front axle swap

[67cspowerwagon]

hey I been on the fence about an brake swap? on my 67 w200 so get a disc kit for ray at ugly or chevy front end
44 out of a dodge or 60 out of a early 90 dodge I need EZ don't hava a ton of time to do this must be a weekend swap
and bolt in thanks Guys Ken

[712edf]

Easiest swap would be 81-84 Dana 44 out of a W200, has the selectable locking hubs, disc brakes & 8-lugs.

Bucky

[Boons]

Ide say if your going to go as far as an axle swap do it right the first time and put in a kingpin Dana 60. 1975-1988 Chebby or Dodge 1977-1993 Will do the trick. I prefer the chebbys because they use internal hubs rather than the external that dodge uses. Keep in mind All dodge 60s up until 1990 were full time axles.

[712edf]

75-80 Dana 60 were full time with drive flanges. Dodge used both External & Internal selectable lockers in later years.

[67cspowerwagon]

well I have two here close a 44 out of a mid 70's with hubs and disc and the other is a 60 out a 91 diesel 125 and 300? not sure what gear the 91 has I need 4.09 front?

[Boons]

1990-1993 dodge used internal locking hubs.

[digdoug]

well I have two here close a 44 out of a mid 70's with hubs and disc and the other is a 60 out a 91 diesel 125 and 300? not sure what gear the 91 has I need 4.09 front?

I vote D60 for strength,D44 for less weight.Those prices sound great!
The ratio will be 4.09 in the 44 and 4.10 in the 60.Its all good...

[67cspowerwagon]

well the 60 is great but it 3.54? and I doing a low buck deal so 44 could be it in the truck now and do a gear swap on the 60 in a year or two the truck still has a 383 but its getting a 440 and 727 over the winter HMMM lots to think about K

[crusty]

Don't fear the 44. I feel they are overlooked by people wanting a 60 too badly. I had a 44 for years and it held up fine, as long as you didn't beat on it. For a budget, get the 44 and then you can be selective about getting a 60 later, if you still want one.

[712edf]

Don't fear the 44. I feel they are overlooked by people wanting a 60 too badly. I had a 44 for years and it held up fine, as long as you didn't beat on it. For a budget, get the 44 and then you can be selective about getting a 60 later, if you still want one.

I agree. In my opinion the biggest killers of 44's are improper maintnance, abusive driving (rockcrawling maybe) and running large heavy tires & wheels. Of course that is true of all axles I guess.

Bucky

[Boons]

All depends on what are your plans for the truck. If its going to stay on pavement for the most part and not run tires bigger than 35" a 44 is perfect. If its going to be your toy for anything and everything off the asphault go with a 60.

[67cspowerwagon]

well it going to be truck to tow my car trailer with the Dart race car
get hay with on nice days just going to run a 440 727 so just stock
restore deal disc and power sterering

[Hobcobble]

well it going to be truck to tow my car trailer with the Dart race car
get hay with on nice days just going to run a 440 727 so just stock
restore deal disc and power sterering

You'd do just fine with a DANA 44.
John

[67cspowerwagon]

So it have a boomerang looking streeing are arm think I should find a stright one ? keeping the oem style as I have power @#% and it work good K

[crusty]

I am not that familiar with how the steering setup is, but I don't think you can get a straight one for the newer axle. You might be able to lengthen your drag link to meet up with the boomerang arm. How is the power assist setup? Is it a ram on the axle, or a 4 line valve setup on the drag link?

[DukePW]

So if we were to swap out to a 81-84 Dana 44 out of a W200, that has selectable locking hubs, disc brakes & 8-lugs.....
1)is the 8-lug pattern the same?
2)how hard is it to re-connect the steering?
3) I take it you have to fab up shock and spring mounts?

[67cspowerwagon]

Well from what I have been told it should bolt right in!
shock mounts have to me moved same bolt in the wheels should be that hard

As for the power assit it the arm with the controle valve when I ge the two in on place where I can get some pics I'll post them I thinking taken lots of pic of the freshing up of the DANA 44 and in stall
Ken

[Seff]

just a quick question. why don't you get the gear box and all the steering components from the truck you got the axle from?

[67cspowerwagon]

No Comp axle only but for 100 buck? and I have the power @#%
I'll use it like that for a little bit longer

like to make it look as close to factory,,, I going to try a 67 power booster and and a conbo valve off a Disc truck

[crusty]

I guess it should have been clarified a little more.

The spring pad and driveshaft are same, so it will "bolt" in, but the steering is different. The shock mounts need moved to the other side of the axle (front to rear).

I still don't know about the steering. Mine came with a manual push-pull setup with the box by the firewall, but I am going with crossover and putting the steering box in front of the axle. I think power assist is like the ford setups where there is a sensing valve on the drag link and it sends fluid to a ram, but without a picture, I don't know for sure.

I still think the boomerang steering arm "could" be made to work with the stock draglink as long as the draglink was lengthened to meet the boomerang arm. Again, a picture would help immensely.