Dana 44 front swap?

[Mikedaskter]

Hey guys, 67 CJ5 looking to eventually upgrade away from the dana 27 in the front to a Dana 44 (like the rear came stock)

Suggestions?

Thanks

 

[gert]

it takes money, time, tools, and some fab experience but I have seen it posted that a 44 is 100% stronger than a Dana 30 I would only suggest if you wheel a V8 offroad and have broken your current front axle you will have to hit the junkyard and find a donor and most likely will need to narrow the axle housing/custom shafts/and a new steering linkage the Scout,Wagoneer seem to be the easiest to swap. I am narrowing a Dodge to replace my Dana 30

 

[Mikedaskter]

Well, i have the 225 v6 Dauntless Buick 225 V6 in it, and its not like i have had problems with it, i would just like some ideas so that when i do ill know w hats going on. The other thing i was thinking about is that i have the shorter wheelbase 5 and havnt came across any others with a 44 in the front (seemed that before then all the cjs had 27s in the front)

The only thing i have been told that will work would be to find an old international scout (44s front and rear) and swap over both which would widen the wheel base on it quite a bit.

But ill look into what it might take to have one fabricated for me
Thanks

 

[derf]

Well, i have the 225 v6 Dauntless Buick 225 V6 in it, and its not like i have had problems with it, i would just like some ideas so that when i do ill know w hats going on. The other thing i was thinking about is that i have the shorter wheelbase 5 and havnt came across any others with a 44 in the front (seemed that before then all the cjs had 27s in the front)

The only thing i have been told that will work would be to find an old international scout (44s front and rear) and swap over both which would widen the wheel base on it quite a bit.

The 70's era Wagoneers would be a good source as well. I think they switched away from closed knuckle around 73-74, and also came with front disc brakes after that. Before 1978 you get flat top knuckles. The rear axle differential is offset to the passenger side both for the QuadraTrac and to clear the gas tank even on the Dana 20 equipped models. If you have the Spicer 18 Transfer Case , the Wagoneer rear axle is a good swap candidate to keep a matched track width. If not, an 80's Wagoneer will have a centered differential. 80-86 will be a heavy duty version of the AMC20 and late 86 to 91 will have a Dana 44 .

But ill look into what it might take to have one fabricated for me
Thanks

Thousands of dollars. Several thousands.

 

[73CJ]

I used a 78 Waggy narrowed it 4" off the passenger side. Had the axle re-splined. Put on F150 hubs to keep the 5x5.5. Plus you get internal lockouts.

Well worth it.

 

[gert]

mine is an 82 Dodge and I am narrowing both sides my self and am going with new inner axles and keeping the Dodge knukles and brakes

 

[Mikedaskter]

I used a 78 Waggy narrowed it 4" off the passenger side. Had the axle re-splined. Put on F150 hubs to keep the 5x5.5. Plus you get internal lockouts.

Well worth it.

how easy/ cost effective was that? because that seems like a good solution, 78 came with disc front right?

 

[73CJ]

There are several articles on the basics of doing it.

In a nut shell:

• Grind the welds off the knuckle.

• Measure twice. Mine came to to cut 4" off to keep the pinion in the same spot.
• Knock the remaining portion of the axle tube out of the knuckle
• Use a angle finder to match the 2 knuckles to the same angle.
• Weld similar to weld you ground out- Or take it to a good weld shop. They are used to preheating the casting before welding $25
• Get the axle resplined - I used Superior $60
• I used F150 brake discs and hubs $160
• New wheel bearings $50
• New brake pads $20
• New rubber brake hoses $40
• The spring perches were the same distance
• New U-bolts $30
• New gears $149
• New diff bearings $80
• Chevy spindles - used $40

Now's a good time for a locker.

For the tie rod ends I used DOM and weld-in bungs.

DOM for the drag link and I bought a tap for new ends as well.

It all starts to add up, even if you have the donor axle. Do it right and you'll wonder why it took you so long to do it.

Take a look in my gallery. You can see most of it.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

you can source a late 70s-80s 3/4 ton chevy Dana 44 as well they are passenger side drop and have it narrowed

 

[LASTCJ786]

I'm using a 1980 Scout Dana 44 front axle I will have to cut off 3 1/2" off the long side and remove that knuckle and cut the weld on the other and turn it to get the proper caster.