Need Input for upgrading Dana 44 and 9"

[Tgure]

I have full width HP 44 and a BB 9" I am in process of tearing down so I can clean them up and paint them. So I figure I might as well build em right while I have them apart. So my questions for you guys are:

1. What gear ratio? (I am running 35's now will probably go to 38's later and running an AOD. Will be used on and off road) I was thinking 5.13's what do you think?

2. Upgrading axles while I am in there. What should I get for the 44 and the 9"

3. Lockers. Alot of on road miles as well as off road. Should I do ARB's front and back? or ARB front and something else in rear?

4. Anything I am forgetting? I will not do this myself since I don't have the equipment to set these up properly but would like to have some knowledge when I go shopping around. And I need to do this ASAP so I can start putting this beast back together.

TIA ;D

 

[msuforeman]

I am running warn axles in the front w/ctms and a arb. In the rear I am using Superiors' 31 spline axles and a arb. The gears are 4.88s with 38" sx's. I wish I could tell you how they do but since I'm still rebuilding the rest of the bronco I can't. Everytime I get close to getting it back on the road I decide to do something else. I WAS almost done a week ago but I decide to swap engines. I'm going to 85 mustang HO motor from my tired, oil burning, oil leaking stock motor. Good luck with whatever you decide. I wish I could give you some first hand knowledge about my setup but I haven't got to that point yet.

Brian

 

[bronco217]

I run 5.13's with 38's and if you are consistantly going to run on the road without overdrive I'd run 4.88's, I run about 3000 r's at 60mph. If you're going overdrive I'd run the 5.13's. For the axles, Superiors are the best, Warns are real good, don't have any exp. with Yukons, stay away from Mosiers, but if you're going to beat on it with 38's better go with something good, as well as good joints. I'm running some new yukon joints that look like CTM knock offs made with 4130 steel instead of 300m, I've been really impressed with them. Lockers, if you have the coin go ARB's front and rear, if not ARB rear, detroit front. That's my .02. Tom

 

[SaddleUp]

If your shelling out the bucks to upgrade everything to work with 38" tires you should consider putting D60's under it instead.

1: 4.88 for a primarily street vehicle or 5.11 for a primarily trail rig running 38" tires. (Pretty sure the HP gears are actually 5.11) Something to consider is that the 4.88 range puts the gears a bit wide between fr/rr using a HP D44 (something like 4.92 Fr/4.88 Rr). Enough so that 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers said they wouldn't work. (Though I question whether they really know enough to determine this or not as I'm pretty sure others are running this set up) For 35" tires most of us run 4.56's with a few running either 4.10's or 4.88's.

2: I ended up getting a Yukon long side for the front after busting about 4 Superior front long sides. After a few trips the Yukon is still holding up. In the back I have one Superior and one Yukon. Both seem to be holding up well however the Yukon doesn't have the access hole for the axle retainer nuts. They can still be accessed from the side (As long as you don't have disk brakes on the back) but it would be nicer to have the hole there. (I'm considering disks so I may end up having a hole drilled in it)

3: This will depend on budget and terrain. I run Detroit Lockers at both ends on mine but it sees a lot of trail time. They will not work good for ice and packed snow though.

4: Anything over 35" tires will be hard on the 9"/HP D44 combo no matter how you build them. For a complete build up I would look toward the D60's as I mentioned above. Since I have a lot of money soaked into my current setup I'm looking at 37" tires for mine when my current 35" tires wear out. If I happen to find a set of D60's at a reasonable price I'll go with them instead and look at 38.5's.

 

[Tgure]

I won't do a ton of hard core wheeling so I think I will stay with the 44/9 since I already have them. I am not positive I will go up to 38's either but want it built enough to handle 38's if I do.

My rig will be my daily driver as well. Right now I work from home so don't drive much at all but that could change.

Anyone else have more input? Anyone know a good place in Phx, AZ to have this work done at?

 

[PPiazza]

If your shelling out the bucks to upgrade everything to work with 38" tires you should consider putting D60's under it instead.

1: 4.88 for a primarily street vehicle or 5.11 for a primarily trail rig running 38" tires. (Pretty sure the HP gears are actually 5.11) Something to consider is that the 4.88 range puts the gears a bit wide between fr/rr using a HP D44 (something like 4.92 Fr/4.88 Rr). Enough so that 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers said they wouldn't work. (Though I question whether they really know enough to determine this or not as I'm pretty sure others are running this set up) For 35" tires most of us run 4.56's with a few running either 4.10's or 4.88's.

2: I ended up getting a Yukon long side for the front after busting about 4 Superior front long sides. After a few trips the Yukon is still holding up. In the back I have one Superior and one Yukon. Both seem to be holding up well however the Yukon doesn't have the access hole for the axle retainer nuts. They can still be accessed from the side (As long as you don't have disk brakes on the back) but it would be nicer to have the hole there. (I'm considering disks so I may end up having a hole drilled in it)

3: This will depend on budget and terrain. I run Detroit Lockers at both ends on mine but it sees a lot of trail time. They will not work good for ice and packed snow though.

4: Anything over 35" tires will be hard on the 9"/HP D44 combo no matter how you build them. For a complete build up I would look toward the D60's as I mentioned above. Since I have a lot of money soaked into my current setup I'm looking at 37" tires for mine when my current 35" tires wear out. If I happen to find a set of D60's at a reasonable price I'll go with them instead and look at 38.5's.

I agree with the comments about 60's. If your going to do it and are going with bigger than 35's go with a set of 60's. You wont regret it.

 

[68beast]

This might be a little off topic but if the guy you send it to is gonna reposition spring mounts etc., make sure he knows that your truck is lifted. I made the mistake of not making sure and had to redo the rear myself, and the shock mounts are so far off that the bushings in the ends are splitting(bc broncos inboard shock mount). Anyway this may have nothing to do with your application but maybe it could save you some extra time down the road.

BTW I run 37's with 4.88's and wish that I only had an overdrive, good luck with whatever you decide to do