JERRYWHO

How good is a dana 44? Is this a upgrade from a 10 bolt? is the posi rebuildable?
how about some input on this. thanks

AlkyIROC

If you can find a third gen Dana 44 for a good price then grab it! They're not produced any more. They use a 8.5 ring gear and are the strongest diffs GM put in the third gen. The diff used to be available in the GMPPC and came stock in the SLP Firehawks. Many gear choices are available since the 44 is also used in 4x4's (usually front axles). The next step up in strength from this diff would be a 12 bolt then a 9".

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Stephen's racing page

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car and knocking on the SuperPro ET class
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
LS6 Big Block buildup now in progress

Best results before the engine blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857
Best corrected ET: 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87
Best corrected MPH: 126.10
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!

Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

JERRYWHO

On the dana 44 how many splines are the axles and how is the axle retained in the housing ( c-clip or bolt in ) thanks

AlkyIROC

30 spline axles is standard. I'm not sure what the GM rear diff was but it's probably the same. To my knowledge the Dana 44 doesn't use c-clips.

Do you know where there is one? I'd consider it if it doesn't cost more than a complete 9"!

Oh. Gear sets available for the Dana 44 range from 3.54 to 5.38. The carrier changes on sets from 3.92 to 5.38.


[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited October 03, 2000).]

JERRYWHO

Stephen thanks for your help. I found this ad in the thirdgen.org classifieds
Dana 44 rearend,3.31 posi w/discs,calipers,pads,master cylinder,u-joint,LCA'S & panhard bar w/ urethane bushings-complete-$400
Needless to say i jumped in my truck and got it today and it is in great shape and to top it all off it has drilled rotors. Also its a non c-clip type axle rear end. thanks again for pushing me to go get it. jerry

AlkyIROC

Definatly a good price. I think GM was selling them for around $1500 without the brakes. And $400 is much better than $2000 for a 9". At that price I would have even spent the money to get that shipped to Canada. Are you sure you don't want to sell it?

Since it's a posi, there's a good step in the right direction. I never saw any listing for posis or spools for the dana 44 but that doesn't mean they're not out there. I'm pretty sure Detroit lockers are available for it.

D's89IROCZ

I been searching for a dana 44 for a bit now .... I am sure they can handle over 500 hp eh ?


Sorry don't mean to hyjack

Apeiron

It's not hijacking when the last post is over 4 years old.

TKOPerformance

Spools, mini spools, Detroits, ARBS, posis. Your options for a Dana 44 are basically limitless. They are used in so many 4X4 trucks (Fords, Dodges, Jeeps, Chevys) that the aftermarket for the Dana axels is enourmous, and reasonably priced. Give Randy's Ring and Pinion a call. They've got it all.

I'd put a Dana 44 on par with a 12-bolt in terms of strength. Not quite as strong as a 9", or as upgradeable (you can run 40-spline axels in a 9"-yikes!).

The 8.5" GM 10-bolt is actually a GM Corporate design based on the Dana 44. I'm actually in the process of installing Dana 44 steering knuckles from a '70 Chevy truck onto the front axel in my '87 Blazer. These will allow me to have the passenger's side knuckle machined for a sterring arm, allowing me to convert to crossover steering ( a real benefit for lifted trucks, as the factory drag link style linkage is terrible, especially when twisted up off road).

rbjones

I had a '72 Scout with Dana 44 4.11 posi's front and rear from the factory--indestructible.

TKOPerformance

Yeah, those International Scouts were damn tough. A friend of mine had one in high school. It had a swapped in 392 from a Travelall. The engines were built more like a Diesel or a tractor motor. Everything was heavy, but well designed and tough. That motor was still going strong at 250,000 miles when he sold the truck, and that's a carb fed engine. They were notoriously hard to kill. If you could keep the body from rusting right off the frame they would live forever.

rbjones

Well, mine came with painted bumpers, the heavy duty transfer case (no chain) and 3 speed, heavy duty springs--was ordered by a doctor at Duke U. in North Carolina for hunting so, unfortunately, the body was about 30% putty when I bought it from him 20 years ago--but it still looked slick with the traveltop off.
It had the 232 six which I replaced with a 258 out of a Gremlin X (had the starter on the correct side for a Scout) and torqued great. I always parked it in low range to keep it from rolling.
Well, my dear wife's car pooped out on her and I was out of town, so she started up the Scout and went for a drive--couldn't figure out why it wouldn't go over 25 mph--it made such a loud noise when it stopped, and such a big cloud of smoke (rod out the side of the block). The tow truck driver towed it off the freeway with the transfer case in low range and the tranny in neutral--so much for my Scout.

TKOPerformance

Man, that sucks!

That's why I hide the keys to all my stuff in my shop...

rbjones

Well, I haven't seen her since '89. Now I've got a '52 ****** pickup with the Kaiser flathead six, all original with 5:38 Timken axles--runs great though currently getting its U-joints replaced--and the current female touches nothing but my Hondacar, though she'd like to drive the Camaro--uh-uh--I waited too long to get that T5 in there.