possibly stupid question

[redline07]

I have gone over this in my head many times but I have a dana 44 passenger side drop and I want to put it in my 84 ranger. If I was to flip the axle over would that change anything. and by flip over I mean flip from passenger side to driver side. It seems in my mind it would work but i get some creative thoughts that dont have a chance of working.

[Derrickalda]

the diff will then be upside down, all mounting brackets will be wrong, and steering will be backwards. maybe im not visualizing it the same way you are.

if you were to cut axles tubes off and then flipped then and rewelded them, then all the mounts will be wrong. you would have to cut and reverse them also. then also flip the knuckles, if its possible. seems like a lot of work from something that might not work.

[Derrickalda]

maybe someone knows where you can get a driver side drop 44

[99NCXJ]

Not to mention the front axle would be going backwards when the rear axle is going forward. Reverse cut gears would solve this, but a low pinion diff doesn't have the same kind of oil slinger as a high pinion does so the pinion bearing would end up running dry(er) than it should.

[Hokie_YJ]

Not to mention the front axle would be going backwards when the rear axle is going forward. Reverse cut gears would solve this, but a low pinion diff doesn't have the same kind of oil slinger as a high pinion does so the pinion bearing would end up running dry(er) than it should.

Actually reverse cut gears wouldn't solve it. If you could even get them in the housing it would still turn backwards.

The true term should be reverse spiral, not reverse cut. The gears do not turn the opposite way, they just have the opposite spiral of a standard gear so that they run on the drive side of the gear in a HP application. A standard low-pinion front axle runs on the weaker "coast" side of the gear. That's why the HP60 is such a sought after front axle because the gears are stronger because they're running on the right side of the gear.

The only way to change a pass. side drop axle to driver's side is by retubing it. Which is definitely not worth it on a 44. You can pick up a Ford HP44 for a few hundred bucks.

[Gubni]

Actually reverse cut gears wouldn't solve it. If you could even get them in the housing it would still turn backwards.

The true term should be reverse spiral, not reverse cut. The gears do not turn the opposite way, they just have the opposite spiral of a standard gear so that they run on the drive side of the gear in a HP application. A standard low-pinion front axle runs on the weaker "coast" side of the gear. That's why the HP60 is such a sought after front axle because the gears are stronger because they're running on the right side of the gear.

The only way to change a pass. side drop axle to driver's side is by retubing it. Which is definitely not worth it on a 44. You can pick up a Ford HP44 for a few hundred bucks.

Yeah - what he said.

[redline07]

Ok thanks everyone. I guess I will head on to for sale thread now.

[99NCXJ]

Actually reverse cut gears wouldn't solve it. If you could even get them in the housing it would still turn backwards.

The true term should be reverse spiral, not reverse cut. The gears do not turn the opposite way, they just have the opposite spiral of a standard gear so that they run on the drive side of the gear in a HP application. A standard low-pinion front axle runs on the weaker "coast" side of the gear. That's why the HP60 is such a sought after front axle because the gears are stronger because they're running on the right side of the gear.

The only way to change a pass. side drop axle to driver's side is by retubing it. Which is definitely not worth it on a 44. You can pick up a Ford HP44 for a few hundred bucks.

This is true. Wasn't thinking about the rotation of the pinion being the same even with reverse cut gears. Either way, a 44 isn't worth the work to do this in my opinion. By the time you buy a 44, gear it, retube it, axles, lockers, ect. You'd be in it about the same as buying a 60

[ibrokeit]

This is true. Wasn't thinking about the rotation of the pinion being the same even with reverse cut gears. Either way, a 44 isn't worth the work to do this in my opinion. By the time you buy a 44, gear it, retube it, axles, lockers, ect. You'd be in it about the same as buying a 60

This. I run a d44. My project over the next few months is building a 80series cruiser axle with longs