Full Width D44 v. Shortened D44

Gum-B · Jan 9, 2009

Ok i have decided that the D35 must go. I need beter gearing and 4.88 will not cut it. I use my truck mostly off road, it does see pavement but not much, and i have never needed to go over 60. It is not my daily driver so it must be modified. I am curious if it is best to go with a Full width D44 , or to go with a narrowed one. If i go full width is it best to go with a full width rear or can i stay with the short rear axle. I am leaning more towards leaf springs up front rather than try to do the radius arms. and i want some mean gears like 5.13 or numeracially higher. I only want a 33 to 35 inch tire, but i want a much lower gear ratio. The D44 is the axle i think i need, my real question is swap both for full width, swap the front for full width, or swap in a short width axle. If there is a beter axle that i should look for let me know i have a full width D44 that i can pull, and a 14-Bolt that i can pull as well. Any input would be awesome.

1badexplorer · Jan 9, 2009

I would deff go full width, it helps with stability, and you can use stock axle shafts instead of buying new after market ones. If you want a leaf spring 44 its gotta be coming out of a f250 or a f150 thats a extended cab. If you run the 14bolt (which is what i've just switched my trail truck to) You will have 8 bolt wheels which is nice because you have bigger brakes then. Find a 44 out of a 77.5-79 f250 because its high pinion, and disk brakes, already and they are cheap. I got a few if you can't locate one near you.

4x4junkie · Jan 9, 2009

Not a huge difference between 4.88 and 5.13, although it does suck that we've now been left out in the cold here with the hustlings in management at Precision Gear :sad:

If the opportunity is there though, and this is mainly a wheeling toy, I would definitely go full width (I regret it a bit not doing this when I put the D44 in my Ranger). I would run a full width rear just so it doesn't look so funny. I don't see it having too dramatic of an effect on handling though.

np205 · Jan 9, 2009

If you want to get rid of the 4.88's let me know

, I'll take them off your hands.

AKBroncoII · Jan 9, 2009

out could always use wagoneer stuff. It's wider than eb stuff. I've owned both and like both. Not having a good set of fender flares for my b2 made me settle with narrow stuff.

wahlstrom1 · Jan 9, 2009

Only downside to running fullwidths is I find myself too wide even at EB (stock) width on some trails and I have to find new line's when the old yota's are just plowing through it without a scratch.

-andrew

Bent Bolt · Jan 10, 2009

wahlstrom1 said:
Only downside to running fullwidths is I find myself too wide even at EB (stock) width on some trails and I have to find new line's when the old yota's are just plowing through it without a scratch.

-andrew

LOL !! You must be wheeling around Rocky Mountain House !! That's exactly my thoughts on this subject. I've been in plenty of places where a full width axle simply would not fit.

wahlstrom1 · Jan 10, 2009

Yup, lot's of trails out west but still an hr's drive from Red Deer by the time you actually get to the trail......

-andrew

4x4junkie · Jan 12, 2009

I would've easily thought that about the Dusy / Ershim trail out here in the Sierra Mtns. (even betting $$$ on it), but this dude I was with on fullwidth axles and 38x14.5" TSL SXs on a YJ successfully squeezed that thing right on past all the trees and rocks through the whole trail without too much issue. I was definitely surprised to see him do it.

86ford · Jan 12, 2009

the weight increase that you will be adding with a 14bolt FF and a d44 will nearly off set your gain in gearing. by the time you get the 2 axles built and swapped you could of nearly purchased a Atlas t-case and have even better gearing with one tenth the headache...

86

Full Width D44 v. Shortened D44

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