This site has a conversion for the closed knuckle axles.
http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.com/index25.html
Anyone on here done this? Seems to me if you are spending that kind of money you should upgrade the whole axle.

 

Thats exactly why you dont see this as a popular option.
Even if a fella had a D60 closed knuckle axle, it would still be an advantage to install a high pinion open knuckle, disc brake front end under it.
This high pinion D44 axle is still stronger than a low pinion axle, and parts are less expansive to boot.
Axle swap is the way to go.
Good find though.

 

U joints are larger though in the closed knuckle dana 44 and the outer shafts dont neck down like the open knuckle shafts do. The hubs are weak. being they are a external hub, i have sheared all 6 bolts holding the hub on and i have blown up the spider gears but i havent broke any axle shafts yet.

 

A friend of mine in Ont. runs 79 half ton running gear/sus under a mid 90's ranger with some deep gears and 39.5 SuperSwampers and he's yet to break anything on that D44 front.

 

Check out a 1/2 ton Chevy p/u or Blazer with the 44 in front. The caliper brackets bolt on like that and from the pics they are using GM calipers. I have got the brackets from the yards for 15.00 a set. Not sure about a closed knuckle but a common swap for a Dana 30 from a 44 in a CJ jeep for the disk brake swap.