So many questions!
 

Ummm. Where do I start?lol. I just want to know how to run 38's without "grenading" (term I've seen used alot by 99ranger4x4 and what ever thread he pops up in...which is all of em I've read now that I think about it. Quite the knowledgeable dude?) my axles. I've seen good and bad things about the D44's, but I think thats what I want up front and the Ford 9" rear. I wanna hear pros and cons on those machines. I wanna hear the pros and cons about coilovers' vs leafs'. I also want to hear about all the little expenses I'm going to be making doing this. I'm down for whatever in making "Little Bear" into "Ginormaus Bear".lol. Cory07ranger4x4, 05edge, HighrollerII and I think zabeard(didn't read his, but I've read the others and a few from the Leaf SAS section from page 1 til the end word for word. like I said, I'm just trying to understand further.) are using the FOA coilovers...do these work better?

You know, now that I am re reading this...it may be in the wrong thread. When one of the moderators reads this, i assume you'll move it to the right place. My aplogies.:nervous:

Thanks for everyone's help in advance! I didn't even know Rangers could go this far and I'm happy for this site.lol.

d44 axle with 38 inch tires
not good for reliability wise
d44`s are even marginal for 35`s

front leafs are alot better in regards long life versus coil over

although coil overs can be adjusted ,, the coils do not last very long

i have seen coil overs fail big time

not very reliable in regards for use as a daily driver either

when i do my solid axle swap,, i will be using leaf springs

mmmm. good points good points. you saying that made me go read the leaf ones and they are pretty intense too.

what are good leafs to run in the front? where would i find a good d60 for the 38s? and whats all the fuss about steering? can somebody break that down in to lamens terms?lol.

A good Dana 60 would be from 70s style F-series trucks..but be prepared to spend near a grand for the front..around this area in town..rear you can run a D60/14 bolt those are a dime a dozen..

Id stick with a D44 you have more choices for that..jeep waggy, 70s style trucks..but are also hard to find around town..

Leafs -- I have no idea..never ran em in the front so never looked into em..

Steering is just plain tricky -- you can piece a shaft together using stock ranger shaft, yota shaft, and late 90s E250 shaft..few other parts and the shaft is complete..I almost have all my parts to start building mine..

Use a 90s style yota box..bolts on the frame with some serious plating and tube and a big welder..you gotta also buy a pitman arm..if you are going to run TREs(tie rod ends) you need to weld the hole up in the pitman arm and taper it from the other side..

its a lot but once you understand everything and know what to get its just the matter of getting it done..

no stay away from dana 44`s

they are only as strong as your ford 8.8 rear axle

So HighRoller, whenever I start the build I can just hollar right?lol. Your a welder aren't you? Well what kind of coil overs would you reccomend? And did I find a picture of you on 37's with your IFS still in?

Cheese..what leafs are you lookin at for your own swap? Front and rear?

i am doing the rear leaf springs

i don`t haul heavy loads so, i need softer springs because of my 2 compressed spinal discs

yeah man I had an RCD and BL on 37s on 20s..being a stepside I was able to run em..and only rubbed at lock..

I am a welder so I can help you out..I will say now I work a lot but we can find time..after mine is done of course :)

as for coilovers im running 14" travel 2.0 fox kinda pricey but you can get deals on em you just gotta keep your eyes open

whats wrong with running coils and radius arms? d44's come stock with them and you have to do litterally no modification to the axles to run them.. the come with coils brackets and radius hooked up.. plus you have to think about gearing with bigger tires and lockers which can cost easily 1200+ dollars..

that would be a nice set up -- D44 front with coils on radius arms, 14 bolt or 9" rear..35s-38s light wheeling..I think you would be fine..

your thinking of the newer revised dana 44`s with stouter carrier castings

the older model dana 44`s were prone to catastrophic failures
especially just below the pinion shaft

if intend to go the dana 44 route then stick with the newer high pinion 44`s

far superior axles than the older 1`s

What year did they start producing the high pinon 44's? I'm guessing I can't find one of those in an old waggy.

As for wheeling, my friends like to play in the mud aroud here so that's where I'll be at. Does that help anyone on helping me out with gearing for the 38's? I hear you on the cash money problem. Just by stuff I've read, I hear its going to set me back into the stone ages. But thats cool with me as long as I have a beast truck by the winter.

hahaha. I wouldn't ask you to do mine before yours is done. Straight rude.lol. Can't wait for yours to be done though. That truck is insane.

Oh, and can somebody let me know what radius arms are. Noob question I'm sure. But, what the hay..gotta know.

ford started using them i believe around 1982

so your saying that the D44s that they put in the late 70s f250 arent any good? from like the highboys with the 8 lug dual piston calipers?

correct

there was no reinforcing ribbing below the pinion input casting
that is why the newer casting have very thick reinforcing ribbing below the pinion input

look at the difference between the older and newer castings and you will clearly see the difference

why bs an axle youve never even run before? i rock a waggy d44.....with 35's and a locker.....you trying to tell me its gunna blow up on me? cuz i know its not. if i break a shaft, ill go chromos......with chromos and the way i wheel, i could rock 37's just fine. the guy before me rocked this axle with 38's just fine.

imo steering someone directly away from an axle you have no personal experience with is stupid. ya you can reccomend things over others but if you dont have one then ur point isnt as valid. on top of that i bet that d35 you have right now isnt strong enough for ya either eh? blow that up yet?

not trying to be a deuch, just tryin to get my point across to ya.

give it time ,, it will

large tires will only compound the problem

when i was researching for my cj7 build , i investigated the dana 44 route
after several calls - every person over the phone told me to stay from them ( at that time )
even axle builders were having warranty headaches with the old model 44 housings
the failures started at the pinion housing , then cascaded from there

i had seen the pictures they emailed me , you talk about catastrophic damage

that is why i said if he intends to run a dana 44 - look for a high pinion 44 with the pinion re-inforcing ribbing below