Dana 44 Regear - Potential True Trac worth keeping??

[Tias]

I am regearing my Dan 44 to 4.56. Thanks to the carrier break, I bought a new open carrier for gears 3.92 and up since the tag on the Dana 44 specified 3.50, with an open carrier. I am not planning on doing much off roading, so I figured this would be sufficient. Well, I got started with pulling things apart it looks lke I've got a limited slip carrier. After a bunch of googling, it looks like it might be a True Trac (there are almost no marking on it).

What do you guys think, does this look like a True Trac?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KY9UGWtGU866NUVG7

The gear oil was in decent shape with no metal in it and the carrier looks like it is in good shape. So a couple more questions...

Is this a decent limited slip diff? It sucks to have sunk money into a ring and pinion set as well as an open carrier, but I am considering getting a thick cut set of 4.56 gears and keeping the limited slip diff.

Is there any way to tell if the carrier is in good shape? Google tells me these are non-serviceable with no clutches or wear points.

 

[SHX669]

If it is a Detroit Tru Trac definately keep it . They quit making them for the D44

 

[fishinman78]

Trutrac in the front of my wife's LUBR. Love it

 

[Tias]

Well, if it is a Detroit True Trac, they certainly skimped out on the marketing/badging on the actual carrier. The only markings or stamps I can find on it are:
DX 43
XX5
XX2
F
50731-11-22

And hand engraved: B 16L93 50813.

None of these are coming up in my Google hunt for confirmation.

Also, I should have asked this question in my original post. Are there any interference issues with running thick cut gears and limited slip carriers?

 

[DirtDonk]

Would not think so. That's the point of the thick gears in the first place, to run with 3-series carriers. And those should all be the same in the fitment department.

Are you sure it's not already a 4-series though? Did you count the teeth? If the diff was changed, maybe the gearing was done as well. Worth counting teeth at least.
But yeah, if it's a good limited-slip and you can sell or trade-in the gears, I would get thick gears and run it.

Paul

 

[Rustytruck]

with that screw in block in the side of the carrier it looks like a trutrac to me. I would use thick cut gears. trutrac is worth its weight in gold. I use a trutrac with thick cut 4:11s

 

[DirtDonk]

On the flip side of that coin, for most of us that don't ever need a limited-slip in the front, you can recoup much of your cost of changing by using the open diff you bought with the new gears, and reselling the TrueTrac (if that's indeed what it turns out to be) and the existing gear sets.

If they're in even remotely good shape, you should be able to do well with that.
Heck, I'd buy the diff!@ if it wasn't for shipping.

Paul

 

[Nothing Special]

If it is a Detroit Tru Trac definately keep it . They quit making them for the D44

Really? They don't make the Truetrac for possibly the most popular axle? That seems hard to believe. I just tried to look it up on Eaton's web site and they show it available, but it is in an application guide dated 2017. So if Eaton isn't keeping their web site up to date that wouldn't prove anything.

 

[Timstrk]

I'd be interested in the new open diff if you want to get rid of that and keep the limited slip you already have.

 

[Tias]

Awesome, thanks for all of the input. Thick cut gears and the True Trac is what I'll go with.

Paul, I checked the measurements between the two carriers and the height for where the ring sits line up with one for the lower gears and the other for the higher.

Timstrk, I am up in Canada so shipping might be more than the value of the open carrier.

 

[sprdv1]

Awesome, thanks for all of the input. Thick cut gears and the True Trac is what I'll go with.

Paul, I checked the measurements between the two carriers and the height for where the ring sits line up with one for the lower gears and the other for the higher.

Timstrk, I am up in Canada so shipping might be more than the value of the open carrier.

Good luck...