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Dana 44 Cost and Tapered vs Flanged Question

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Jamco6000, Dec 21, 2012.

  1. Dec 21, 2012
    Jamco6000

    Jamco6000 Member

    Baton Rouge, LA
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    How do you tell the difference between a flanged and tapered d44 rear? There is one in good condition that I am going to look at this weekend. What should I be looking for? It has the 5.38s with open diff, he has been sitting on it for a long time so what would be a good offer for it?

    Thanks
     
  2. Dec 21, 2012
    kamel

    kamel Senior Curmudgeon

    Erlanger, Kentucky
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    look at the hub. If it is "flat" across the hub it's flanged, if the hub has a center that sticks out around an inch and a half it is tapered. The tapered axle will appear to have a small "hubcap" over the center of that "stick out".

    Once you see one and note the difference you'll see how easy it is to tell them apart. There are lots of other differences, but that is the most obvious and easiest to spot from 10 feet away.

    There weren't a whole lot of flanged 5.38 geared axles out there...... However, the closer your are to Florida the 5.38 ratios become more common.

    I've sold flanged dana 44's for as little as 250 and as much as 350. I'm sure others may have sold them for more (or less)

    If you do buy the axle, try to get the spring hanger plates for it as well. They are not the same size as a tapered dana 44, so if you don't get them with the axle you'll have to find them elsewhere. Fortunately there are a lot of them out there.... spring hangers and U bolts for that axle are on 1970 - 1975 jeep CJ rear axles. They were also on late '70s CJ's that had the quadra track full time 4wd. Those dana 44's were even offset like the '70 and '71 cj axles --- and they even had factory 11 inch brakes!!!
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2012
  3. Dec 21, 2012
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Nit, sorry. All the Quadratrac CJ-7s had AMC 20s AFAIK. They also had wider springs, so the plates would be different. The big Jeeps with Quadratrac had an offset 44 - but those springs are even wider than a CJ.
     
  4. Dec 21, 2012
    kamel

    kamel Senior Curmudgeon

    Erlanger, Kentucky
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    The CJ7 used the AMC 20, but whatever configuration of the cj7 that required an offset rear axle used the dana 44. However, if the offset axle on the CJ7 required wider springs than the older dana 44's then it follows that those hanger plates may not work on a 70-75 dana 44. If one used one of the 'newer' 44's then he'd have to get different spring plates.
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2012
  5. Dec 21, 2012
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Doubtful. I'll look in the book. After '75, the 44 was gone from the CJ, except for the very last years. My comment about the spring width still stands. The perches are further outboard and the springs are wider, so the plates won't fit.
     
  6. Dec 21, 2012
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    Incorrect.
    The 20 was used regardless of QTrac of not.....
    The 44 resurfaced right at the end of CJ7 production.
     
  7. Dec 21, 2012
    kamel

    kamel Senior Curmudgeon

    Erlanger, Kentucky
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    Let's not beat this dead horse anymore.... It is hardly worth it....

    The following information is providided via the web site for jeeptech.com ---

    After '76, the AMC 20 was the the only axle used in CJs with two exceptions. Some CJ-7s with the Borg-Warner Quadra-Trac transfer case came with a 30 spline, one piece shaft, offset, narrow track Dana 44. The other exception is in 1986, when CJ production was coming to a close AMC 20s were in short supply, so they used wide track Dana 44s in some of the '86 models. Bolt on compatible with any '76-'86 CJ, but wider than earlier narrow tack AMC 20s. Use of the Dana 44 in 1986 began somewhere between serial numbers ending with 049379 and 054173. The axles were flanged and 30 spline. Common ratios were 2.73 and 3.31.

    All CJ Dana 44s use a 5 on 5.5" wheel bolt pattern.

    reference http://www.jeeptech.com/axle/d44.html
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2012
  8. Dec 21, 2012
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    you're right
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2012
  9. Dec 21, 2012
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    Interesting. In 20 plus years of working on CJ's I have yet to see a post '76 CJ use a Dana 44 stock except the late '86 model....
    Every q-Trac CJ-7 I've seen, worked on, or built axles for had an AMC 20 from the factory.


    Sent from my iPhone
     
  10. Dec 23, 2012
    Jamco6000

    Jamco6000 Member

    Baton Rouge, LA
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    Thanks guys, picked up the d44 today, has brand new 5.38 gears and got it for 100 bucks. I took everything from the axle to the shackle. Can't wait to bolt it up. Pretty sure it's flanged too!
     
  11. Dec 23, 2012
    68BuickV6

    68BuickV6 Well-Known Member

    Hesperia, CA.
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    Great! Can't wait to see some pics!
     
  12. Dec 24, 2012
    Jamco6000

    Jamco6000 Member

    Baton Rouge, LA
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    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    I know its 5.38s but is it flanged?
     
  13. Dec 24, 2012
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    no
    tapered
     
  14. Dec 24, 2012
    Jamco6000

    Jamco6000 Member

    Baton Rouge, LA
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    Also, is there any advice on figuring out what springs I have? The suspension appears to have not been used. The PO never finished his project.
     
  15. Dec 24, 2012
    68BuickV6

    68BuickV6 Well-Known Member

    Hesperia, CA.
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    Tapered. Nice to have 5.38s off road, get an OD and you'll be set.
     
  16. Dec 24, 2012
    wheelie

    wheelie beeg dummy 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor

    York, PA
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    Hard to say what brand of spring you have. I do a double military spring eye wrap which is very good. Rancho shocks? Maybe Rancho springs? Has some nice u bolt mount plates with the built in skid plates. Probably Con-Ferr units. Did you get both the front and rear set-ups. And, yea, it's a tapered 5.38 rear. Sorry.
     
  17. Dec 24, 2012
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    I'd say you got a heck of a deal! :) I'd be leery of the work however, the bolts don't look like ring gear bolts and they don't have the locking tabs that should be on there. It's hard to tell anything about the springs.
     
  18. Dec 24, 2012
    Jamco6000

    Jamco6000 Member

    Baton Rouge, LA
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    bought an warn overdrive for 300 from the same guy. With comparing to my axle it seems to be in good condition but i have no experience. I will have to check the gears to make sure they are done right. I have 2 dana 44 so I'm sure I have the extra parts.
     
  19. Dec 24, 2012
    68BuickV6

    68BuickV6 Well-Known Member

    Hesperia, CA.
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    Just be patient and read up on it, you have two, no need to rush. How is the OD? Do the gears match (bowl gear I think?)
     
  20. Dec 24, 2012
    Jamco6000

    Jamco6000 Member

    Baton Rouge, LA
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    I don't know if the gears match yet. I haven't counted my tcase gears. It was thrown in with a bunch of parts including all the linkage and was in really good condition. It was less than 200 bucks so I figured I could at least get my money out of it.
     
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