.

YES, ALL 94+ 4x4s have blljoints, same with all fords, BUT the dana60 ball joints are alot bigger then the dana44 balljoints, and the dodge and ford actually use the exact same ball joint in the dana60s.

As far as using a dana44 in a truck with a cummins, I would not be worried if you freshen the axle with good quality NEW parts. MOOG makes very good greasable ball joints with a life time warrenty. Precision also makes a "super strength" ujoint with harndend metals, and a lifetime warranty, and use a good bearing like timken, a good grease and make sure the preload is set right. I would NOT even think about parking to close to a snow plow, and i wouldnt recomend any bigger or wider tires then like a 285/75.

[stax25]

Well i see the 44 wouldn't be the best of axles to use, and a 60 would be better. Now what about using a divorced transfer case or would it really matter,

[93ctd]

if thats what you got run it. you have already stated that its just a driver.if you have any worries find some CTM axle joints. build a truss either over the top or underneath and away you go. i flooged a full size chevy with 38s and a verry healthy big block and i kept it together