D44 SAS into my 1993 ranger

[kamiskotia]

I am thinin about buyin a 1978-79 Dana 44 from an f 150 and using leaf springs, i was wondering how much wider this axle is compared to dana 35 TTB..... If anybody has done this i would love to hear of any tips or info regarding the entire axle swap..
Thamks Matt,

 

[Bray D]

These will prevent you from mounting leaf springs to the axle.

Might want to do a little more research.

 

[kamiskotia]

The 1977-79 f 150 super cabs had leaf sprung Dana 44s didnt they??

 

[Bray D]

Here's my source

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Dana44_2.htm

I did find a pic in there of the axle you're talking about, but it wasn't clear enough to see if it was leaf sprung or not. Browse through that site, it'll tell you damn near everything you need to know for your swap.

 

[kamiskotia]

what axle and setup di you use to build ur truck??

 

[wahlstrom1]

The supercab's did have leaf springs, and they are the only axle which has flat top knuckles that you can use all ford parts with to have a 5.5" BP and hi-steer arms. To coil spring SAS a TTB ranger is very simple though.....I'd advise that route over leafs, but both are very doable.

 

[kamiskotia]

is it easier to do a coil spring SAS than a leaf sprung setup???? and if it is what axle would you recomend... i was kinda thinkin that a EB dana 44 with upgraded axle shafts would be the way to go..

 

[wahlstrom1]

The EB D44 is as close to a bolt in SAS as you can get for a TTB ranger. Use that axle, with radius arms and 78/79 F150/Bronco frame mounts. Use your choice of steering and tracbar mounting and walla, SAS.

 

[kamiskotia]

what coil springs should i use up front or should i just buy new ones... i knda wanna do this build for as cheap as possible

 

[RangerSVT]

Depends on your height that you want...as a rule of thumb the EB coils will give you about 3 more inches than advertised, so a 3.5" lift coil spring will give you about 6.5 inches of lift...Also, a few people have used the Jeep TJ/XJ coil springs and have had good luck with them as well...
SVT

 

[Bray D]

The supercab's did have leaf springs, and they are the only axle which has flat top knuckles that you can use all ford parts with to have a 5.5" BP and hi-steer arms. To coil spring SAS a TTB ranger is very simple though.....I'd advise that route over leafs, but both are very doable.

Isn't that an F250 though? I thought the f250s had a passenger side flat top knuckle. Maybe I'm confused haha. I pretty much only researched the axle that I had.


I used a 79 ford axle with radius arms. 76 chevy flat top knuckles. chevy small bearing spindles. 79 ford rotors and hubs.

 

[wahlstrom1]

F250 D44's have a flat top as well, but they do NOT have the notch in the knuckle needed to run the half ton (5 on 5.5") single piston calipers.....I had the supercab knuckles (which I originally thought was weird as a 5lug leaf sprung diff) and tore into an 8 lugger for it's larger flat tops only to later realize I needed the original parts I had.

 

[Bray D]

That's interesting. I knew about the brake issue with the 250 knuckles. Never knew there was a leaf sprung 79 though.

I stand corrected.

Learn something new everyday haha.

 

[RangerSVT]

Ok, am I missing something here If you have a 250 knuckle, which is flat top, has a dual piston caliper and one and half times the surface area of the single piston pads, Why would you want to run the single piston calipers
SVT

 

[Bray D]

With the f250 knuckles you have to run the 3/4 ton hub. 3/4 ton = 8 lug. 1/2 ton = 5 lug. Right?