Crazy Idea...

[mudtoy67]

I've been interested in setting up rear steer for a long time (who hasn't?), but can't afford a bling custom axle. So i've been kinda thinking about getting a waggy or EB dana 44 front axle and just mount it in the rear. I'd still have to dish out some cash for the hydro steering, and I'd be back to dealing with an offset rear diff, but those are problems for another time. The question I'm wondering is do yall think a 44 would be able to hold up as a rear axle without spending big bucks on chromo shafts and such? I guess my thinking is that the rear would see a little more load than the front because when you're accelerating forward weight transfer is toward the rear. But then again the weight of the engine is on the front. :confused2

I'm only planning on running 36s and the 305 doesn't push big horsepower so theoretically it should work. :)

[agjohn02]

use a tractor axle, center diff.

shouldnt cost that much to re-tube and re-inner shaft a 44 should it?

it'll be a high pinion thats not meant to be a high pinion. oiling issues?

[mudtoy67]

use a tractor axle, center diff.

shouldnt cost that much to re-tube and re-inner shaft a 44 should it?

it'll be a high pinion thats not meant to be a high pinion. oiling issues?

Tractor axle is an interesting idea....i'll have to start searching for tractor junkyards.

By the time you retube and get shafts made for the dana 44 i figure the cost is not too far from getting a custom axle....maybe?

To install it in the rear it would just be turned around not flipped. Kinda like pulling the chunk out of a toyota front axle and sticking it in the rear axle.

[CheapJeep]

I made a thread about the tractor axle idea awhile back. Aside from the initial cost and lack of parts to be had, it's a great idea in my opinion. Not too mention the turning radius of tractor axle's is awesome. I'd say go for it.

[mudtoy67]

I made a thread about the tractor axle idea awhile back. Aside from the initial cost and lack of parts to be had, it's a great idea in my opinion. Not too mention the turning radius of tractor axle's is awesome. I'd say go for it.

Ya, I remember that now. Cost and parts would be a problem. Plus i'm thinking it might be difficult to match the tractor ratio to the FJ front axle, especially since a lot of 4x4 front tractor axles use planetary gears.

[stx4wheeler]

isnt there a big problem with the gears running on the wrong side with this type of situation, like if it were a standard gear set wouldn't you need reverse cut, since the gears are primarily made to go one direction? i dunno i could be on crack since i really havent slept in days.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

no, if the front diff is a low pinion, then its basically the same setup as a rear axle. Toyota trucks use the same diffs front and rear. I mean, you can literally pull the third members, swap them front to back, and its no different.

Thats not the case though if the axle is a high pinion. Those were meant to be the strongest in a front axle moving in the forward direction. Put one in the rear, and you've taken a significant loss in strength. Now you may argue, why doesn't the same thing happen when you put a low pinion in the front. Well its kinda tricky, but the simple answer is the front axle doesn't see the same kinda loads as a rear axle does.


As for the D44, I've gotta say your cruiser is going to be a little to heavy for that.

I had a similar idea using 2 steering waggy D44s in a samuria, since sammy's are lightwieght, and have a offset rear output

[mudtoy67]

Not if it's low pinion. Standard rotation gears use the drive side of the gear on the rear axle and the coast side of the gear on the front axle when driving forward. I think the gears may only be a problem if the axle is high pinion reverse rotation, because then it would be using the coast side of the gears when installed in the rear.

[TxCruzr]

Wow, I thought your crazy idea would be to get your cruiser running finally :flipoff2:
I don't think the d44 would hold up to crap in a heavy cruiser. It would be like putting a stock front cruiser axle back there. Maybe a cruiser axle with 30 splined longs in the rear but not a 44. I actually think someone is doing that on the mini board on por.
Back to my original statement....get it running :flipoff2:

[KrazyKarl02]

The question I'm wondering is do yall think a 44 would be able to hold up as a rear axle without spending big bucks on chromo shafts and such?


I ran my stock 96 bronco with 33's for about 2000 miles on only the front axle. I did 70+ mph on the freeway. So for your situation with 33's and assuming you did not hammer it to hard, I think it could work. Lockers might complicate this.

[TxCruzr]

I ran my stock 96 bronco with 33's for about 2000 miles on only the front axle. I did 70+ mph on the freeway. So for your situation with 33's and assuming you did not hammer it to hard, I think it could work. Lockers might complicate this.

The axle is going to see alot more abuse being in lo and off road wedged under rocks and stuff then on the highway. Plus the extra weight of the rig on the rear axle when climbing.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

its been brought up several times on the mini board, and the general concensus has been it would be a bad idea, even with smaller tires, and upgraded shafts. And mini trucks are how much lighter than a cruiser?

[TxCruzr]

Just twin stick the d300 or whatever your dreaming of putting in there :flipoff2: and upgrade the front axle or something. Or....you could just get started working on it :gigem:

[uglyota]

so how's that powerglide working out so far? :flipoff2:

[stx4wheeler]

Just twin stick the d300 or whatever your dreaming of putting in there :flipoff2: and upgrade the front axle or something. Or....you could just get started working on it :gigem:

pot meet kettle :flipoff2:

[CRaSHnBuRN]

pot meet kettle :flipoff2:

finally someone says what we've all been thinking

[TxCruzr]

*cough*cough* mines up and running thank you very much :gigem:

[CRaSHnBuRN]

really? lets see a video of this new torque monster smoking the tires

[mudtoy67]

Just twin stick the d300 or whatever your dreaming of putting in there :flipoff2: and upgrade the front axle or something. Or....you could just get started working on it :gigem:


so how's that powerglide working out so far?

I've already got the D300 and the powerglide is not too far off.....well I'll get it when I graduate.....which might be another 10 years :)

And I have been working on it. I've been thinking quite profusely about all these crazy things I will do to it when I get out of school :gigem:

The powerglide may become a C4 if I decide to yank the engine out of the ford whenever I get another daily driver. The C4 with adapter to the D300 is only one inch longer than the Glide/300 plus it's got an extra gear. Plus everyone knows Fords are better. I'm also thinking about going back with a TH350/300 cause it's only a couple inches longer than the glide with a Novak adapter.

I'm also well on my way to building a new cage....I got a sweet anglefinder off craigslist a couple weeks ago for $10 :gigem:


I ran my stock 96 bronco with 33's for about 2000 miles on only the front axle. I did 70+ mph on the freeway. So for your situation with 33's and assuming you did not hammer it to hard, I think it could work. Lockers might complicate this.

I did have a crazy thought about running TTB in the rear of a buggy.....it would be interesting...

[TxCruzr]

I used the same guts as he did on his 383 build except for using a 400 crank and not one of the newer 383 cranks that is a 350 crank but with the stroke of a 400, and I used 2.02 heads I can't remember what he used. I think I want to get a few more miles on it before I go and do that...

[CRaSHnBuRN]

picture no worky

[TxCruzr]

Plus everyone knows Fords are better.
:laughing: you almost had me
fixed picture

[mudtoy67]

I used the same guts as he did on his 383 build except for using a 400 crank and not one of the newer 383 cranks that is a 350 crank but with the stroke of a 400, and I used 2.02 heads I can't remember what he used. I think I want to get a few more miles on it before I go and do that...

Well I used the same block as he did except mine has a smaller bore and stroke and all stock internals but I blocked off the EGR and put a new water pump on it and it came out of a camaro so its forkin' sweet :flipoff2:

[CheapJeep]

Anyone notice the budweiser can in the bottom left of that pic? Dead giveaway, you give someone a budweiser and there's bound to be some redneck happenings.

[TxCruzr]

Well I used the same block as he did except mine has a smaller bore and stroke and all stock internals but I blocked off the EGR and put a new water pump on it and it came out of a camaro so its forkin' sweet :flipoff2:

Hey, shouldn't you be writing wedding invitations or something :flipoff2:

[mudtoy67]

Hey, shouldn't you be writing wedding invitations or something :flipoff2:

No, I told her if she really wanted my input on anything she can ask....



so far it hasn't been a problem :D