Dana 44 buildup

[mudtoy67]

I'd like to get something done on the FJ over the xmas break, so I'm thinking about building my dana 44 rear. I've got most everything I need already, so it shouldn't cost me too much to do. I've already got the bearings, 4.56s, and welded diff out of my 5lug 44. I need to by new axle bearings and seals, and get some ring and pinion setup shims because the pinion is shimmed under the race instead of under the bearing like the CJ axle was.

The only crazy idea I have for this build is to shave the pumpkin while everything is still apart. I'm not sure how to go about this though. I've seen a bunch of different ways to do it on Pirate. It'd be nice to do it on a mill, but gaining access to one is difficult. It can be done with a grinder, but that sounds like it would be extremely time consuming. I've seen some people have done it with a sawzall, I think that's the way I'm gonna do it. The next thought is about how to weld in the new bottom of the pumpkin. Anyone know the "quick and easy" way to do it? I know it's probably neither quick or easy, but it's something I'm pretty sure I can do myself.

I know there are several ways of welding cast iron. First: with proper preheating can this be done with a MIG? How do I go about preheating? Do I heat the weld area with a rosebud till it's red? Or just get it good and hot? I'm a lot better with a mig than I am with a stick welder. I've read that if it's done with stick it needs to be a nickel rod with a special flux.....that's what makes me think that the MIG would not work. The FJ is just a trail rig, and even then doesn't get beat on that hard, so doing this 100% the correct way is not totally necessary.

[eight]

Do you gain much by cutting and welding in a plate? I took about 1/2" off my d44 with a grinder. Doesn't take long if you've got a big grinder.

[AggieTJ2007]

the best way to do it is to stick it. you can try either Ferroweld, or a high nickel content rod.

When you preheat you don't have to get the metal all that hot. You generall want to heat the metal to around 400-500 degrees. It is also important to post heat the metal after you are done welding and let it cool slowly at a rate of around 100 degrees per hour.

[mudtoy67]

Do you gain much by cutting and welding in a plate? I took about 1/2" off my d44 with a grinder. Doesn't take long if you've got a big grinder.

You gain some, depending on how much material can be removed until you run into the ring gear. You do have a point though. Even if I was able to remove a full inch off the bottom, I would still be welding in at least a 3/8" plate on the bottom, which would give me a gain in clearance of only 5/8". When I come up to CS in a couple weeks I'm gonna have to take some measurements.

[Shaggy]

how bout just putting on bigger tires and that will give you more clearance... my rear axle is a boat anchor and i have like 11" of clearance back there

[Shaggy]

and just grinding it sounds much easier

[stx4wheeler]

but cutting and welding is much more baller, go that way bdr. i know there are lots of threads on doing it on nine inches in the ford section on pirate, should be the same process for the 44 basically i would think. and i think on a nine inch, most people gain close to an inch.

[BMFScout]

a 9" is a lot more weldable than a 44

[stx4wheeler]

tis true, since you dont have to fawk with the cover and cast.

[mudtoy67]

I've done some searching on pirate and haven't found anything yet specifically about shaving a 44. I'm gonna have to do some measuring to see if it's worth the cut/weld, or if I should just grind some of the bottom off like kopeki. If I get real crazy I've seen that some people even grind the o.d. of the ring gear down to gain a quarter inch more material removed from the pumpkin. Just grind, cool in water, grind, cool in water - little by little.

On a side note I did pick up some 35s at a garage sale a while back.....so that'll help ground clearance too like Tate said.