What axles to use?

Bullardbs

Bullardbs

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Location
Thomasville, NC
I have a 79 bronco with 38s and I have a dana 44 front and a 9" rear. I want to go with stronger axles and not sure what route to go. I bought a dana 60 rear but cant find a front for less then about 1000 or so then have to gear it and lock it. Is there a stronger axle to run in the front for less or am I going to have to just spend the money.

Thanks for the help

Brandon
 
i ran 38s on a d44 on my cherokee for a long time with no problems at all except for the occasional bearing. just keep your set up and save the cash. unless you just have thousands to spend on upgraded axles.
 
dont fool yourself into thinking that front 44 will last . bronco's are effin heavy. i ran 37's on my FSJ and i was snappin shafts left and right, of course i did drive it like i stole it, so if you just wanna ride around in the woods and watch everyone else wheel then by all means stick with the 44, but if you want to actually participate and get on the gas if the situation arises get a 60. 1000 is normal to low for a 78-79 dana 60. newer models cost less. check ebay. there are 60's out there for a good price. wheel what u got till you can get a 60, you will be better off in the end. weld up the spider gears for lockers till you can afford real lockers. gears arent that expensive
 
yea dana 44 fronts won't hold up to abuse, yea you can make them hold up by babying them or just being lucky but they're not a powerhouse axle.



Ummmmmm . . . . . you do realize that you can probably get ahold of some rockwells for less than the cost of your "front dana 60" and there already geared to 6.72, weld em, slap some cheapo usa 6x6 8 lug adapters on em and call it a day :driver:
 
More of this crap?
Really?

Ricky, I've asked more than once and I know Rich and others have as well. Can you please tell us all how you propose to get Rocks under something for less than tons.

Im not arguing strength, I agree 2.5>1 but actual purchase cost is only about 50% of your total installation expense.

And as far as the adapters, well I hope you have 8-75 weeks to wait on their arrival, there is a good chance they will be wrong, but dont worry they will then send 5 right ones to make it right....
 
SkyHiK5 said:
More of this crap?
Really?

Ricky, I've asked more than once and I know Rich and others have as well. Can you please tell us all how you propose to get Rocks under something for less than tons.

Im not arguing strength, I agree 2.5>1 but actual purchase cost is only about 50% of your total installation expense.

And as far as the adapters, well I hope you have 8-75 weeks to wait on their arrival, there is a good chance they will be wrong, but dont worry they will then send 5 right ones to make it right....
Click to expand...

ok here's how i see it price wise:

~Rockwells - 850 to 1200 depending on the deal you find
~usa6x6 adapters (yes they suck they messed up my shipment as well but there's no one else so nothin you can really do there) - 120 plus studs/nuts bout 220
~weld - free
~Brakes - free if you run the stock drums, bout 350 if you do pinion brakes

Thats pretty much it except:
~ok so you need steel to make brackets for it to go under the vehicle you were gonna have to make brackets for your 60 anyway so theres no cost difference
~ok so you need to make driveshafts once again you would have had to adapt your driveshafts to the tons so no difference there
~ok so you need steering, you would have to have fabbed up some steering for the 60 as well (and if you weren't gonna run at least hydro assist with the 60 well IMO your an idiot)

OK so you go 1 tons:
~axles once again prob like - 850 to 1200
~lockers or weld
~Gears - 800 at least


so comparing the two you can do rockwells for the same price if not cheaper than 1 tons, and your not stuck with a dana 60 on borrowed time with the weak outer 30 spline stubs/hubs
 
Brandon, you might want to consider Chromo's for the 44. Not bullet proof, but will certainly hold up better than stock. 38's is about the limit though.

Ricky, Ron,

The difference in how Rich did it, and how Ricky did it is basic. Rich went through all of it, basically rebuilt all of it, and did it right. Ricky does it on the cheap, doing what he see's that has to be done. No one runs the drum brakes, so the cost of a pinion brake or the high dollar disk. I just ordered 2 pinion seals and 2 boots for a friend of mine, $100. As he see's it, it all looked good and that's what he is replacing.
Not always the case on most Rockwells though. Wheels and tires is a big factor in pricing. If you have some already you can sell to offset the cost, that's good.

I am sure someone can chime in with Rockwell costs, here is what I have in my one tons

Front 60 $1200 with limited slip (I paid too much)
Rear 14 bolt with Detroit $600
Detroit for 60, $500
Charge for installing the 60 detroit, $160
Chromo outer, 35 spline, upgraded U-Joints, and drive flanges $500
Rear Disc brake set up $200
Brake lines which I am not satisfied with $60
Front assist <$100 did it myself
Spring perches, $20
Degree shims Free(from a friend)
U-bolts $100ish
Spring plates $45

Drive shafts Have no idea, been through so many,
Wheels $200 spokers
Weld on Bead Locks $200 for 5 (before metal was so high)
Tires 44 TSL's used , $1100

So, when you break it down like that, there is a pretty big cost in building ton's. And I didn't even price out seals, bearings, and such
 
Chips right, its really dependent on how far you want to go into the axle and start replacing things, when I disassembled mine they looked like they had just had all new bearing and fresh grease put in them so I didn't mess with it, the only thing I replaced was new boots. IMO if it ain't broke don't fix it, but there's no reason not to go ahead and replace things before hand if you want to, just depends on your POV.


Also I had a hell of a time with my tons getting ruined by mud, I had to replace every bearing in my rear 70 and the wheel seals twice cause they just wouldn't keep mud out . . . . the rockwells didn't have a drop of mud in em after I wheeled the BDB farm last time :driver:
 
PM sent
 
Bullardbs said:
Thanks for the info anyone know were I can get a front 60 any cheeper
Click to expand...

I have found in the past, that when I am looking for an item, and want it quick, it costs me more.
Save the bucks, keep them on hip, and keep eyes and ears open.
 
upnover said:
I have found in the past, that when I am looking for an item, and want it quick, it costs me more.
Save the bucks, keep them on hip, and keep eyes and ears open.
Click to expand...

Yea I really am not in a hurry I thought I would wheel the set up I have now and save some money and buy one and do the swap and have it ready over this comming winter
 
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