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78 front axle questions

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Old 02-28-2006, 10:55 AM
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Question 78 front axle questions

A friend and I are each working on 1978 f250 pickups. We are looking for a front axle either a dana 60 or dana 44. It had a dana 60 under it but previous owner sold it and hasn't replaced it. I am having problems finding a 3/4 ton front axle for it and didn't know if a 1/2 ton axle would fit or not. We are located in southwest Iowa.
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 11:33 AM
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How much do you want to spend? Im sure Hansens Truck Salvage in Omaha has what you need but they are a little expensive.
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 11:33 AM
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Cowboyt, The biggest difference in that a 250 has 8 lugs and a 150 has 5. second is the gear difference. total different setups alot f150s have coil springs were f250 have leafs do to the fact heavier duty truck. Try looking for a f350 4x you could swap that one because its is also HD. Also a lot of salvage yards have acess to what they call a hot line, it goes all over maybe they can get it from some where else if you cant find one locally. Hope this helps
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 12:14 PM
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hansens don't have anything already checked there, but thanks. And I will talk with the local salvage yard to see if they can find anything for us.
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 12:19 PM
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Have you checked the classifieds or posted in the Chapter forum closest to you ?

This is more of a discussion forum

There are also online wrecking yards that can been seen on google

Welcome to the site.. btw
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 12:47 PM
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Ebay always has them on there. Check some of them out.
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 02:33 PM
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Check the fourwheeler magazines, they have them there too. Try the sponsor on the left side.
 
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Old 02-28-2006, 03:31 PM
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Check junkyards in a 30 mile or so radius from you, someone should have a 73-79 F-250 or 350 4x4. If you found a 79 F-350, all the better, b/c it would be a D60, and most F-250s had a D44 HD, and don't remember what option or package changed it to a D60
 
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Old 05-30-2006, 02:35 PM
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My friend purchased a Dana 44 frotn axle, but its missin the pasenger side hub, rotor, and caliper. He ordered parts for it from local parts store but the rotor was not the right one. The other side has a heavy spacer pressed onto it and not sure where you can get one of those or if there is an interchange we could use. I'll try to get some numbers off it tonight and put on here tommorrow to help us out.
 
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Old 05-31-2006, 06:19 AM
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here are the numbers i found on the axle housing (44-9F) (C38561).
 
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Old 05-31-2006, 08:07 AM
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(44-9F) translates to and Dana 44 with 9 inch ring gear.
Those numbers where stamped into the housing.
What are the numbers on the metal tag mounted on the front cover?
 
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Old 05-31-2006, 08:17 AM
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The tag on the front cover was missing.
 
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Old 05-31-2006, 08:23 AM
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Items you need to check the rear and front gear ratio.

  1. Duct tape
  2. Rope, string, or ribbon.
  3. Flat driving surface.
On driver side tires, where the tire make contact with the flat driving surface, place a strip of duct tape.
Then place a some duct tape at one end of the rope (or ribbon, etc..., or something that will wrap around the driveshaft) and tape it to the very bottom or the very top of the driveshaft. Then drive the truck forward until the tire make one complete revolution. Then count the number of times the rope has wrapped around the driveshaft PLUS the amount the tape has rotated from where you started. For instance, If rope was taped to the very bottom of driveshaft and the rope wrapped around 3 times plus now the tape on driveshaft is facing at the very top of drive shaft (the driveshaft has turned half a turn). 3 rev plus a half turn = 3.50:1 gear ratio.

Check if front axle gear ratio matches the rear axle gear ratios.
 
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Old 05-31-2006, 08:45 AM
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The parts I am not sure about is the rotors he got for them did not match the one on the axle. The rotor on the axle looks like this one witha pressed spacer with the studs through it.
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Old 05-31-2006, 09:10 AM
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When you purchase the rotor, purchase a new rotor and hub assembly, the assembly is sold as a unit and will cost less than buying each separate part.
 


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