uni-bearing swap

paradisePWoffrd

Recovering Project Junkie
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Location
Newton, NC
Anyone know where you can find a hub conversion for a 94-01 dodge ram 1500? I know Warn makes one for the Jeeps, but does anyone make one for the d44 or does anyone know where you can get custom d44 spindles at?
 
no one makes one, and there are no factory parts you can piece together. basically, your only option is cutting off the inner C and welding ones on from another axle that will allow outers w/ locking hubs to be installed. by the time you go through that effort, you might as well just swap in a complete hp44 (or 60) from a ford.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
can you not just use a new outer knuckle off a different d44? arent all d44s the same size knuckles?

Maybe yes. Maybe no.

Most D44's will interchange, BUT ....
Dodges have often taken the trail less traveled.

Some of the later Dodges used a little different set-up.

What I would do, is visit your favorite AP store and see what balljoints they list for your vehicle, and see if they are the same as the ones listed from your intended donor knuckles original application.

If they are the same P/N -
Then take some careful measurements off your knuckles and look at it real hard. Then if everything looks most likely to work. Tear into it and see if it all lines up & fits.

The catch is probably going to be in the spindle / hub assy. I doubt you are going to have the same wheel pattern as the late Dodge and getting the brake calipers to line up is probably going to be ....

...interesting & challenging.


But, hey. Front brakes are over rated anyway.
:lol:
 
no. the 94+ dodge d44 knuckles are completely different that any others.
 
yeah i work at an AP store so ive looked through the balljoint and the lowers are the same but the uppers are a lil different. the base is the same but the shaft is larger. brakes i can deal with, but im borrow an extra set from a buddy and see if they line up. ill post my conclusions afterwards, but if anyone knows of a place the buy a spindle without the mounting holes machined in it yet, let me know? i have access to a machine shop so thats fine, just want a spindle blank basically?
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
yeah i work at an AP store so ive looked through the balljoint and the lowers are the same but the uppers are a lil different. the base is the same but the shaft is larger. brakes i can deal with, but im borrow an extra set from a buddy and see if they line up. ill post my conclusions afterwards, but if anyone knows of a place the buy a spindle without the mounting holes machined in it yet, let me know? i have access to a machine shop so thats fine, just want a spindle blank basically?


Weld up the mounting holes on the spindle and redrill them?
 
dodge balljoints press into the axle housing, not the knuckle itself, that is why you cannot swap other dana 44 knuckles onto it, the only way is as Rufus said by cutting and swapping the inner c's
 
brakes i can deal with, but im borrow an extra set from a buddy and see if they line up. ill post my conclusions afterwards, but if anyone knows of a place the buy a spindle without the mounting holes machined in it yet, let me know?
what aren't you understanding about this not being possible? these trucks have been around for over 10 years now, don't you think this subject has been beat to death and tried 800 times? you'll be time and money ahead to either put a conventional inner C on or swap the whole axle.
 
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