Thread: How strong are the D44 or D50 TTB's?

i see you already hit up the thread on pirate. your sig quote looks familiar haha.

When going 35 spline throughout the front, keep in mind you are gona have to run a locker or spider gears in the d50 that will accept 35 spline shafts. From my research, you can put 35 spline side gears in a D50 ARB. The dana 50 hubs are identical to dana 60 stuff. Spindles are nearly identical and considered to be interchangeable. Basically, from the spindles out, you are already good to go, minus the fact that you'll need to run 60 stubs to get 35 spline shafts and 60 u joints. Everything inboard of the spindles, as you know, is gona be cu$tom. To be honest with you, i'd give the stock stuff a try before dumping a ton of money into aftermarket shafts. Unless you are beating on this thing with a locker up front in the rocks in low range. If you need it, i've got a spare 60 30 spline outer that you can have if you want to check clearances on stuff, cause they might be a tight fit on the 50 knuckles.

Tcase should be a BW1356 and plenty strong. 10.25 rear should also- they are just expensive to build with regards to aftermarket support. Gears/lockers are bank and not as plentiful as more common rearends. If you keep it, convert it to disc brakes to shed a good hundred pounds

Just bumping this to see if anyone has a new info on d60 stuff in a d50 TTB set up?

Not sure this was posted yet but he has probably;y the strongest set of D50 TTB's out there. so read up and see if you really want to spend that much money on them.
YJ-based, "go-fast" Juggy build - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

No that hasen't been posted yet on here tommy. I have a thread on pirate and everyone told me to look into his thread. I read every post and even sent him a PM. He told me what to do, but the problem is his set up is a little different. He changed the pivot points, so he can run a larger center u-joint where as a stock truck wont have that much room. I am waiting for him to finish it so I can see how it does . Thanks for the link though, will make it easier then having to find it on pirate every time lol

His steering setup is begging to join the crappy fab thread.

Lol that is for sure. Still don't understand why he didn't want to do swing steering.

I am going to pretty much copy corey's build of his xj. Going to do a d60 kingpin spindle with d60 stub axles with 1480 u-joints and longer arp studs, then up to custom axles and probably a custom slip with 35 spline axles going into the pumpkin. Hopefully a 1480 u-joint at the center between the diff and the slip, but clearance is very tight there. Thinking about custom d60 kingpins because they are about $250 each online.

Not sure what I am going to in the diff to accept the 35 spline axles, and weather or not to do a air locker or what. Also since I need longer studs, should I worry about going 5/8th studs on an 8 lug truck

He didn't do a vertical swing steering because at bump it's too close to the ground and would get hit and bent. I asked the same thing, he buys almost all parts through us so I've seen the build since day 1./

Oh that makes sense. Doesn't seem like it would hang down too much, but it's his choice. Yeah I saw everything he bought was from you guys, pretty rad.

Trying to pull up the diagrams, but a lot of these websites are blocked on this government computer. Wondering if I go with a 35spline stub shaft, not sure what kind of drive plate, or hub assembly I can run that will leave with being able to lock and unluck the hubs still. Maybe I just don't understand the concept of how 4x4 works yet to be asking this question lol

Being knew to all this 4x stuff, I really didn't know what I was saying above on stuff. I have got everything figured out except if I need to worry about converting over to 35 spline going into the pumpkin / slip.

Thanks for this thread I learned alot. I'm starting the front end of my truck this month its a 96 4dr 4x4 PSD with the d50 the truck weighs in at 6900 lbs can't wait to hit a speed bump faster than a crawl.

Originally Posted by Wildhair225

Thanks for this thread I learned alot. I'm starting the front end of my truck this month its a 96 4dr 4x4 PSD with the d50 the truck weighs in at 6900 lbs can't wait to hit a speed bump faster than a crawl.

Ahh fuck man building the same truck as me lol

Do you have a build thread on your truck, or some pics your could post?

Originally Posted by Wildhair225

Do you have a build thread on your truck, or some pics your could post?

Haha I still haven't started yet because I am lacking funds. Been researching the hell out of it and pretty much found out everything I need to know except for how to run 35 spline going into the pumpkin.

Pic in my av is pretty much how the truck still looks. I am just waiting on my injectors (damn $1700) and some other little motor stuff, then I can start buying my parts to build the suspension and such. You should build the truck though, it will be a good all around truck in my opinion

I think it will be a great truck to build, I have the front and rear bumpers done now i'm waiting on funds for the shocks so i can tear it down, i'll try to get some pics of it tonight if its not dark when I get home.

Originally Posted by Wildhair225

I think it will be a great truck to build, I have the front and rear bumpers done now i'm waiting on funds for the shocks so i can tear it down, i'll try to get some pics of it tonight if its not dark when I get home.

I thought you said you were going to get pictures last night, you lied . What kind of bumpers do ya have?

Start a build thread Mike! You won't do it!

Originally Posted by JakeP

Start a build thread Mike! You won't do it!

Haha I already started a thread, bought some stock TTB brackets, and got some radius arm brackets

Project Black Smoke Project BLK SMK

Crappy phone pics but here ya go.

Thats a nice looking truck man. What size tubing is the front bumper?

Thanks, its 2" everthing on it will be.

I am gathering parts to build a hybrid d44/d50 ttb right now. I have read that you can just swap the 50's lower BJ onto the 44's housing because the upper BJ is the same, also that you have to change the whole end because the spacing is different??? Which one is correct? I don't have the D50 yet to use for measurements (I am looking for a good deal on one with 4.10 gears and a 93-97 Sterling 10.25 with factory Ls & 4.10's)

I wonder if using plated D44 housings (not D44HD) and D44 pivot brackets with d50 or 60 ends, axle shafts and diff would give you the strength you need and have enough room between the pivot points to use the 1480 joint you were wanting??

Originally Posted by big-d

I am gathering parts to build a hybrid d44/d50 ttb right now. I have read that you can just swap the 50's lower BJ onto the 44's housing because the upper BJ is the same, also that you have to change the whole end because the spacing is different??? Which one is correct? I don't have the D50 yet to use for measurements (I am looking for a good deal on one with 4.10 gears and a 93-97 Sterling 10.25 with factory Ls & 4.10's)

I wonder if using plated D44 housings (not D44HD) and D44 pivot brackets with d50 or 60 ends, axle shafts and diff would give you the strength you need and have enough room between the pivot points to use the 1480 joint you were wanting??

You have to swap the whole end, there isn't enough room on the D44 for the bigger joint and the BJ spacing is much larger on the D50. Just choping out the bottom one you will end up with the axle in the wrong spot.

Originally Posted by mconcha

The only thing Ive heard about the D50's is that one beam(cant remember if its driver or passenger side) is drastically shorter than the other. Obviously the D44's are different lengths as well, but are close enough to allow for good travel #'s.

D50's are actually equal length beams. They are just both short unlike the D44 where the passenger side is the short one. The passenger side brackets are in almost the same place on both. The D-sides are the ones that are way different.

The more I was looking into I came up with this. D60 king pin spindle with a spacer (because the king pin d60 runs a bolt on caliper mount where as the d50 is built into the spindle), d60 35 spline stub shafts which run a bigger u-joint ( forgot the size off the top of my head) and custom built axles. I would leave the third stock performance wise with just gears and a traction device. I have yet to find anything that accepts 35 spline for a d50 center section. The guy on pirate had a modified d44 lock built for his d50 center section, and had his housing drilled out to run a different seal for the larger axles. I don't remember exactly because it sounded like too much work for me. With a diesel I was just planning on having 5 tunes on my chip (since it's just a turn of a knob for a different tune) and keep one low power for crawling. That is if I ever go through with this.

SO bumping this back up. Since they are equal length, is there any problem with extended them by the bushing to make them equal length that mount on the outside of the frame as well as extending them near the end of the beam for track width? Also I were to go down this path, could I offset the mounts to allow for more room in between the beams (to allow for a larger center u-joint) with out messing up the geometry / side to side wheel base?


Lastly, whats wrong with, on an open diff front end, running drive plates on the street, when the transfer case is in 2wd?

Might as well share some of my on-going project here. Havent made a build thread on this site, but since people are interested, might as well clarify some things for people. You can leave the top ball joint on a 44 arm and use the 50 lower ball joint. I know because I have done it. I will post all the details later in a build thread, but for now, these pics will have to hold you guys over. These are 44 arms with 50 lower ball joints, 50 knuckles, axleshafts and 50 pig.


PASSENGER: 44 top, 50 bottom



DRIVER: 44 top, 50 bottom



distance between ball joint sockets, 44 top, 50 bottom




















will be plated later









Like I said, still lots to be done, and will post all details later in a thread.

Nice!

Now go get an newer F150 front diff and pop it in there. Instant 40# weight savings........

Originally Posted by partybarge_pilot

Nice!

Now go get an newer F150 front diff and pop it in there. Instant 40# weight savings........

I tossed the 44 pig when I snagged the 44 beams. I want the cast 50 housing. This rig will be beat on, and if the 30 spline stuff gives me trouble, I can mod the 50 $hit to squeeze in 35 spline and 60 stuff.

Originally Posted by -Nathan-

I tossed the 44 pig when I snagged the 44 beams. I want the cast 50 housing. This rig will be beat on, and if the 30 spline stuff gives me trouble, I can mod the 50 $hit to squeeze in 35 spline and 60 stuff.

I must say those hybrid beams are looking really good man! Have any tips on places to look for 35 spline d60 stuff inside the d50 carrier? So far the I haven't found any info?

Way cool! I have both D44 and D50 beams sitting around waiting for something to happen.

Questions:

Are you building this hybrid to get the longer D44 driver's-side housing with the strength of the D50 knuckles?

Are you using 8-lug wheels, or converting to the 6-on-6-1/2 TT pattern?

I am using the 44 arms for the length, will be using 8 lug wheels (beadlocks), and 50 outers for strength (and ability to upgrade to 60 stuff). Also, I have a set of Copykat's conversion brackets, so the 44 arms will bolt in.

Nice!

pb i like the saving weight comment but we always snagged the 50 pivot axles for the ability to swap the axle by removing the 3 bolts and pulling it out unlike most ttb 44's that need to have the center section removed so the c clip can be pulled for axle removal.what style are you going for with this,im asking because im tossing the idea around of using the 97 and newer center section with a shortened passenger side axle and housing for my a armed expy,in stock length they break anyways and id like to play with axle length and position of the diff to attempt a narrow as possible center without breaking the bank.hopefully i wont have to bug you with all the plunging cv and hub q&a i had a few months ago.

Not all D44's are C-clipped, early units have a 3 bolt flange. I only run these.

As for the 8.8, You've seen them break an axle? I have seen several exploded inner CV's. Even 930's let go before anything in the diff, hence the 934 upgrade for the JD kits. Still have yet to see a anything in the diff let go even on a supercharged truck running 37's. Now the vac-lock hubs, those are questionable. Warn makes and upgrade for those I believe.

Fuckin sweet!!! Get them rad arms built dude!

Originally Posted by -Nathan-

good lord man i didnt know these were going to be going on a ranger that shits beef cake thats like wayyyyy strong

subbed!

Subscribing as I'm another secret d50 lover. LOVE the pics Nathan. One of these days I'll finish some of my current BS & get onto my sweet d50 truck idea.