INFO Dana 35 TTB vs Wheel Bearings

[Jim Oaks]

I'm trying to gather real world feedback versus online gossip, rumors, and hearsay.

I think the Dana 35 TTB and Dana 44 TTB are good axles, but what sets the Dana 44 apart isn't necessarily the ring gear size but the wheel bearing spacing.

I'm curious to know what your experience has been with the Dana 35 TTB and wheel bearings. I personally had a right front wheel bearing go bad driving on the interstate and had to change it in the parking lot of a parts store. At the time I was doing about 65 MPH on 33-inch tires. This may have resulted from a lack of maintenance. But then, is it normal for a wheel bearing to need so much maintenance?

Have you not had any problems with them and if so, what size tires are you using?

Does it seem like they're a constant wear item that you have to replace, and if so, what size tires are you using and what kind of highway speeds do they see?

Have you had one fail while driving, and again, what size tire are you using and what kind of speeds do they see?

Below is a photo of a Dana 44 spindle (left) and Dana 35 spindle (right) for those that aren't familiar with the difference in wheel bearing spacing.

 

[Curious Hound]

I run the D35. For it's originally intended use and loading, I think it's fine. I have been using 35" BFGs on it for 10 years, roughly. Currently, my front axle is carrying in excess of 2500lbs continuously. In my experience, I have replaced very few wheel bearings, considering what I do with the truck, maybe 2 full replacements other than brake rotor replacements, at most. I think that is a good record.

What I HAVE noticed, is that after re-assembly for any reason, I need to do 2 things. 1. I run the preload torque just a tiny bit high due to the larger tires. I use 20-22in-lbs instead of 17in-lbs. 2. After driving 100-200 miles, I re-check the preload. Several times, I have found that it has loosened up. That indicates that the bearings have moved "settled in" so-to-speak. I do the same procedure evry time and have been doing it for many years. But sometimes, you just don't get the outer races perfectly seated on the first go-around. Always double check after druving a bit.

Is that photo new? Or has it been on the site forever? I knew the D44 had wider bearing spacing. But I don't recall seeing that image showing the difference. Could just be poor memory. That makes the advantage incredibly obvious to anyone who understands bearings and mechanical design. That is more difference than I thought it was. I have often thought about swapping to the D44 spindles and outer assemblies or complete D44 axle assemblies. But, since my experience with the D35 has been so good, I just haven't thought it worth the trouble. It is in the back of my mind that after my V8 swap, I will need to re-evaluate front suspension and maybe upgrade the axle in some way.

But, overall, I have been very happy with the D35.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have mixed feelings about the D-35. After shattering an axle shaft in it on 35” tires with no locker that is. Of course, now I’m aware there was a mechanical interference that likely was the culprit but it still left me contemplating options. The last like two years have been the most I’ve driven the Choptop with the 35” tires and D-35 since I originally got the truck and worked my way up to that configuration.

I did find a bad bearing and race when I last overhauled the front axle but it looked more like a possible part defect that I only noticed when I cleaned the grease off things rather than a wear issue. No other issues noted.

My 92 Ranger had 30” tires and the D-35. For the like two years I ran it before someone decided to hit me I didn’t have any issues with the bearings in the front.

I’ve had more issues with bearings in the rear axles and the unit bearings on the front of the 98-11 trucks than the D-35. Didn’t really have any problems with the bearings in the D-28, I had far more trouble with the U-joints and spindly shafts with those.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

I thought half the problems were down to

• Inner ring way too tight (didn't actually check rotational preload)
• Outer ring too loose (backs off doing truck stuff)

But those shouldn't be unique to the D35 vs other spindles, so maybe not.

 

[Curious Hound]

I thought half the problems were down to

• Inner ring way too tight (didn't actually check rotational preload)
• Outer ring too loose (backs off doing truck stuff)

But those shouldn't be unique to the D35 vs other spindles, so maybe not.

I've seen many people have those issues. Those are both human error issues and not really design problems. Neither will happen if installed properly. I guess you could say the axle is particular about being assembled properly. But, isn't that true of almost any machine?

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have been towed from the woods from a squeaking bearing on my D35 with 35" tires before and changed my share of bearings in the 16 years I've been running it but for the most part I put that on general neglect... I don't drive the thing more than 1000 miles a year heck the tires are 15 years old and at 50% wear... I don't have the bottom end torque even with 5.13 gears to do rock crawling so I don't and stay off the throttle if the front end is going to be off the air and haven't broken anything yet... With my neutral backspacing on the wheels (or close enough) the bearings seem fine as long as water doesn't get in them...

I imagine the larger spacing between the bearings on the D44 setup would tolerate more schenanigans before getting cranky... On my Explorer I'm going to skip that setup and go to D60 stuff, if I get a wild hare I will still have extra D44 TTB parts I could modify the Ranger one day...

 

[SenorNoob]

I haven't had a problem that wasn't caused by my own stupidity or laziness. (Not changing the inner races in the rotors or using the cheapest wheel bearings I could find.)

I do think the bearings being so close together limits high offset wheels that everybody seems to like these days. I hear of lots of failures of unit bearings on newer full size trucks cause of the same issue. Seems every Facebook reel of someone complaining about shitty wheel bearings has a set of 22" wheels sticking a foot outside the fender.