77 F150 vs 79 Bronco Dana 44

[mgb0302]

Can anyone tell me the difference between 77 150 and 79 Bronco D44? I know the 78-79 D44s have cast wedges instead of welded on wedges. Are there other differences? If so which do you recommend and why.

I currently have a 79 front end waiting to be installed in my 70 but I also have a chance to get a 77 F150 front end cheap

Thanks

 

[1badd73]

I have a 77 F150 dana 44 axle in my bronco. It has the 1/2 thick axle tubes with the weld on wedges. The weld on wedges gives you the option of cutting them off and moving them inward vs the cast wedges which are alot harder to remove.. Only real difference is the wedges and maybe axle tube thickness.

 

[bmc69]

1badd73 nailed it. Separate wedges and thicker tube wall...compared in pic below.

 

[mgb0302]

Bad73 and BMC69. Thanks for the info. One additional question:
Obviously the 1/2 wall thickness is an huge advantage but what is the advantage of being able to relocate wedges? I think I know but please verify.
1) relocating wedges should allow you to keep stock spring buckets (correct?).
2) relocating wedges will keep the radius arms (extended ones in my case) a bit more inward (closer to current angle) which should improve articulation over moving them farther out with cast wedges (correct?).

Just making sure I understand all before I pull the trigger.
Thanks again.

 

[Apogee]

I'm putting a '76/'77 F150 HPD44 under my EB in the near future, right now it's getting an ARB, gears and axles, but you are correct in the advantages of being able to move the wedges. Since the F150 frame width is wider, so are the radius arm mounts. By moving the mounts in, you won't need to relocate the springs outward, although one could argue that your handling is better the closer the springs are to the tire. Now for articulation, the opposite would be true. I'm running CAGE long arms and intend to push the wedges in to match the EB spacing.

 

[mgb0302]

Apogee- Thanks! Just making sure I was considering everything

 

[jamesroney]

It seems like everybody is missing the biggest benefit of welded wedges, but maybe that's because it's the obvious one???

The advantage of welded wedges is that you can set the caster independent of the radius arm angle. This allows you to run standard c-bushings and still have the correct steering caster. Even with 7 degree c-bushings...it's not enough to get the caster that you need. (Easily fixed with custom radius arms, but not everybody wants to buy new radius arms.)

 

[Nothing Special]

What years of F-150 high pinion Dana 44 front axles? I know the '78 - '79 with the cast wedges and the '76-'77 with welded wedges. Did the high pinion start in '76? Or did it come in earlier?

 

[nvrstuk]

What everyone said but what James said too... added to the extremely important fact that you can now set your castor with weld on wedges is being able to also have your pinion pointed where it needs to be pointed at instead of indescriminately ending up with your pinion pointing where it "ends up" when your done with your front end mod's. This seems to be the way many do it..

Go with the weld on ones...

It seems like everybody is missing the biggest benefit of welded wedges, but maybe that's because it's the obvious one???

The advantage of welded wedges is that you can set the caster independent of the radius arm angle. This allows you to run standard c-bushings and still have the correct steering caster. Even with 7 degree c-bushings...it's not enough to get the caster that you need. (Easily fixed with custom radius arms, but not everybody wants to buy new radius arms.)

 

[Apogee]

What years of F-150 high pinion Dana 44 front axles? I know the '78 - '79 with the cast wedges and the '76-'77 with welded wedges. Did the high pinion start in '76? Or did it come in earlier?

I'm pretty sure that Ford used the high-pinion D44 in it's trucks as early as 1966 in the F100/150...I know all of the 1973-1979 body style had them. Moving from drum brakes to disc brakes was the main difference between '75 and '76.

 

[jamesroney]

What years of F-150 high pinion Dana 44 front axles? I know the '78 - '79 with the cast wedges and the '76-'77 with welded wedges. Did the high pinion start in '76? Or did it come in earlier?

copied from therangerstation.com. The high pinion 44 started much earlier. It just took until 1976 to get the combination of open knuckle, high pinion, thick tube, big u-joints, and disc brakes.

 

[gnpenning]

Already pointed out as far as years. I have a 74 150 with hp and drums, not sure about the thickness at this point. It does have the power steering that uses ram assist.

 

[bax]

I have a thread in tech called "Making a high pinion 44". some good info if you do the search. My high pinion build turned out well.
(76 axle)

 

[Apogee]

I have a thread in tech called "Making a high pinion 44". some good info if you do the search. My high pinion build turned out well.
(76 axle)

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=289710