Dana 44 help.
 

Hi all, I have a dana 44 open knuckle under my 3/4 ton and am debating if i should do the steering knuckles myself or have it done. Need to know what kind of special tools i might need but most importantly i need some good step by step reference material so was hoping someone out there can steer me in the right direction.

I find stuff for Fords and jeeps on line but wanna be sure i have the correct reference material to read up on before i decide if i start the job or hire it done.

I have done wheel bearings on trailers or front of 2wd cars ect, and have installed warn hubs and have a little training on a few heavy equipment pumpkins about 30 years ago but never have i ventured into steering knuckels and hubs ect from a front axle. I'm sure i have the ability but don't know if i have all the right tools (specialty) or even where would be a good place to find the correct bearings and seals. Thanks

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Don't believe the manual where it says gently tap the spindle when removing it. Get the slide hammer and adapter from the parts store, or the spindle isn't coming off w/o nuclear weapons. ;)

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

By manual are you referencing a Clymers or Haynes? I seeme to have missplaced my book, am still looking for it.. Will that book have enough info to do the job?

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

You can borrow most of the parts from Auto Zone (bearing pullers, blind puller, spindle socket, bearing set tool, tie rod remover). You can google Dana 44 bearing install and find loads of pics and tutorials.

I say do it yourself (unless it's your daily driver and you have to have it back together overnight!) NAPA has all of the bearings, ball joints that you need.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Here's some of what I use, that you might not have.

snap ring pliers
spindle nut socket
ball joint splitter (pickle fork)
1/2 torque wrench
upper ball joint adjusting socket
ball joint press

You can get the spindle off with a piece of wood and a big hammer and PB Blaster if you dont have the tool.

You can drive seals out with a punch and in with a suitable piece of wood.

You can remove TRE (tie rod end) with 2 hammers if you dont have the tool.

The GM service manual gives better pictures and instructions on how to do the job.

Also, while your in there, check out your axle end u joints.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Only advice I can give is make sure you follow the procedures EXACTLY (can't remember what they are lol) for installing the ball joints. They can be hurt rather easily if you torque them just a little too much. But otherwise go for it! Also make sure you get the D44 spindle nut socket or you won't get very far.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

As OLDCHEV4X4 mentioned.... There is another socket required to do this install. You need the one for the upper ball-joint sleeve. It looks like a miniture version of the spindle nut socket. It is used to remove and install/torque the new tapered sleeve the should come with your new upper ball-joint.
Many guys don't even know that this sleeve is there when they start this project. An auto parts place that has the ball-joints should have that socket too....

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Thanks to all the replys! I found my manual, its a Chiltons, it has shed a little light in the subject.. Wish I had a GM Manual!

What i don't have from everything i have read is listed below with a few questions:

Spindle socket, I have seen one made out of 2" PVC but unsure about torqueing upon reassembly.

Blind puller, I have a 3 jaw puller but not sure if it will work, i'm assuming this is for the inner Hub bearing?

Upper Balljoint adjusting socket: Don't know what makes it different from a regular socket.

Ball Joint press:

PB Blaster: What in the world is this?? LOL!

This is not my daily driver, unfortunantly for me i will have to do this in my driveway as i cant get my truck into my garage, so when i do it i need to know i have everything i need before i start..

Thanks for everyones help!

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

blind bearing puller is for the needle bearing inside the hub (I think), PB Blaster (you're kidding right?) is great penetration lube (that sounds naughty). Spindle Socket is about $10 to buy your own, no PVC required. :lol:

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

LOL! I was in the mindset thinking "tools" when i read the PB blaster.. oh well.. yea i know what it is now.. my goof!

Tomorrow i will get out there and look for the BOM numbers and look it up on the dana site, curious to see what it comes up with.

http://www2.dana.com/expertforms/deabill.aspx

Then pull a wheel and give it a good looking over before i make my next move.

But the next thing on my list is to install new water pump, alternator and pulleys that i allready have sitting in my garage..

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

I am in your same situation with my Dana 44 steering knuckle installation. If you have the time I'm always up for doing it myself. But I just tried a rental ball bearing installation kit from Autozone and it was a pain in the keester tried to install the ball joints with damaging my recent powder coat job. So after installing one I took it to the local machine shop to have them installed - R&B Machine Shop in High Point, NC for you local guys.

We went over the direction they were supposed to be installed and I labeled the upper joints and hole as 'A's and lower joints and holes as 'Bs' to prevent any mistakes. I even left him my LMC catalog with the diagram! $45 WELL SPENT.

As Longhair said, don't forget about the upper ball adjusting sleeves which will need to be installed too. I took you some pics of the pieces which came with the upper ball joints I bought from LMC as well as the old adjusting sleeve which need removed from my Dana 44 housing yoke.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

I've never seen one made from plastic....but I would bet that is won't work. The prongs would not be strong enough to handle the torque.
All ofthe ones I have seen are made from thick walled steel tube that has a cap welded on the end for the ratchet's square drive.

Blind puller is a tool that connects to a slide hammer to pull out bearings that you cannot drive from the other direction. I have one for the outer wheel bearing of the rear axle. For the inner spindle bearing there is a "driver" tool that slides in from the other end and expands behind the bearing. It pushes the bearing out like a punch.

The upper ball-joint socket has prongs on it very much like the spindle nut socket, only its a lot smaller. You need it because there is a specific torque required on it when re-installing.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Thanks for the pic's, got a couple questions:

If not for damaging the fresh powdercoat do you think the puller kit would have done a good enough job installing the king pins?

Wish i had the time and cash to have one powdercoated!

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Great pic's thanks!

I have a couple 4X4 places around here, guess i could allways have them do it as a carry in if nessasary..

Did you have any issues in getting the correct parts when you ordered thru LMC?

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Looking at the yoke pic above i'm now assuming the outer part of the sleeve threaded? I can see how a 4 prong socket would fit the top now as it looks like it need a socket with 4 fingers (just like the mini version you mentioned)...

Last question i cant decipher from My Chiltons is do you use the pickel fork to pop the kingpins loose? It mentioned a tool and process but couldn't tell if the book refered to a pickel fork.

I do have a couple local 4X4 shops around that i'm sure can install the kingpins and pull the hub bearings if need be..

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated. I'm working this weekend so cant do anything with it today.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Kingpins are a totally different thing, don't get things confused.

If you don't have a press to get the ball-joints out of the knuckles, a local shop may be your best bet.

As far as getting it apart, it can be difficult. You are essentially breaking two tapers at the same time. A BFH and a good aim are important. The biggest hammer is not necessary, swinging speed matters.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

If you go here - http://www2.dana.com/pdf/5310-3.pdf this gives some more detail of how to. I did the whole job myself. Bought the upper ball joint and hub sockets. But I did use my large shop press to get things apart. Didn't have/need any blind puller.

Bill.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

I found this as well. Checked mine when I was done and was within spec. If it's wrong it can cause problems/wandering etc?

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Sigh, ok Ball Joints... :lol:

Hey, I have one of these, Your and BillHillys replys got me out of yet another mindset, that maybe i can use this instead of the specialty puller/installer for the ball Joints in and out of the knuckles? Just being sure
http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-...ess-32879.html

Not to sound stupid but are you using the pickle fork when you break the tapers? or just smacking the top stud with the hammer? or smackin the top of the knuckle?

Thanks again, I have never done this stuff so just makin sure i know as much as possible before i start.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Hey thanks for the link, Pdf and the advice!

I was sitting here in the mindset that because of the shape of the knuckle I absolutly HAD to use the specialty puller/installer, but hey i have a 20T press in my garage, sounds like I may have this thing in the bag once i get the sleeve adjuster socket and if nessasary the bearing puller if what i have doesent work, I got the hub socket yesterday.

I will order parts next week.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

One thing I should add.
What made the dismantle work for me was I happened to have a block of steel 1 1/2" X 2 1/2" X about 12" long. Now I don't remember the exact details but it was the perfect size that with a few offcuts of pipe etc gave me the support I needed to get the old joints out. I think it fitted through the axle/spindle hole and enabled me to put some serious pressure on to get the old joints out. You'll have to get your's on your press and see what will work for you.

Bill.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Hi Bill! Thanks for the reply! Sorry about so many questions but i have never dissasembled one of these yet.

When the time gets here, and i say that cause i just hurt my knee so need to heal, i'll dig into my scrap pile and see what i have to use with the press.

The fork i have is good for the tie rods, don't know if i'll need a larger pickle fork untill i can get back out there and check.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Here is a pic of the ' ball joint spanner wrench' I purchased off Amazon to remove the old threaded adjusting sleeve. It was a little pricier than expected - $24 - but I was tired of going to Napa, Autozone, Advanced and Reillys and hearing them say they did not carry it.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Thanks for the pic, i just ordered one. :)

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Finally got the upper ball adjusting sleeves removed. Had some trouble initially and the BFH didn't work. But after I gave them a few sprays on this stuff and hit them with my 1/2" torque wrench and the spanner they came right out.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Thanks for the tip Shawn!

EDIT: Forgot to ask, where did you get your Kingpins? how much were they? I was looking at Early Classic enterprises and it was looking like $78 each for the upper and $95 for the lower, these are suppost to be Moog parts.. Do you have part numbers??

I admitedly havent had the money to buy parts yet, have to pay off some bills first.. :op

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

if you're gonna pull hub I hope you've thought about switching to xover steering.
OMG, it's SO much better than stock steering arm geometry.
It's even better enuff I'm gonna put xover on my beater truck
http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.com/index21.html#d44

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Question, All I do is drive street and dirt road if i go camping, would i really see or feel a benefit in my application? I fully understand the geometry and ground clearance benefit.

I thank you for the webpage, got that one saved!! looks like they might have a rear disk conversion for my Eaton rear diff too.. :)

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

There's that "king pin" thing again. These are not king pin front ends. They have ball-joints, there is a big difference.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Late to the party again. :uhmk:

I just did my ball joints, and everything else on the D44 on my F250. A few things are different (axles), but very similar in how the job is done. And how much of a pain it is to separate old parts!

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

LOL! Thats what happens when i'm just waking up with my cup of coffee!! :mm: Believe it or not I was asking myself after i left the house if i posted king pin again..

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

if you want a noticeably better turning radius & bump steer
I couldn't run a front locker w/o it, it's a fix of an OEM bad idea.
Yes that does happen, even w/ chevy's.
& rear discs, if you're towing or just want that eaton easier to work on & get parts, get the parking brake.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Yea that was the first thing i found looking at the webpage was the rear disk conversion for the Eaton. :)

I already love the turning radius on my truck, you mean it can get better? LOL!

Thanks again for the link!

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

There is really no such thing as "bump steer" in a solid axle vehicle. Bump steer is a condition in which the toe measurement changes as the suspension cycles through it's travel. As the toe changes the vehicle's direction changes with the dominant tire. It can be quite unnerving.
With a straight axle vehicle, a solid straight tie-rod connects the wheels to the point that they cannot "steer" independently from each other.

There is an exception to this, but it only applies to early to mid 70s Ford trucks and some late model Dodges. They had a crazy version of cross-over steering called "inverted y". The main tie-rod went directly from the steering box to the right side wheel, with a secondary (short) rod that connects the left wheel from the middle of the main rod. As the suspension travels the toe changes quite a bit.
Converting away from this is as popular with the Ford guys as the part-time conversion is with the Chevy guys, because it could be done with stock parts from '78-'79 model trucks. This was all before the abomination that came along in '80. The 4 wheel drive version of the twin I-beam, called twin traction beam....true POS.

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

Isn't that also similar to the set up used on Willy's and Kaiser era Jeeps?

Re: Dana 44 help.
 

I don't recall them being that way?

Maybe you are thinking of M151? But those are pretty rare. So many of them were destroyed because they were deemed unsafe.