What parts can I swap from Dana 44 to GM 10 bolt?

[Mattchu60]

Hey Folks, more axle questions here.

I have a 10 bolt 6 lug on my 87 right now. I would like to change this out to 8 lug. I may have found a set of axles, but the problem is the front is a Dana 44. I rebuilt my 10-bolt with new Moog ball joints last year and new spicer u-joints, so really not wild about just getting rid of it. I know some parts swap over.

Here is what I would "like" to do, let me know if this works.

Steal the ball joints and spindles from the 10-bolt and put them on the Dana 44. use the Dana 44 housing/axles/everything else.

Basically, are the spindles the same or different? I know GM copied a lot of stuff when they made the 10-bolt

 

[smurph20]

Dont hold me to it but i think you can swap it all over from the knuckles out like you are wanting too.

 

[bucket]

Yeah, you can swap everything from the knuckles out. You get into some year differences with the bearings, hubs, locks and spindles, so if you don't know exactly what you have you should swap all of it. However, you can use your current knuckles and not worry about swapping around the ball joints. If the D44 has a flat top knuckle on the passenger side, then those knuckles are useful for upgrading to crossover steering.

 

[Tyger13us]

Dont hold me to it but i think you can swap it all over from the knuckles out like you are wanting too.

yep,,,,,,, its all the same..

junk the GM use the dana,, axels,, houseing,, gears,, knuckles,, to much to get in to..

got questions? pm me or we can keep this thread going......

Or ask crazy4offroad,, he seems to know his big ****.........

but i know dana 44 front............. it aint no 60!!!!!!

it just its lil brother............... and i think bader tough.. ive seen 1000 hp pumped through a dana 44,, its the ass end that EXPLODES.........

 

[Mattchu60]

So - I can use my current knuckles and ball joints from the 10 bolt on the Dana 44? Thats really all I want to keep.

What about hooking up to the driveshaft? Would they use the same u-joint size?

 

[Swims350]

if you get the dana 44 front axle I'd like to have the dana knuckles or at least the ps one, but both would be better, you say the dana is 8 lug though?

 

[bucket]

So - I can use my current knuckles and ball joints from the 10 bolt on the Dana 44? Thats really all I want to keep.

What about hooking up to the driveshaft? Would they use the same u-joint size?

Yeah, you can use your knuckles. You should also be able to use your current outer shafts and u-joints too if you already replaced those, you just have to use the D44 inner shafts.

D-shaft still hooks up the same.

 

[Scorpion]

Spindles and hubs are likely different. The 8-lug stuff uses a larger inner bearing. Backing plates might be slightly different to but both will work. Other than that, it's all the same. Been a few years.

 

[HotRodPC]

For that sake of KNOWING all is good and compatible, since you have the Dana 44 8 Lug, I'd just buy new BJ's and Spicers for the Dana 44 and use it. Surely you can sell the front 10 bolt for a fair price being that has new Moog BJ's and Spicer Joints.

I too am in your boat. I have plenty of 8 lug rear 14b Full and Semi Float Axles, but I need to find at least 1 8 lug front axle. I think one of my 4x4's I'm going to keep it with the sissy 6 lug half ton powertrain to be able to keep cheaper tires, the wheels that I have and use it more for daily driving and bad weather. The off-road toy will have the 8 luggers and the NP205.

 

[Scorpion]

The benefits of the 44 do truly out weigh the cost of a refresh if the differences are valuable for how you use the truck. The primary difference is the inner shafts. They neck down after the seal surface and are prone to break at that spot. The ring gear is negligibly weaker on the 10-bolt. I've had more 8-lug half ton stuff than anything else and can honestly say that unless you get bound up and try to throttle through, it won't likely matter which you have. Even my current rig had one and the only thing wrong with it is there was a Dana 60 taking up space in the garage that needed a home. If you think shaft strength will be an issue at some point, go 44. Can't you get your money back out of the 10-bolt by selling locally?