no complaints with my 44/60 combo. I narrowed em to 62" and I run moser 35 splines shafts and disk brakes on the rear 60. Front is stock shafts but retubed (it's a HP ford)
I have yet to bust my stock 44 shafts and I have had people all around me bust birfields
As for the 44/toy comparison, there isn't one - apples to oranges. A toy axle might be comparable in strength (debatable) but you can build a 44 any width you want in your garage with basic tools, you can run 8 lug outers, or bolt on 6 lug outers. You can run CTM's and allow shafts if you want and now you can't compare to birfields - even longfields etc. Not knocking the toy axle, it has it's place - it was great in my jeep
![](http://www.offroadimage.com/photo/rigs/AAAToyota_025.JPG)