Topic: Got 2 different axles for SAS, need advice

[Huhwhye]

I am planning my SAS for the coming summer and am looking for parts.  I scored a couple of axles this weekend and am trying to decide which route I want to go.

I picked up a complete 85 front axle, I also picked up a Dana 44 both for cheap.  I figure regardless of which I choose I will be buying gears, a locker, stronger axles or birfields,  There will be    cutting and welding to modify to housing or strengthen it.  I will need to buy steering components and a driveshaft.  What I want to know it what it cost to build something I can abuse on the trail.

Here's my problem.  I drive hot rods    and ride fast motorcycles, and I drive my 87 Turbo Truck with a lot of right foot.  I know I'm a candidate for many broken birfields.  I think I would be a happy man if I spent the rest of my life and never had to change a birfield on the trail.  I'm not a Rock Crawler only guy, truck will see high speed wheelin in the dessert, I will bash in in mud pits too.  Its an all purpose rig.

What would it take to make a Dana 44 strong within a reasonable budget.  I saw a buildup using 35 spline D60 Axles but that might be more money than I want to spend.  Of course they don't give a price on the buildup.  You can see it here  http://4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/131_0406_spl/  Stock the 44 has little 19 spline axles, but lots of Jeep parts are available that are 30 spline.  Are they interchangable?

I firgue the pros of the Dana 44 are
1. The housing is super strong, whereas the yota is cheesey thin steel and has to be reinforced
2. I can run any axle width I want up to 67.5" and don't need to use spacers to get my front wider than rear.
3. No birfields

Pros for the Yota axle
1. simpler install
2. spring perches are already the correct width, but other than that I don't know

So what do ya'll think?

And please nobody jack my thread to tell me I need a D60, Rockwells, or Portals.  Lets see what we can do with what I have. 

[Hyena]

If you get the bobby long's new birf then you won't really be worring about anything breaking.  You should also have the hubs drilled out and more dowels added.  Then the toyota axle might be stronger then the 44 even when its built.  The 44 is wider and that is a plus, but you will be driving it on the road and i think the toyota axle will be better for that stuff.

[FIREBALL]

Gotta agree, yota axle, new longfields=super strong (see the tables on his site). 44 housing isn't really any heavier duty than the yota. The yota may be thin, but it's trussed from the 3rd out, where as the 44 just drops down to straight tubes. If your gonna haul ass through the desert, you'll need to beef up either one.
Ya the longfield's are spendy but you'll have a near bullet proof axle.

[Huhwhye [OP]]

I've seen the charts and the price too.  I can't afford that right now.

Honestly spending 700 on birfields is a little out of my pricerange.  Remember I still need gears, and a locker and other stuff for the SAS.  I'll end up spending 1500-2000 on the Yota then.  I don't have that kind of money right now.  I was hoping there was another option to build the yota axle a little cheaper.

[LA_Fred]

How much are ctm's and alloy shafts for the 44? Sell both axles and go d60
d60 is pretty much out of anyones budget unless you're rich. I wish I was!

[scheid6996]

no you dont need a 60, so hers wut ya need to think about, wut axle are u running in the rear? if its stock width and u wana keep the stock rear axle, then the toy front is best bang for the buck, but if some day u put in a dana 60 in the rear, u might as well cut down the 44 for the front to the width u want, beacuse i dont care wut u put in the toy front axle, it will never be better then a 44, yes the 44 is a little spendy to have it cut, then get axles, cus its not worth it 2 respline the factory ones, but if it were me id go for the 44, im doing the same thing with my yota, but im leaveing it full width beacuse im gona also put a d60 in the rear

[Huhwhye [OP]]

Do you have a suggestion for parts for the D44?  And a source?  Like I said I want to know what it takes to build it and what its going to cost.  I want to compare it to what the yota axle will cost.

[scheid6996]

well, so if u go with the 44  are u gona cut it?

[scheid6996]

 well either way the axles you wana put in there are called dutchminds,or dutchmonds, i cant remember how to spell  but i can find out and they are about $500 for both, and are you gona take this rig on the road, or just off road?

[Huhwhye [OP]]

I plan to drive the truck on the road as much as 8,000-10,000 miles a year.   I live an hour from the nearest dirt road. So I drive it there.  Plus I use it around town and alternate it with my other vehicles in my commute.

If I use the D44 I was thinking of narrowing it.  The truck's a 87 Turbo so I have that rearend.  The D44 is a lot wider than my rear. 
I talked to somebody at Currie today and they said I could use a 30 spline carrier, matching inner axles and later model D44/10 bolt 19 splie outers and hubs. Which are stronger than the earlier ones.  They said the inners would cost me $250 from them custom length.  I didn't ask what material they were though.

I am on a budget so what's most important to me it getting all done on a budget but at the same time I don't want to break parts on the trail.  I rather do it right the first time than buy replacement parts in the future.  That's why I'm leaning toward the yota axle.

I've seen carnage with both axles,  but seems like the yota axle with those $700 birfs are the way to go.  Lurking on PBB I saw some things about the 44 that made me not want to use it.  Like when the joint goes it destroys the shafts.

Looks like I might need to sell some stuff to afford this project.

[WHITE_TRASH]

Even a totally built dana 44 isnt as strong as a yota with CroMo inners and bobby's birfs.  A dana 44 seams like a good strength upgrade cantidate to get rid of the weak point which is the birfs.  BUT a single u-joint will break at full lock before a upgraded birf will.  You will shear the "ears" off the inner and or stub shaft and break the u-joint.  A 44 has less ground clearance both at the diff and at the knuckles as well.  A 44 is a bit stronger in the ring & pinion dept. but not by enough to really consider a great improvement. 

There isnt much need to go full on CroMo axle & birfs to have fun.  Im running Bobby's ringless birfs and stock inners on 37" ssr's with a HP 5.29 diff and a lockrite.  I havent broken anything so far and I am anything but gentle on my rig.  Thats a guarantee.  Im going to be upgrading to either pigs CroMo inners or 300M in 27 spline. (www.polyperformance.com)  Once I bust a birf Ill upgrade to Bobby's CroMo birfs in 27 spline.  That way Ill have spares on hand with no worries.

[Huhwhye [OP]]

Thanks WT, that helps me out a lot.  I guess I got scared hearing about everyone blowing up birfs.  I was checking out the longfield site and I dont see what the ringed longs everyone talks about.  I see the 27 spline birfs and they are not all that much cheaper than the 30 spline set

[kyle_22r]

the 27 splined chromos are the same as the 30 spliners except they have a 27 splines.  just as beefy but a bit more reasonable especially if you already have chromoly inner axle shafts or don't feel like going the whole nine yards yet.  they inner part can be swapped out to 30 spline though if you ever upgrade