620 4x4 Need info on front axle.

[dimedriver]

I just picked up a 74 620 4x4.

 

It has what I think is a Dana 44 front axle.

With drum brakes and a 5 lug setup.

 

I would like some info on the axle lengths or anything else needed if I were to rebuild the front axle or upgrade to disk.

 

I think I will be tackling the dana 20 transfer case pretty soon. It looks like it's been leaking for a while.

 

I will have some pics up soon, maybe tonight. Im going to be bleeding the brakes, so I should get some good pics of the axle without the wheels on.

[datsunaholic]

It's more likely a Dana 30 front. It COULD be a D44, but most of the conversions were done with D30s, which were pretty much from a Jeep.

[]2eDeYe]

Can you get any pic's?

 

As Holic said most likely a Dana 30, but anything could have been swapped in there. Dana 44's came with 5 on 5.5 lug pattern on Ford's and Dodges but they would be much wider than your truck.

[dimedriver]

I looked at this page and thought it looked most like the 44 but that may have been wishful thinking.

http://www.coloradok5.com/axleguide.shtml

 

The 30 and the 44 look somewhat similar in that chart.

 

I will have some good pictures up after work today.

[mike]

30 and 44 look identical except the 30 is a tad smaller. Good news is that the 30 shares the same outer "c"s as the 44 which means you can swap six lud and disk onto the front super cheap...

 

I know theres a stamp on the housing in around the webbing on the bottom that will say d44 or 60, I dont know about the 30s but it would make sense that theres something there...

[makya]

Some of the conversions had a six lug D30(like mine). others had the five lug jeep pattern front and rear.

 

The tech section on Pirate 4x4 has a how to on the disc brake and knuckle conversion from a 44. It also allows you to run the larger 297 ujoints instead of the weaker 260.

[dimedriver]

Sorry about taking so long on the picks but here they are.

 

Front of front diff.

 

Another front of front diff.

 

close up of front of front diff.

 

Passanger side ?Kunckle/Ball joint? My 4x4 speak is weak.

 

Driver's side

 

 

Im pretty sure this is the factory rear end.

 

 

Front diff from the rear.

 

Another of the front diff from the rear.

 

Me in the truck.

 

 

-Dime out!

Edited October 6, 2009 by dimedriver
Fix IMG tags. Its getting late.

[makya]

yup, it's a 30, and it is a stock rear.

 

if you plan on doing any serious wheeling, reinforce your spring hangers

[dimedriver]

Yeah I thought they should have a diagonal bar in them or something to keep them from collapsing from side forces.

 

So it looks like the disk brake upgrade can be done with a mix of ford and jeep parts from the early 80's.

 

So far this is the best post on it I have found.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434264

 

I will keep looking and let you guys know what happens.

 

I guess I will also have to swap the Master cylinder for the early 280zx 15/16th MC. Was there ever a 1 inch master with this mounting style?

 

 

-Dime out

[dimedriver]

This write up seems even better with part number and everything.

 

http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/drivetrain/154_0704_early_jeep_disk_brake_conversion/index.html

[]2eDeYe]

That's not a Dana 30, none that I know of came closed knuckle. Probably a Dana 25 or 27 out of a early/early CJ.

 

I would find a Dana 44 out of a Jeep Wagoneer with the correct diff location (passenger side) and swap it in with some new gears to match the rear (your rear is most likely the stock 4.375 Datsun ratio). This will give you large disc breaks and a much stronger axle.

 

Should run you about the same $ wise as trying to get all the parts to make that old/weak axle stop better.

 

Edit: The first link your posted is for an open knuckle Dana 30, the second link is for a closed knuckle Dana 25/27/44.

[dimedriver]

Yup there is a big "25" on top of the case near the input.

 

Will the 44 from the wagoner have the same width as this axle?

I wounder how hard one will be to find in the yards here.

 

I will begin my search this weekend.

[]2eDeYe]

The wagoneer axle is 62" from Wheel Mounting Surface to WMS

 

Stock CJ is 58" (I think) from WMS to WMS

 

The spring spacing is probably different as well. I know the Wagoneer is about 31" and the CJ5 is about 29". So that may need to be addressed, not sure of the Datto spring spacing.

 

I'm hoping some wheel spacers in the rear will make the rear close to the same width. I'm getting ready to swap a waggy front Dana 44 into my CJ5. :)

[RGB]

Look for a 72-73 Jeep Commando. They would have the narrow track open knuckle D-30 front and D-44 rear end.

[makya]

2eDeYe;213394']That's not a Dana 30' date=' none that I know of came closed knuckle. Probably a Dana 25 or 27 out of a early/early CJ.

 

I would find a Dana 44 out of a Jeep Wagoneer with the correct diff location (passenger side) and swap it in with some new gears to match the rear (your rear is most likely the stock 4.375 Datsun ratio). This will give you large disc breaks and a much stronger axle.

 

Should run you about the same $ wise as trying to get all the parts to make that old/weak axle stop better.

 

Edit: The first link your posted is for an open knuckle Dana 30, the second link is for a closed knuckle Dana 25/27/44.[/quote']

 

Redeye is right, I thought they made a closed knuckle 30, but saw tha tyou found the 25 on the case. ratio could be anything from a 4:10 to 4:88 (mine came w/4:88's)

 

2eDeYe;213759']The wagoneer axle is 62" from Wheel Mounting Surface to WMS

 

Stock CJ is 58" (I think) from WMS to WMS

 

The spring spacing is probably different as well. I know the Wagoneer is about 31" and the CJ5 is about 29". So that may need to be addressed' date=' not sure of the Datto spring spacing.

 

I'm hoping some wheel spacers in the rear will make the rear close to the same width. I'm getting ready to swap a waggy front Dana 44 into my CJ5. :)[/quote']

 

The frame is narrow in the front and the spring perches have to be spaced out and gusseted to mount the 30 front. I don't know how wide the perches are for the 25. 44 you'd have to move the perches on the axle or outboard the mounts on the frame.

[]2eDeYe]

They should be the same, I'm fairly certain the frame width for the CJ's is the same from 75 all the back to the flatties. Even then the newer CJ's had the same frame width up front.