Waggy 44 to 5 lug

[Roger]

Who has done it? I read the short info in the Library, but would like a little more info from someone thats been hands on with it.

Despite my D30 swap (still moving forward with because I have it all on hand), I MIGHT be getting a 88 waggy 44. As I've stated before, with the D30 swap, I'll have most of the fab work already done on the truck, just need to fab brackets and mounts to the waggy axle.

Then I can worry about either swapping the hubs for 5 lug (I have wheels for the 5 on 5.5, not the 6 on 5.5), or just using wheel adapters to get the 5 lugs. I have two different sets of wheels for the 5 lug, and two different offsets to choose. My current wheels on the Ranger are 15x10, and I always forget negative and positive offset but these stick out. A lot...

So I think with the wider waggy 44 and adapters, with the different wheels I have available, I can keep from going much wider than i am right now. Or, maybe just grab the rear 44 also and get some 6 on 5.5 wheels and not sweat the rest.

And a carrier question. Is the same carrier used front and rear with the 44s?

Sorry for being so wordy. Believe it or not, I edit a lot out as I write...

 

[Toreadorranger]

Yes the same carrier is used in both axles.

I converted my waggy axle over to 5x5.5 using a mix match of Chevy, Ford and jeep parts. I had this setup because I wanted the flat top knuckles for highsteer. If your not going with highsteer or crossover steering then you can just grab any complete outers setup off a 1/2 ton Ford Solidaxle D44.

-73 to 76 flat tops (chevy)
-small bearing spindles (chevy)
-86 fsj backing plate and caliper (jeep)
-ford hub/rotor
-GM/jeep stub
-internal mount lockout that you have

 

[LittleBigFoot]

Why not just make it a "3/4 ton D44"

The only difference is the outters. Grab a set of 8 lug Dana 44 knuckles from a solid axle Chebby. But to do this you'll need the spindles, hub assy, bearings, caliper mounting bracketry, and calipers. Basicly everything from the C out.

Then you got flat top knuckles, one already drilled and tapped for high steer, 8 lug which is just simply bad ass, and a 3/4 ton D44.

Then just get adaptors for the rear.

If you do deside to go high steer, check out SKY Off road Design. For one arm I think it's 108 bucks shipped. Mine has held up so far

 

[Roger]

I think I might take both front and rear 44s and not worry about adapters. Still, something wrong with 6 lugs on a Ford...

 

[Toreadorranger]

I think I might take both front and rear 44s and not worry about adapters. Still, something wrong with 6 lugs on a Ford...

they have done every other pattern 4,5,7,8,10 might as well be a six too.

 

[Roger]

Yeah. I know. And the current 1/2 tons have 6 lugs too... Doesn't make it right...

 

[Toreadorranger]

Yeah. I know. And the current 1/2 tons have 6 lugs too... Doesn't make it right...

spare me the purist crap.

 

[Roger]

Hehe... If I was purist, this thread wouldn't have been started...

I think it might just be cheaper and simpler to buy the wheels to fit than to swap parts around.

 

[Toreadorranger]

I would agree the wheels are cheaper to get, but I would be hesitant to use the Waggy rear D44 or AMC20 (which ever your year waggy came with).