old school f150 axels for dana 44??

[camp9k]

Just bought these from a guy who claimed he bought them from Toms years ago. He said they were cut f150 axles w bigger u-joints and it was the old school way of putting stronger axles in an early bronco 44. Cant find any information on this setup?

I picked up a 44 w a gm disc setup that I am going through to sell to raise some funds. The pass side u-joint needs replacing so I was going to use these old school axels. They fit but are super tight going through the stock drum knuckle. Any info would help...are they a good upgrade? are they intended to be use with a ford disc knuckle since the opening is bigger? are they not what he said and I shouldn't use them. Any information would be helpful.

the bigger axels are on the outside in the picture.

Thanks
John

 

[bmc69]

I can't tell much from those pics.

The short and sweet answer is that the F-150 and FS Bronco D44 axles use the larger 297/760 u-joint, as do all the aftermarket upgrade axles. They can be a tight squeeze going through the EB knuckle opening.

The F-150 axles are a good upgrade..superior even to some of the aftermarket axles that we've seen over the years.

 

[camp9k]

is the f150 short side the same as an early bronco short side? or are both f150 outers the same? what Im getting at and maybe everyone knows this but me...to save money on my next axle could i use the complete short side out of a f150 w 760 joints and on the right side use a f-150 outer and a chrome-molly inner w 760 joint for the right side inner?

Thanks
John

 

[mattt]

Yes, the full width D44 axle shafts are useable as an upgrade to stock Early Bronco D44 shafts. They are the junkyard way to get bigger u-joints, strong axle shafts. I've had a set of these in my Bronco for years with no issues. I do not know if the outers are exactly the same, but I do know that the short side axle assy. is the same length +- 1/4" as a stock Early Bronco short side axle assy, but worked as is. What was commonly done was to take the long axle to Currie or elsewhere and have it shortened and re-splined.

This info also applies to GM D44 axle shafts as well, but most used the Ford axle shafts.

 

[bmc69]

is the f150 short side the same as an early bronco short side? or are both f150 outers the same? what Im getting at and maybe everyone knows this but me...to save money on my next axle could i use the complete short side out of a f150 w 760 joints and on the right side use a f-150 outer and a chrome-molly inner w 760 joint for the right side inner?

Thanks
John

Sure. I'm sure my collection of rigs has 'em all mixed up like that already.;D

 

[bmc69]

Yes, the full width D44 axle shafts are useable as an upgrade to stock Early Bronco D44 shafts. They are the junkyard way to get bigger u-joints, strong axle shafts. I've had a set of these in my Bronco for years with no issues. I do not know if the outers are exactly the same, but I do know that the short side axle assy. is the same length +- 1/4" as a stock Early Bronco short side axle assy, but worked as is. What was commonly done was to take the long axle to Currie or elsewhere and have it shortened and re-splined.

This info also applies to GM D44 axle shafts as well, but most used the Ford axle shafts.

Have to be careful though. I've pulled quite a few axles out of GM 44s that were not candidates for being shortened because they were "skinnied up" over most of the distance between the dif spline and seal area and the u-joint ears...same as that one D44 in the OPs pic.

I don't know how to tell short of pulling them out, which have the full OD over their full length..and which don't.

FWIW, I've seen the same thing with front D-60s too. Some have axles that reduce in thickness over most of their length.

 

[camp9k]

thanks!!

 

[mattt]

Have to be careful though. I've pulled quite a few axles out of GM 44s that were not candidates for being shortened because they were "skinnied up" over most of the distance between the dif spline and seal area and the u-joint ears...same as that one D44 in the OPs pic.

I don't know how to tell short of pulling them out, which have the full OD over their full length..and which don't.

FWIW, I've seen the same thing with front D-60s too. Some have axles that reduce in thickness over most of their length.

Ooh....you're right. I forgot about the "waisted" axles in some GM D44's, been too long since I've seen a set. If memory serves me correct though, the short side GM will work same as the Ford short side.

 

[broncomikem]

I used a short side GM and had to cut 1/4" off the inner shaft to make it the same length of the bronco short side. In my area there seems to be more gm parts laying around than ford so they are easy to come across. I did take a set from a full size Ford and send the long side in to Currie to have it shortened and resplined. They worked great for a lot of years before I went cromoly. I generally had problems breaking the short side stub, so I collected all the GM short side I could for spares