I asked this question on the History/Restoration board, which is probably where this discussion belongs.

It first came up in a thread I started about

LT1 brakes on a Dana 44

It seems that there was more than 1 version of the Dana 44 offered by GM. I am starting to think that there were pre and post 1989 versions (mine is a pre).

Anyway, if you know anything about it please post your info here:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=335867

Thanks,

 

Too add some more confusing to this, here is a picture of a dana 44 rear that came up on ebay a few years ago that I saved a picture of. It's not the one I own. It appears to have the same axle setup as mine where the backing plates go between the axle housing the the axle retainer plate.

esc,
Do you have any other picture of your dana 44?

 

GM wasn't the only source of a bolt-in Dana 44 for the thirdgen. They've been offered by Currie, Strange and/or Moser.

Mine came from Dueck Chevrolet in Vancouver on May 14, 1985, P/N 1404483 with backing plates but without calipers, for the princely sum of $1545 Canadian. As far as I can recall, the backing plates are mounted outside the bearing retainers.

 

Not handy, but I can get a picture of anything you want. Although mine might be a little misleading in some ways since I have modified the trailing arm mounts.


BTW, I paid $900.00 US (not sure how it converts) for mine. But it had to be special ordered from a dealer IN Canada. They charged me $40.00 more for shipping.

 

What are the O.D.s on both your outer bearings?

 

I don't know, but mine uses an "A-9" assembly.

 

Oh and another weird thing. My dana 44 had a Dana Trac-Loc LSD in it, very possible the previous owner swapped it out but who know why they would do that. I also have 3.23 gear but from what I have read you could choose the gear ratio when you ordered it.

I got my rear for $500 plus $75 shipping.

 

As mentioned above, GM only offered the third gen Dana 44 from the GM Performance Parts Catalog and never as a production line item. They stopped offering this diff through the catalog years ago and to find one in good condition now, the price is roughly the same as buying a new bolt in 9" or 12 bolt. The only third gen that came with a Dana 44 was the SLP Firehawk but that was a special order, custom built car similar to the old Yenko's.

All the other Dana 44 diffs in production vehicles were found as the front diff in many 4x4's.

 

When I ordered mine there were 3 gear ratios available:
3.31
3.96
4.11

 

This is all starting to make sense...

When I received my rear end the first problem I had was finding wheel studs that would work. They were not the standard size that comes on thirdgens as seen in this thread. The knurl diameter was much bigger, like the ones in the picture at the top of this thread. That took along time to find studs that worked. Though this may mean nothing because the previous owner could have drilled them out bigger the second part below is where it gets interesting.

So after I got the whole rear cleaned, painted, brakes put on, and installed in the car I found out after driving it that one of the axle flanged were bent, the place where the rotor / wheel mounts. So I gave Moser a call to get a new axle made, they said they had the demotions of file for the axles of a thirdgen Dana 44. They made one but when I received it the offsets where all wrong. In the picture below the offset "B" was much bigger then my axle, so the rotor and wheel would stick way too far out if I where to use their axle. I had to send the axle back with my original axle so they could match it. It all makes sense now, if on "esc" Dana 44 the caliper mounting bracket goes before the axle / bearing retainer then offset "B" would have to be much bigger to have space for the rotor. Where on my setup where the caliper mounting bracket goes in between the axle retainer and the housing the offset "B" has to be smaller.

esc, if you still have you ales out can you measure the offset "B"? I have the old axle somewhere in my garage at home and can get the measurement when I go home after finals.

 

My car will be in storage until spring, otherwise I'd take it apart and have a look.

 

No, it is all back together again. I may be able to get a rough estimate with it all still together...but even that will have to wait until I get some time to work on the car.