Dana 44 swap -- Steering

I outboarded my frame in the front ('72 CJ-5) and put Dana 44s from a 1978 Scout underneath.

From all that I've read, including the info I could find on this site, if I keep the Scout knuckles, my turning radius will be severely compromised.

I've got a few options and was hoping people who have made the same swap will have some ideas for me.

Option 1) I understand I can take my Scout knuckles to a machine shop and have them drill new holes closer to the position of the Jeep tie rod and drag link. This seems cheapest but I'm worried about whether I will have problems with the tie rod and drag link rubbing against the Dana 44 cover.

Option 2) I have a line on some flat-top knuckle from a Scout. I assume I would have to get these planed, drilled and tapped and would have to buy new steering arms of Jeep length to go on top of the knuckles. This is going to cost me about $500...maybe more. Still, I assume if I go this route, I wouldn't have problems in the future.

Option 3) I could scavenge a junk yard for a Ford Dana 44 and take the knuckles and spindle and use Ford brakes.

Anyone suggest the best option?

Also, anyone know what else I'm going to run into? Is my Jeep pitman arm going to give me problems when I try to put on a Scout drag link?

Any input will be taken to heart (and with a grain of salt, of course...I have proven several times that I can make my own mistakes )

 

I can tell you about the similar problems I encountered when I put a Wagoneer Dana 44 under my CJ-7. I first tried to use my old Dana 30 knuckles on the Dana 44. They fit OK but the tie rod then struck the front of the diff cover on full turns. I then put on the 44 knuckles and had a custom drag link and tie rod made to fit the larger holes in the 44 knuckles. This caused my pittman arm to contact the tie rod on suspension compressions. I then went with a custom shorter pittman arm that prevented contact with the tie rod but limited steering radius some. I think my problem was compounded by YJ springs on my rig which moves the axle forward some.The limited steering radius is not a problem and the custom set up works very nice and tight, that's what I would recommend. A friend did the same swap and went with the flat top knuckles having them drilled and tapped for a high steer set up. It works OK but he has terrible bump steer that I could never put up with. All my stuff came from Parts Mike a super nice guy with lots of smarts.

 

Option 4:
Find a set of Chevy/Jeep knuckles. If you have a SOA, flat top would be nice for the hi-steer arm. If not using hi-steer, I believe any D44/10 bolt knuckles will work up to 91.

Find small bearing Chevy/Jeep spindle and hubs. This a pre 77 Chevy or pre 78 FSJ. This will be the hard part, not sure if a big bearing spindles can be turned down?

Find Ford rotors and hubs. These would be disk brake D44 vintage (straight or TTB) up to ~96. There are a couple of years in the 80s that won't work either, can't remember the exact years but believe 82-83ish.

Use the Chevy small spindle bearings (in the Ford hub) with a Ford hub seal, bolts right on to a D44.

 

Oprtion 6: Use a pair of these and all your other Scout parts

 

"Oprtion 6: Use a pair of these and all your other Scout parts"

The flat-top scout knucks I was looking at buying are these knuckles exactly. If I were to use these, wouldn't I have to make them hi-steer or could I just use the front arms on these like I would if they were not flat-top (please excuse my ignorance)?

Also, my Dana 30 Jeep knuckles had two holes on one knuckle (tie rod and drag link) and one on the other (tie rod only). Without using hi-steer, how do I hook the tie rod and drag link to these knuckles (again, please remember, ignorant over here)?

 

I don't have those on yet, but I was going to use the high steer along with a flipped tie rod. Seems one could use one of the double tie rods ends, as per the old CJ tie rod conversions, to connect the drag link if you do not want to use the high steer.

 

That would work. I didn't think about that. IIRC, some old Fords also use that type of drag link/tie rod set up.

I may cruise the local pick-a-part for some ideas.

Thanks.