What Axle Shafts do i Need?

I am thinking about upgrading my dana 44 rear 2 peice axles to the 1 peice flanged units. My jeep is a '60 model and the rear end is stock. I'm not sure of the current spline count.
Anyway, the 1 peice unit is 30 spline right? What year range jeep had the axle shafts I need?
This article tells me I would need something from mid '70-'71. This way it will be 30 splines, one peice flanged, and have the proper shaft lengths for the offset pumpkin. Is this link correct?
http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/axle/d44.html

 

Pretty close, but I have never seen a 27 spline D44.

I think you need to change out the carrier when you upgrade to 30 spline (my friend said he had to on his '60, but I wasn't there when he put the rear together), but I have never tried a 30 spline shaft in the early carrier. At the very least, you would have to change out the side gears.

 

yep, 30 spline dana 44 side gears are all over the place. Ford used a 30 spline 44 for years.

 

I assume that the axle bearings for the one or two piece axles are the same size? Do they fit the housing the same way? I have never dealt with the 2 piece axles so I don't know.

 

cannot use the tapered axle housing for flanged axles
you need to find the complete flanged rear axle assy
late 69-71 seems to be the year range

 

What is the reason- the outer bearings won't work in the housing?

IIRC, my friend used a spicer 20, and a postal D44, now it is starting to come back to me...
There was some issue still with the carrier, either the axles wouldn't fit, or the side gears wouldn't fit the early carrier. He said he was using the 5.38s out of the '60...

I'm going to have to call him.

 

should be 10 and 19 splines.

 

10 spline and 19 spline carriers are the same. Use the same carrier bearings also. 27 and 30 spline carriers are the same and use the same carrier bearings. The two are different (10/19 spline and 27/30 spline) however as the side gears won't interchange and they use different carrier bearings. There is a 27 spline Dana 44 axle used in some early Scouts, Commando's, and IIRC some real old Dodges. The exception to the rule is the 44 Powerlock which you can put any of the spline count side gears in as they were designed different. You still have different carrier bearings though depending on which axles they originally had. The journal diameter is different requiring different bearings. Regarding the flanged axles, there was someone on this board that had a set in their Jeep but can't remember who. I think Moser or Superior Axle was the manufacturer, but they were custom made shafts. Dr. Vern from JP mag was going to do this about a year or two years ago but ended up costing more than he wanted to spend ( I know, I loaned him a carrier). Seems like the biggest issue is the inner seal and the bearing size and type as you need to get away from the shimming aspect as you can't easily change the shims with the flange in the way. Something I always wanted to work on but never had time. Nickmil.

 

I am just starting down this road also. In my case I have a 66 CJ-5 with a Dana 44 and 19 spline. I purchased (or maybe it bought me) a Warn 30 spline floater kit,(for a 69-72 CJ) and a 30 spline Lock Right, that I am going to try and slide into the early carrier. (3.73 gears), and axle housing.

Unfortunatly for the time but great for me, I am leaving Sunday for Thailand for a few weeks, then a deep sea fishing trip for another 11 days so it will be almost Christmas time before I open things up and let you know what happened.

Since all the parts are sitting here, I should be on the road in a few days after I return if all works well.

 

One of the best things about the early axles is that it is easy to swap on the trail. I put a spare short side in the passenger seat tool box and i wire tie the long side axel above the carb on the hood braces.
I changed one on the rubicon faster than most people can change a tire. I parked it on a hill so I didnt even have to add lube.
You have to have a slide hammer to remove a flange axle, or a chain and a sledge hammer, and they are not much stronger than the tapered kind.
Ten minute job if you have the parts.

 

Thanks, Nickmil.

 

Nick, good info. My rear 44 does have a powerlock unit in it from a scout. how difficult is it to swap the side gears out? I never rebuilt a powerlock. I rebuilt a Ford limited slip unit and it was a pain in the a**. A lot of work with a brass punch and a hammer. Should I expect the same thing if I swap side gears on a powerlock?