Broken Dana 44...cheap fix?

cj777

cj777

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Durham, NC
I have a feeling I know the answer to this, but wanted to check with the experts. This weekend at URE, I broke the spiders in my Dana 44. The broken pieces also chipped one of the teeth on my ring gear and marred the outside of my trak-loc carrier. See pics below. My question is, would it be possible to replace the spider gears an run on the chipped ring gear and marred carrier for a while, while I save up to regear? I don't want to spend the money replacing a 3.73, and dont have the funds to regear both axles right now. This would only need to be a temporary fix for a few months.

100_0209.jpg


100_0210.jpg


100_0211.jpg
 
you should be ok, if you are worried about it I have a set of 3.73 dana 44 gears for cheap.
 
You should be fine, the roll pin holding the center pin came out on my Dodge Dakota a few years back, allowing the center pin to slide out and chip a few teeth on the ring gear. I just replaced the diff with a used posi from ebay, and touched up the chipped teeth on the ring gear with a die grinder and put it back together, never had any other problems or noise.
 
It should be fine, I reassembled a 9.75" Dodge rear with a ring gear that was missing just under half of three of it's teeth. That was about 30-35k miles ago, no noticable noise, hasn't imploded yet, and that truck still gets beaten like it owes someone money.
 
I've seen some folks actually grind down the ring teeth to get lunch box lockers in and then ride'em like they stole it w/out any problems. Just make sure it's cleaned up good and you should be fine for a while until you re-gear.
 
Just what I wanted to hear. Thanks guys. I need to get the carrier out so I can get a better look at the pinion and make sure it's not damaged as well. My HOA is about to love me even more than they already do :popcorn:
 
So we pulling that thing this week?I am around all week,I don't have any work scheduled until Monday.
 
granaded the spiders in my dana 25 last year.Didn't get all the teeth out and on the next run,2 teeth migrated out and wedged the teeth on the ring gear and the housing and chipped a few.I just did a more thourogh cleaning and slapped it together.No problems other than normal wear.I think you will be fine man.

On a side note,I was cheering and laughing after that happened.I took 60 horsepower and spattered my front spiders PLUS twisted my rear driveshaft in two.Who needs a Ls1?
 
cj777 said:
Just what I wanted to hear. Thanks guys. I need to get the carrier out so I can get a better look at the pinion and make sure it's not damaged as well. My HOA is about to love me even more than they already do :popcorn:
Click to expand...
I love my neighborhood for that reason. No HOA. We do have a NA, neighborhood association, but I'm on the board.:D

Looks like you already had it almost ready to come out, what's holding you back?
 
After looking at it closer, I do have some chips on the pinion teeth as well. There goes my cheap fix, I guess.

100_0236.jpg
 
I still believe you will be fine on the short haul.Just cut out some of the harder things you would try and build another axle.We can get you home if there is a problem.
 
Back
Top