Cut down high pinion or stock Dana 44 - your input

[stupidboy]

I'm considering the high pinion myself, so all this info is good.

 

[Nothing Special]

From what I've seen in threads before I was thinking you needed about a 5" lift to clear a high pinion. But people here are saying 3.5" is enough? I think I'm at about 3.5". I've been planning on dropping to 2.5" (for easier in/out as we are getting older and better driveshaft U-joint angles). But if I can keep the 3.5" lift and go high pinion that gets a lot more attractive.

 

[DirtDonk]

I'd always heard that 3.5 was enough.
Never tried it, but plenty of others have and been successful as far as I know.

paul

 

[bax]

I run a HP 44 with 3.5'' lift. The exhaust needs to be bent out go the way of the yoke as soon as possible. Once you solve the exhaust issue its all good. I built mine from a 76 150 axle. I cut 5/8'' off the driver and 6'' off the passenger. I bought new upgraded inner and outer axles. Yes I could of used stock axles but wanted a little more beef. No issues. Its a great addition.

 

[Seventee]

Another 3.5" lift here. No problem with oil pan clearance, but my front driveshaft gets very close to the NP435 bellhousing - close enough that it knocked the grease zerk off the slip yoke. My pinion actually points a bit too high - if I had it to do over I would use 7 degree C-bushings instead of 4 degree, which would put the pinion angle more in-line and give me more bellhousing clearance. That would also give me about 7 degrees of caster based on my measurements, which is not a bad thing.

With that being said, the ONLY reason I went with a HP44 is I would've had to spend over twice the money and travel a lot further to get a EB 44, and then probably spend more money to convert it to disc brakes. If you already have a EB 44 and have no compelling reason to take advantage of the HP (such as a large suspension lift), then I would stick with what you have rather than go through the trouble to convert.

 

[crashnburn]

Some guys add the wah from bc while cutting down the housing.

What is "wah" from bc?
Thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

WAH stands for “wristed axle housing” and is a pretty cool set up.

 

[nvrstuk]

Saying it "works" with a 3.5" means what?

How much up travel and how much articulation ds & ps do people have with 3.5" lift, stock width and D44 HP?

2"
3"?
4"?
6"?

The key is suspension travel unless it's a pavement princess. Just trying to have equal and worthwhile comparisons.

Not saying it doesn't, just wondering what the accurate numbers actually are.

 

[jamesroney]

Saying it "works" with a 3.5" means what?

How much up travel and how much articulation ds & ps do people have with 3.5" lift, stock width and D44 HP?

2"
3"?
4"?
6"?

The key is suspension travel unless it's a pavement princess. Just trying to have equal and worthwhile comparisons.

Not saying it doesn't, just wondering what the accurate numbers actually are.

Your gonna need more info.

There are three ways to narrow the HP Dana 44. Two of those yield a stock WMS width. You can cut it so that it uses Factory EB inner shafts by cutting 5/8 off the short side, and 6 off the long side. Or you can cut just the long side 6-5/8 and keep the factory F150 short shaft. Or you can cut the short side 1-5/8, and the long side 5 but this results in the need to make two custom inner shafts.

The three I built this year used factory EB shafts. I'm satisfied that this is the WRONG method.
The next one I do will be made with the factory EB WMS, but with the pumpkin shifted 1 inch to the left. (This happens to be the "good" direction if your t-case is clocked.) This one in this pic is factory WMS, with EB shafts, and you can see that the pumpkin could easily move outboard.

I was running 3.5 wild H coils, factory manifolds, under pan crossover, and the front yoke got into the exhaust pipe near the oil pan. The caster is 7 degrees, and the pinion inclination is also 7 degrees. Factory Dana 20 / NV4500, so rearward an inch or so. I would take measurements for you, but that Bronco is sold.

 

[nvrstuk]

Anybody ever measure ride height, straight up/down travel, articulation?

Are HP D44 swaps put in with travel goals or just "made to fit"? Really curious as nobody has posted up what they wanted or #'s they got with 3.5 or 5" lifts with an HP. Nothing wrong with making it fit but if you're losing a few inches of travel with an HP then you are losing a lot of off road suspension that can work for you.

Something to think about.

 

[thegreatjustino]

Are HP D44 swaps put in with travel goals or just "made to fit"?

I'm the original poster here. My reason was a cut down HP front end was cheaper than a true EB D44. With the income I was making at the time, the cheaper option won out.

 

[nvrstuk]

That's been my mode of operation for decades! Money matters, least to us working or retired stiffs.

Was asking all the guys that have already done this swap to see what their goals were.