I hate to scrap this front axle. I was hoping someone on here could use it. It is out of a one ton truck that a buddy of mine scraped about 10 years ago and I saved the axle because it was good. Looks like a 4.09 ratio. The numbers on the gears are, 10-4-67 DANA 18520 M8R84 45-11 The rear would most likely have been 4.10's as the front axle must pull a little faster. It is a DANA 44 and is the early closed ball and drum type with Warn locking hubs. Still has the front springs, a piece of the frame, and steering box attached. It is located in Craryville NY. I have a backhoe and can load it. My number is (518) 325-7610, Ask for Dave. Just make an offer. Thanks.

 

I'd like to know if these axles are worth keeping and selling or just better off taking them to the scrap yard? I to have one out of a 71 f250 I'm trying to decide what to do with it

 

Well maybe you and I will find out. I know when I was a kid not many trucks had 4 Wheel Drive. Even in the 60's it was not common even up here were it snows, especialy for a one ton. It seems a lot of them get changed to the newer open knuckles and disk brake type. With that said, I thought if someone was restoring a truck to original condition for show,( AACA or similar rules.) that needed an axle, I would give them an opportunity to have this one, rather than just run it to the junk yard. Dandy Dave!

 

I thought all f350 1 ton 4x4's came standard with a Dana 60?

 

If I was about 3,500 miles closerer Id be lookin at cha.

 

It may well be a Dana 60. It has much larger enclosed type knucles than the DANA 44 front end in my 1962 F-250. No numbers stamped on the long tube. The axle is most likely around a 1967 or 1968 by the date on the gears. I don't see much info on the web for these early DANA axles. Just the later ones. Although the pumkin does have 44 cast in it, so I assumed it was a 44.

Hang on and I'll post more photos for the experts to chew on.

 

Here. Has the larger one ton hubs and axle stubs, and early enough to have the snap ring wheels.



Numbers cast in the housing. 44 65F

 

One thing is obvious, there were no F-350 4x4's til 79. If it has 44 cast into the pumpkin, it is a 44. There were low pinion 60's used before 78 with the high pinion 60 coming in 78 under F-250's only.

 

It is the same axle that is under my 70 Crewcab with the large hubs. It is a 44-6CF which is the same for the 7700 GVW F-250's.

 

Here are a few of the enclosed knuckles. The axle is upside down in these photos.

 

Now that you mention that, you do jog my old memory. Even though the truck this came out of had a dump body, and dual wheels, it must have been special built at a specialty shop, or made up by the owner. Your right about the Factory 4 WD 350's. Anyway, It is here and available if someone needs it.

I have a 1974 W-300 Dodge that I tow my trailer with from time to time. That has the military dogbones, instead of universals where the enclosed Knuckles are. I believe it is a DANA 60 under that truck. Thanks, Dandy Dave!

 

The first year for a factory F350 4x4 was 1979 and the vin will read F36 anything before that was a custom swap.

 

There is no such thing as a 1967/72 F350 front driving axle. The first year Ford offered the F350 with 4WD was 1979. The '79 F350's front driving axle is a Dana 60.

Dana 44 front driving axle w/8 lug wheels: It's from an F250 / 10-4-1967 = October 4, 1967, so it was originally installed in a 1968 F250 "High Boy."

 

After all this can anyone answer the question of are they desirable and worth selling or better off throwing them in the scrap pile

 

There have been people looking for parts from that type axle, but I haven't seen a request in about a year. I had one, scrapped it. Light duty axle and not worth repairing IMO. I've replaced them with either the later D44HD open knuckle, or a D60 in one case.
The real weak point is that enclosed knuckle- They leak like crazy, and if you break a u-joint, the pieces all stay in there and beat the axle shafts apart.
I would pull the shafts out and scrap the rest. The gears are some of the most common gears ever made too.