New Front Axle Help

[rcmbronc]

I am looking to change my front axle. Right now I have a D44 with good axles, detroit locker and 5.13. I dont have huge HP right now with a stock Coyote. Not really heavy crawling, more higher speed on and off road cruising. Four link rear and coil overs on all four corners. Front right now is Cage arms. The caster angle and pinion angle is all messed up so I for sure need to rotate the outers on it to make it right.

I need to keep the 5x5.5 pattern. Also do not want super heavy. Might change top custom radius arms up front or keep cage arms, dont really want to use wedges and bushings.

Choices I have thought of is to build a new D44 with Solid parts and maybe Crane inners and Reid outers. But this still uses weaker D44 parts.

Maybe a 9 inch front end. Could use D60 outer parts or other.

Mostly want to build one with new parts just to make a project out of it. Unless I could find something good used to cut up and make work. What do all suggest?

 

[Yeller]

609 would be doable with all new parts. So would using a JK front housing and could be done with aftermarket parts and be a huge improvement over a old school D44. The shafts, ujoints would be bigger and Reid also makes knuckles for it. The steering geometry is also improved, gives a longer drag link and track bar improving drivability. Brakes are improved along with less weight than a 609. A 609 with a fabricated housing is no lighter than a D60, in fact I believe it to be heavier, which reduces ride comfort due to the added unsprung weight. both are able to be done with all new parts. just more options

 

[rcmbronc]

You mean a JK D44 housing?

 

[rcmbronc]

Got my new Currie F9 front axle today. Nice piece.

 

[Yeller]

Nice piece!

 

[rcmbronc]

Now I need to decide which locker to put in the front. I have a Detroit in the truck now. Works fine had no issues. Was thinking of using the Yukon Grizzly locker. Ideas?

 

[Yeller]

Grizzly all the way, it always works and in my history more robust than Detroit. In our comp car with a 609 we occasionally would break a Detroit from pure torque, no shock load, no broken axle, sheared the teeth off. Never with a Grizzly and we ran proto types for a long time testing them. The only issue we ever had, Detroits suffer the same issue, was when we decided to go Ultra 4 racing and started doing hill killing events, we would get enough inertia going that they would unlock on one side and the tire would be dead, not being driven, switched to spools and never looked back. I've experienced the same phenomenon with my bronco doing donuts LOL and for whatever reason it affects the front more than the rear. If you can accept that draw back, go Grizzly.

 

[rcmbronc]

Appreciate it. Thanks,

 

[rcmbronc]

This axle came with D44 knuckles. Thinking I might change it to D60 outers. Looking at Crane inner and outer Knuckles. Any other options better? It appears that D60 stuff is not cheap either.

 

[Broncobowsher]

For what you call a low HP non-rock crawling rig, sounds like you are building a bit overkill. I would be inclined to just regear what you have now.

 

[Yeller]

Trail Gear, Spidertrax, Reid and Solid all offer parts. Dana 60 parts aren't cheap but you only buy them once instead of repeatedly. If you don't want to use a unit bearing, Crane and Reid are the only show that I have experience with. If you are willing to use a unit bearing, 05 and up Ford D60 stuff is very viable and robust, to use the earlier design stuff they are fine as long as you do not want lockouts, the only bearings that are living the spindle is splined so no way to do a lock out.

 

[rcmbronc]

I plan to run 5x5.5 wheels still. Would I want Ford or GM style Dana 60 knuckles?

 

[Yeller]

I would do GM only because there is more support for parts. Ford parts are available but limited suppliers, more suppliers equals longevity in availability later. Staying with 5 lug be sure to move to 9/16 lugs. When you make the step to 60 parts the 1/2” wheel studs become the weak link. Anything I build with 35 spline axles gets 9/16 studs. Been chased down a hill by more than 1 40” tire bouncing freely down the hill due to sheared wheel studs. Going to 9/16 solves that issue

 

[cldonley]

I would do GM only because there is more support for parts. Ford parts are available but limited suppliers, more suppliers equals longevity in availability later. Staying with 5 lug be sure to move to 9/16 lugs. When you make the step to 60 parts the 1/2” wheel studs become the weak link. Anything I build with 35 spline axles gets 9/16 studs. Been chased down a hill by more than 1 40” tire bouncing freely down the hill due to sheared wheel studs. Going to 9/16 solves that issue

sounds exciting!

 

[ssray]

sounds exciting!

Especially when you don’t know which way it might be going other than down!

 

[Yeller]

Especially when you don’t know which way it might be going other than down!

And it’s full of water….. weighing 400#+ so it’s smashing everything in its path like Thor’s hammer