Dana 44 help
 

I have done some searching on this forum and around the internet but I'm still confused. I have a 68 GMC with what I believe to be is a Dana 44 front end. The stamp on the longer axle tube appears to be 603675-1. I have only had the truck for about a year and have been slowly freshening it up, so this week I pulled the drivers side front axle apart for new wheel bearings, seals, u-joints and the like.
I found that the wheel studs had been tacked to the back of the rotor because two of the hub holes are egged and the wheel studs just fall in. So I have been searching for a new hub and there seems to be nothing available. At this point what is my best option? Should I try to drill out the holes and get larger diameter studs? I live out in the sticks so I dont have many junkyards close by to try and find a used hub. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Dana 44 help
 

Can you post up a picture of the axle and of the problem. Is there a number on the back side of the stud? Drum brake? 6 lug or 8 lug

Re: Dana 44 help
 

I'll have to figure out how to post pics, in the meantime it is disc brake and 6 lug. I'm pretty sure the axle is Dana 44, it has 44-8F cast in on the lower side of the pumpkin on the long tube side. I'm not sure the bad lug holes in the hub would show up in a picture, 4 of the holes are ok and the other 2 are just wallowed out enough that the studs drop right in, they wont press fit as they should because the holes are too big.

I picked up a new hub but it doesnt quite work as the inner bearing is bigger than the one on my hub, the outer bearing seems to be the same though. Appears to be a newer model hub, maybe from the 80's. Unless I could change to a newer style spindle although I have no idea what that involves.

Re: Dana 44 help
 

If it's a Dana 44 and 6 lug, you can use any hub up to 91....

Re: Dana 44 help
 

Ummm, no he can't.


The hubs and spindles changed somewhere in the mid seventies to a larger inner bearing (timken 104949) which continued into the 10 bolt front, which is what went uo to '91. The early bearing style which is what you have has the 603049 inner bearing. So one of 2 things you can do, 1 find the correct hub, or 2, convert the hubs over to a ford wheel stud ( dorman 610-219---- don't have the drill bit size at the moment) which is a 1/2'' thread and drill out your existing hub and rotor then press together. I do quite a few of these conversions because of the weaker 7/16'' stud breaking all the time with the larger wheels and tires. I have even converted some of them over to 9/16' for some of my customers. Or, as you said, you can swap over to the larger spindle and go that route, but you'll have to match the other side of course----eventually

Re: Dana 44 help
 

Thanks KWmech!
What you said is exactly what I have run into so far. I really appreciate the help. I talked to several parts houses today and the hub doesn't seem to be available, supposedly Delco stopped making them and I have seen several people mention having issues with the "economy overseas" brands of hubs. I don't have any experience either way with them. Sounds like going to the bigger Ford studs would be a reasonable way to go.

Re: Dana 44 help
 

Is this an open or closed knuckle front end ?

If open I believe you can change the hub to a later model even a 10 bolt but you have to change the spindle, bearings as an assembly. And if you use a 10 bolt the outer stub axle must be changed also because the spline is different..

I've done this but it was a looooong time ago !

Gary

Re: Dana 44 help
 

I stand corrected...I've never really messed with 1/2 stuff, done bunch of 3/4. Parts are interchangeable between them, thought it was the same case....

Re: Dana 44 help
 

CUSTOM10 - it is open knuckle. I have located spindles with the bigger inner bearing so I'm looking to buy those to use with the newer style hub that I bought. You mentioned switching to 10 spindles and having to change the stub shaft, does anyone know if I still need to change the stub if I just use the bigger D 44 spindle?

B454rat - no worries at all, from what I have seen of these axles it would be hard to keep track of every configuration possible. It's definitely had me confused for awhile now.

Re: Dana 44 help
 

I'm not 100% sure, but if your swapping 1/2 ton to 1/2 ton Dana 44, I think your good with the stub shaft. Just count the splines or test fit the splined hub piece that your using onto the shaft, bring some parts with you to test fit before buying. If I remember correctly the 3/4 ton Dana 44 shaft is also the same, but the hub & spindles are bigger.

I believe I used a 10 bolt hub, spindle assembly and outer stub shaft ( All from a 10 bolt ) with a Dana inner axle ( joined at the u-joint ) on a Dana 44 front end !

Re: Dana 44 help
 

No change at all on the stub shaft, the only difference on the stub into the 80s was a different location for the outer snap ring depending on the locking being used. So, to answer you question same stub, later model 1/2 ton hub/rotor assy and spindle up to the 91 blazer and suburban 10 bolt, it will all interchange

Re: Dana 44 help
 

I bought a 1969 K-10. Previous owner switched out front end. Current front end is a 44-8F Dana with a 3.73 differential. I want to change it out to match the rear differential which is a 3.08. The Dana is a 10 bolt, 8.5? Is it possible to convert to a 3.08? Thank guys! I always value your input!

Re: Dana 44 help
 

Yes they made a 3.08 for a 44, not sure on carrier break....