HP Dana 44 vent location?

[DEEPWOODS]

My 78 hp Dana 44 vent pipe is on the housing where the tube goes in. It has the tube below the threads so it never worked . Looks like someone located it wrong at the factory. I Tried blowing air through it then removed it to find it is blocked by the axle tube .

 

[DirtDonk]

Wonderful. One of those fun discoveries after the fact.
Is there any chance that the bolt hole for the brake hose/tube bracket goes all the way through (and is the right size) for a vent?
I know they used a different location on many of these, so the bolt is probably legit. Just wondering if that hole can be repurposed.

Good luck. There's always drilling through the tube I suppose.

Paul

 

[Apogee]

All three of the D44's I have in my shop (2X 76/77 HPD44 & 1X EB D44) currently have the vent ported into the top, front, left side of the housing, the same place you have that unspecified fitting installed (ARB?).

 

[Seventee]

Odd, the factory vent location on my '79 F-150 is the same as the OP's. I'll have to check my EB tonight as it has a '78 HP 44.

Did you try blowing through the threaded hole? IIRC there is a bit of annular space between the tube circumference and the inside of the center section. Can you take a pic from the inside?

Not sure that drilling a hole through the tube is wise, since it's in the area of the inner axle seal.

 

[Apogee]

Here are pictures of the '76 HPD44 on a pallet and '77 D44 under my rig currently. Mine don't have any breather down on the web over the tube, just plug welds.

 

[redfishtony]

Looks like the tubes may have been pulled from the center section and reinstalled. Have the welds been drilled out. They may have cut off where the hole was then didnt redrill it.

 

[phred]

Keith
All of the ones I’ve seen are on top of the housing where the brake line splitter is bolted. Most of the time the vent tube serves to hold the splitter in place


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DEEPWOODS]

As per the ARB instructions I drilled and taped for the ARB fitting about where the vents are in Apogees post #5 . Mine is in the same place as post 4 and the tube blocks the hole.

 

[Seventee]

I checked my '78 HP 44 and that one is in the same spot too. I had this one apart to shorten the passenger tube and install 4.56 gears and a locker, but don't remember inspecting the vent.

For whatever reason there apparently was a change from the '77-earlier models that used heavier tubes.

 

[DEEPWOODS]

I drilled the mounting bracket Bolt hole and tapped it for Vent pipe on top now. Anyone know of a 90 degree vent pipe it’s 7/16 x 20 thread

 

[68ford]

I drilled the mounting bracket Bolt hole and tapped it for Vent pipe on top now. Anyone know of a 90 degree vent pipe it’s 7/16 x 20 thread

I know it is not the correct thread, but I installed a 1/8npt to number 4 AN 90 in my HP 44. Used a fair about of Teflon tape. Then I used a 45 degree hose end so the hose follows the housing. Ran the vent hose and brake line up the radius arm. No long rubber brake line from frame to axle. Only a couple inch long soft line at radius arm mount on the frame. Been leak free for around 4 yrs.

 

[Apogee]

I drilled the mounting bracket Bolt hole and tapped it for Vent pipe on top now. Anyone know of a 90 degree vent pipe it’s 7/16 x 20 thread

You could use a 7/16-20 banjo bolt with an AN X Banjo adapter fitting to get a nice, tight 90 degree transition. I'm not sure if you can get an AN X male hose barb, or if you'd need to run an AN hose assembly for the vent, but it could be worth considering.

 

[mrdrnac]

To document Seventee's comments about thicker tubes on earlier models see below:

1971-1972 Reverse Cut / High Pinion Drum Open - Ball Joints 5-260x 2.75 x 1/2 Inches
1973-1975 Reverse Cut / High Pinion Drum Open - Ball Joints 5-297x 2.75 x 1/2 Inches Panhard bar has a separate mount on the axle tube
1976-1977 Reverse Cut / High Pinion Disk Open - Ball Joints 5-297x 2.75 x 1/2 Inches Some 1977's had 2.75 x 3/8 Inch Tubes
1978-1979 Reverse Cut / High Pinion Disk Open - Ball Joints 5-297x 2.75 x 3/8 Inches Some had 2.75 x 1/4 Inch Tubes