Dana 44 problems

Unknown

I have a '49 coupe with a 341 DeSoto hemi and a 700R4. About four years ago I snapped the stock rearend and swapped in a dana 44 '52 rearend. Today while I had the car up on jackstands with the wheels off, getting them balanced, I decided to adjust the drums to get rid of the car pulling to the right. Got the fronts done and worked my way to the back. Got to the back drums and noticed a fair amount of freeplay at the drum from the left of the car to the right of the car.

So, I figured that the about 1/8" that it was moving was a little too much. I took the drums, brake parts and the backing plate off to find no shims between the backing plate and the outer race. However, the backing plate had a recess in it that looked to be about the same diameter of the race. To dad it looked like the side load of cornering had worn away that part of the backing plate. Me, I dunno.

So, I'm asking you guys. What should the freeplay be from side to side? Should the backing plate have that recess in there? Are there shims available, or will I need to reassemble with new bearings and seals and then take a measurement with a dial indicator and go from there? I'd have to get some shim stock and go to town I'd think. Oh and it seems like the axles touch each other, or there is a connnecting link between them. As I moved the axle in on one side, it would push the axle out on the otherside.



Help?

Unknown

Not a Dana 44 expert... but the following site has excellent resources for technical information and how to do procedures for the axel.

http://www.offroaders.com/directory/axles/dana44.htm

http://jeephorizons.com/tech/xj44part2.html

kamzack

The taperd axle dana as used in Hudsons and Studes are typically shimmed on one side only and without getting real techinal,I'd take the other side off as well to see if there are shims there. Haveing been involved in restoring Studes down south, the rear always got dipped and new inner seals and new bearings. The end play was not technically set-up, meaning it should move only enough to say that it moves. An eighth of an inch is too much.Way usually took shims from parts cars and I'm sure some of fellows here can help with procuring them.Hope this helps.

Kim

Park_W

Sounds like the outer race was turning in the housing and wore the back side of the backing plate. I'd replace that backing plate before adjusting the end play in the axles. And yes, there's a "floating" spacer block between the inner ends of the axles.

Unknown

Park W wrote:

Sounds like the outer race was turning in the housing and wore the back side of the backing plate. I'd replace that backing plate before adjusting the end play in the axles. And yes, there's a "floating" spacer block between the inner ends of the axles.

Ok, so we know the axles affect each other. I don't know if the outer race was turning in the housing, as it took a decent amount of whacks with a slide hammer to get the axle out. The outer race was holding it in. I could see that using shims on only one side would be ok. It shouldn't effect the drum placement over the shoes, right?



Also, what should the end play be?

Park_W

End play spec is .001 - .004, i.e., not very darned much! Factory info says all shims on these axles should be on the right side (on the earlier, Hudson-made axles, you divide the shims between L and R sides). If you took off the left backing plate, there shouldn't have been shims there. But there shouldn't be that worn groove, either. If you install a good backing plate before setting up the clearance, you may find you don't need any shims. Remember you remove shims to reduce the end-play.



Maybe the backing plate was worn by an earlier experience with a loose outer race. One wouldn't think it's been turning recently if you had to use several whacks to get the axle out.

Unknown

Park W wrote:

End play spec is .001 - .004, i.e., not very darned much! Factory info says all shims on these axles should be on the right side (on the earlier, Hudson-made axles, you divide the shims between L and R sides). If you took off the left backing plate, there shouldn't have been shims there. But there shouldn't be that worn groove, either. If you install a good backing plate before setting up the clearance, you may find you don't need any shims. Remember you remove shims to reduce the end-play.



Maybe the backing plate was worn by an earlier experience with a loose outer race. One wouldn't think it's been turning recently if you had to use several whacks to get the axle out.

Thanks a bunch for that information. Tonight I took the cover off and saw that "connecting block" between the axles. I'll have to scrounge around to see if dad has some good backing plates for a spicer axle.



I also found the bill of materials that is samped on the axle tube and the numbers off of the ring gear. Wednesday, I'll go down to my friends work and see if we can order up a bearing kit, a 19 spine power-lok, some inneer and outer grease seals and some wheel bearings. I have some compound to see what the pattern on the gears looks like. Might need a new 3.07 gearset. Here goes.

Park_W

If you want to change ratios, Reider Racing is a good source for gear sets. Real Dana parts, not el cheapo stuff. I'm running 3.73 in my "44", with overdrive.

Unknown

Park W wrote:

If you want to change ratios, Reider Racing is a good source for gear sets. Real Dana parts, not el cheapo stuff. I'm running 3.73 in my "44", with overdrive.

I temporarily reassembled part of it tonight. I have the drivers backing plate on, which I noticed has no recess in it. Tomorrow morning I will use 7 of the 15 sims that were on the passenger side to get it back together. That should net me half of the endplay that I had before. And allow me to get to my friends rearend shop when the parts come in.



I have checked out Reider racing before and they seem to have their stuff together with the dana applications. However, I bet we'll be using whoever my friends work goes through. Thanks again for all the help, I really appreciate it.



I'll post up with the finished results.