SAS advice...

[Hagan]

It occurred to me last night that I've spent $1000 on my d35 and I still need shocks, coils, a steering setup, and build some radius arm mounts. I was kinda thinking why not just put a solid axle under it? I just don't see any reasons why I shouldn't? The costs will be about the same.

The two axles I am considering are;

-1976-1977 Early Bronco Dana 44. Its about the same width but its a low pinion/standard cut and it has 260x u-joints (small!)

-1976-1977 Ford F-150 Dana 44. Its wider than the eb d44, but it has bigger u joints and is a high pinion/reverse cut.

So, should I go for it? And which axle would you pick and why?

(Forgot to mention I will be running 35's with 5.13's)

 

[Bennybooster]

HP all the way, full width is the added bonus

 

[bobbywalter]

buy a hp 44 aftermarket

 

[bobbywalter]

from a place like thishttp://www.mopar-wholesale.com/jeep-wrangler-parts

new 2500 bux

 

[Hagan]

Full width is too wide. And I would have to put a new axle in the rear. And I don't really want to spend $2500 on a new axle.

So it sounds like a high pinion dana 44 is the way to go for me then!

 

[dangerranger83]

If you go HP then you will have to narrow it 6 inches so that you arent at FW. If you go with the EB one and are worried about the Ujoints, then get a set of D44 HP ones and have the passenger side cut 6 inches and splined. Be sure to get the disk brake EB D44 if you do go with it. Both axles have the 5x5.5 bolt pattern so you will have to either change out the rear axle, put adaptors on the rear axles or if possible have new bolt holes drilled for the current rear axles to relocate the bolts for 5x5.5 bolt pattern.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Doing a SAS can add up quick. By the time I'm done my current 1 ton swap i'll have over $5k into the swap.

35's and no plan of a front locker, I'd stick with the d35 you've already started investing money into.

 

[dangerranger83]

Ya but you went with alot of aftermarket custom stuff, airshocks, etc....

I do agree it can add up but if your a grand onto a D35 swap and not done yet, maybe a SAS would do better for an upgraded front.

 

[4x4junkie]

IMO, unless you're looking to go full width, I see little reason to go with a D44 over the D35... Aside from the brakes, they're a lot more similar than different. The SAS definitely won't be cheaper... Plus you already have the D35.

 

[Hagan]

I have an Aussie locker for my d35...

IMO, unless you're looking to go full width, I see little reason to go with a D44 over the D35... Aside from the brakes, they're a lot more similar than different. The SAS definitely won't be cheaper... Plus you already have the D35.

You're absolutely right. I'm going to continue my current build with my d35.

 

[wahlstrom1]

If you narrow a half ton D44 it'll be 60" to match the 8.8. The 3/4t d44's are a bit wider and D60's are 69" wms-wms. You won't need to bother with cut/resplining a shaft either just buy a chromoly shaft for an EBD44 and it'll be the right width.

If you don't plan on goin bigger then 35's (which is realisticly the limit of a d44) I'd keep the D35 and do 44 outers on it. It's in already and will give you better high speed handling and be unique.

 

[4x4junkie]

...And get your 8.8 shafts redrilled to match a D44's 5x5.5" lug pattern, and fab up your steering, and fab up your suspension (a lot of it from scratch), and everything else you're doing, and then some more.

I'd be putting all that effort into a D60. At least in that case you'd be getting something that's much more than a marginal improvement.

BTW, 6" out of a fullwidth D44 should be closer to 59".


Edit, I see the thread's changing directions between posts & edits lol

Yeah, stick with the D35. It should serve you fine unless you start playing stupid with your truck or something (in which case the D44 won't serve you any better).
Check the Upgrades sticky post in the Ranger Axles section, there's a number of things you can do to improve it even further (Jeep hubs, Spicer 760X u-joints, or the D44 knuckle swap, which would get you the bigger brakes if that was what you were after).

 

[wahlstrom1]

Brakes and wheel bearing are the #1 reason to go with the D44 outers...

 

[Maverick]

I see that you've decided to keep the TTB, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. I would dump the TTB for what ever you can get for it while its still working, and do a SAS. A D44 is far from a marginal improvement over a D35. While D35 is relatively strong, and does share the same size axle joint as a D44, the D44 is still a superior set up in many ways. Here are my reasons.

There's a very good chance you'll end up doing one anyhow. Very few people that actually "build" a D35 end up keeping it for any length of time.

Larger wheel bearings with better placement

Ring gear nearly 3/4" larger

Real hubs

1/2 or 3/8 axle tubes vs. stamped steel beams that crack and act as a plow

Holds alignment better

Better steering set up

Strong aftermarket support

One less u-joint to break

Simpler suspension set up

Better design for keeping water and debris out of wheel bearings



Reasons to keep the D35:

Fairly strong

It's already in there

You want to keep it all "RBV"

You dont want to take a loss on what you already have invested in it

You dont mind constant up keep

You cant use the basic hand tool required to do an SAS.

 

[RangerSVT]

I will add my $ .02 to go with the other cents...I would go SAS as Maverick just stated, but I will add this. Go with the EB...Why?? it's already ranger width, with about 85% bolt in, and its somewhat cheap. What about the weaker joints you ask?? For starters, you have a 2.3L powerplant, not a 5.0L. Run the stock shafts for now, and when you get $295, give broncograveyard a call and get you a set of lifetime warranty shafts that include spicer joints (which is an easy upgrade, should take no more than about 3 hours to complete with simple hand tools in the driveway) Low pinion you ask?? Again, you are running a small powerplant. Even though its on the coast side of the ring gear, I'd be willing to bet that even if you had the power to get near a breaking point, you will snap a shaft or joint before the ring gear....The D 35 I had was always fighting the spindle nut plague. With the 44, you can get a set of stage X locks which work awesome!!
SVT