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I just finished rebuilding my Dana 44 and went to bolt on the hubs and the groove for the axle snap isn’t visible will it be okay to leave it out? I have tried prying the axle forward and it still won’t go on. I have the truck assembled with the caliper bracket and dust shield behind the spindle could that be the issue? The hubs are stock Dana 44 units any help is appreciated.
No you need it on there . it keeps your u joints from working back and forth in the knuckle.
Do you have your bearings and seals in the pocket bearings installed properly ? you might double check the hub assembly process to be sure you have it correct. it can be a little confusing.
If that snap ring won't go on something is wrong for sure and it will be an easy fix once you discover it.
While that's important, it wouldn't effect the locking hub assembly , it has plenty of room and as long as the outer hub gear snap ring is in place and the inner wheel bearing is seated properly on the spindle. .
I've done these spicer hubs at least 100 times and I've never had a problem getting the snap ring on as long as I get the axle pulled all the way out . either you have something incorrect that's holding the wheel hub out, the axle shaft in, or you're not installing the locking hub components correctly. in any event it's important to find the problem.
I'd take it back apart and make sure your hub/bearing are seated. And inner tap in seal is seated. Then X2 ck that the inner adjusting axle nut has the pin/tit sticking OUT is towards you, and it is torqued correctly. Then ck that the lock washer is seated and the pin/tit is in a hole. Then the outer lock nut is torqued properly. Then yes the axle shaft might have to be held to its furthest movement OUT towards the hub, to get the small axle drive hub snap ring on.
Those parts are from a internal type hubs. And I do believe when you put them on, the instructions tell you to put the hub in "lock" for installation. Just for installation of the Retaining ****-Hub Ring. Your pic is the Inner Clutch Ring on the left, and the Axle Shaft Sleeve and Ring on the right. Some times yiou have to push that in a bit to get the Axle Shaft Snap Ring on. Also make sure you Spring Retaining Ring is installed properly. That pic does not show the lip it has to hold the Pressure Spring centered. Internal below.
So I looked in the parts that I had from taking the hubs off and the truck had two different style hubs on it. One was like the internal gear style and the snap ring would not go on but the other is different and the snap ring works. Would this be the right hub then?
By the way this is just an image I found of the hubs
I do know this for sure, my 79 F250 has the internal type lock in/outs. And on my 79 parts Bronco...same as a F150 D44, it had the external type. In that pic you posted it is missing both the "spring retaining rings". That is the 1st piece to go in the hub (with a specific direction of the lip facing out) when reinstalling.
Yes those are the correct style Spicer hubs. there is a large and a standard version used on f250's but the 1/2 tons all used the standard size until sometime in 1977. there were 2 different gear types used on the open face Spicer hubs but as long as all the correct components are used for each design they will function fine.
Sometime in 1977 through 1979 used the internal, or Warn style spicer hub.
I believe the two styles will both fit in place of each other , I've seen it done anyway and I don't think it took any modifications. both styles require a snap ring on the axle.
The 1978 model would have the newer style hub. though as stated the older style hubs should work and are actually stronger.
79&79 is correct there should be a lipped washer on the inside that's not in that picture.
Might not be relevant, but a video I watched about installing manual hubs mentioned that the axle shaft can easily slide inward (towards the center of the truck) and you can easily reach behind the spindle and pull the axle outwards. There is a bit of play in the axle and in this video he demonstrated this issue....
Thanks for the help y’all, I was hoping to make the Ford hubs work but I only have one that goes in all the way so I bought a set of warn premiums hopefully that will help fix the issue.
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