D44 Assembly

[Okie69]

yes. Calipers are Raybestos 4095, and 4096 from 75-79 F-series, and 75-83 E-series.
It's the HOSES that are different. 76-77 Bronco use oversized 7/16x20 flare nuts.

(...Your prediction in post #20 is going to end up 100% correct.)

Ha if you haven’t noticed I tend to overthink and over-plan before diving in. It’s that engineer brain holding me back.

76-77 lines all the way out to the calipers and massage to fit and I’m golden. That’s what I’m hearing.

 

[Seventee]

Here's my setup, using 76-77 Bronco parts from JBG in 2014. #12546 RH hose, #12548 LH hose and #12515 steel lines (pair). The center hose is an extended hose I ran with the D30.

Driver's side steel line:



Driver's side caliper hose:



Passenger's side steel line:



Passenger's side caliper hose:

 

[Okie69]

Awesome! Thank you sir. That helps a ton.

I’ll just have to make sure the extended frame to axle lines I get will work with the stock stuff. The. 76-77 lines from there out.

 

[Okie69]

Trex arms are here! They look awesome.

 

[Okie69]

Got them assembled now to see about wrangling it in place by myself.

 

[Okie69]

How about the one man axle installer 5000?! Patent pending

 

[DirtDonk]

Did you get the optional crossbar stabilizer and reverse operating jackshaft so you can tilt the assembly, raising and lowering the radius arms?

 

[DirtDonk]

What about the extra cost power module and computer controlled hoisting modulator?
Gotta have that!

 

[Okie69]

What about the extra cost power module and computer controlled hoisting modulator?
Gotta have that!

Those are coming in rev. 2 of the design

 

[DirtDonk]

And of course, when I said that I immediately thought of the Martian that used to chase Duck Dodgers around different planets during the 24th and a half century.

 

[DirtDonk]

Oh, and I was having so much fun thinking of silly things to say, I forgot to tell you what a great job you did! Great idea and use of what you have on hand. Looks pretty stable.

 

[Okie69]

Oh, and I was having so much fun thinking of silly things to say, I forgot to tell you what a great job you did! Great idea and use of what you have on hand. Looks pretty stable.

Thank you sir! It was stable….ish. Once I find the dang socket that fits the dang radius arm nuts that I JUST had….I’ll post some more pictures.

 

[DirtDonk]

Hope that’s not the rattle you heard inside the differential! Hate to see you have to take the cover back off to just get a socket.

With any luck you’ll find you simply set it down inside the frame rail.

 

[Okie69]

Got it under there finally! It was a bit of a struggle but that might because it was 100 degrees out.

Love how it turned out. And if it flexes anything like it does without the shocks on I’ll be very happy!

 

[Okie69]

So here we are again. I’ve got it all together and I’m ready for the next piece of the puzzle. Gears. As far as I can see from my research I’ve got about three options. My goal is to be ready for OCBR.

Right now I’ve got 4.56s in the rear. 28 spline unlocked.

The new d44 I’ve just got under it has 3.50s and a Trac-Lok (as pointed out)

1. Thick cut 4.56s for the front that will allow me to use the same carrier. I believe that’s correct from my reading

2. New carrier new traction device and regular 4.56s

3. ARB and 4.56s. (This is my end goal but I don’t think I can make it here funds wise by OCBR)

So I guess my question is what’s the best way to get back to 4x4 by OCBR the most cost effectively while keeping in mind an end goal of an air locker up front?

 

[DirtDonk]

Unless all of your in between times include heavy four wheeling, I would just use the thick gears for now and don’t cut so deeply into your air locker funds.
If you haven’t already sourced heavier duty axle shafts you can add those anytime (including right now) because you’d want to do that anyway and they would still work with the ARB.

 

[Yeller]

Second go thick gears and go on. You can use them on the traction device, just buy one that is for a 3.54 gear when that time comes. Locker installation, is usually very simple on a correct set up, normally you can just move over the ring gear, shims and bearings and have it go back together just fine. Paul is also correct about axle shafts. If you have to buy them look at the price comparison between chromoly and "stock replacement" often they are the same, close to the same or even cheaper. I know the one I did over the winter it was $10 more for chromoly than the "stock replacements". Spicer joints will serve your goals just fine, don't skimp here, its not worth the small savings.

 

[Okie69]

Are the thick cut gears available for the HP d44? The ones I’m finding say not available for HP. I’d appreciate a link to ease my mind if anyone is feeling really helpful.

 

[Okie69]

Second go thick gears and go on. You can use them on the traction device, just buy one that is for a 3.54 gear when that time comes. Locker installation, is usually very simple on a correct set up, normally you can just move over the ring gear, shims and bearings and have it go back together just fine. Paul is also correct about axle shafts. If you have to buy them look at the price comparison between chromoly and "stock replacement" often they are the same, close to the same or even cheaper. I know the one I did over the winter it was $10 more for chromoly than the "stock replacements". Spicer joints will serve your goals just fine, don't skimp here, its not worth the small savings.

I upgraded to the chromoly WH shafts already. Should be good there.


I just talked to Gordon about building me a cage and he told me y’all were at Glencoe this past weekend at an event. Wish I would’ve know I’d have come out to say hi!

 

[Yeller]

I meant for 2 weeks to do an announcement here and just forgot......

We had a great time, I spotted for him and Clay Browne. Gordon finished 3rd, fun beating a bunch of buggies with a full bodied truck Gordon tries to do 1 or 2 of these a year to push his driving abilities. Having been around these events for a couple of decades I've never found anything better to improve your driving skills and polish the tips n tricks that make you look like a super star or a dud. Something about putting cones on obstacles and a stop watch creating a time limit to create to create some pier pressure and trial by fire.

The first one Gordon did I took his box, that he felt was pretty big and broad, Snatched out of his hands, threw it on the ground, hit it with a flame thrower and then ran it over before it got flung it off a cliff still on fire. Great times LOL