try runnin a 35x12.5x16 buckshot mudder on a stock 3.0 v-6 with stock tranny.. on stock ford open 8.8 w 4.10 gears.. hahah.. ^^ atleast u gotta 5.2.... persoanlly power/speed is not a concern of mine.. if it was i would have got a cummins

 

To answer your original question, 37-38" tires will murder your stock front D44.

I would not waste the money upgrading the 1/2 ton axles with the correct gearing if your plan is to run 38" tires. Better to put that money towards swapping the axles to D60's or a D60 front and a D70 rear IMO.

 

i have dana 60's front and rear with the 4.10's and i have stock size tires, which are a little over 30 inches i believe

my advise go with at least 4.56's

 

i've been thinkin about upgrading to the D60's, but not sure yet... searchin around for a "good deal" on a set

 

The stock axles would hold uo no problem.

 

Recently I've been told that as long as you run open differentials the stock axels will hold up pretty far.If you have a front locker35-36s are about the biggest you should run on the Dana 44.

 

i know from my experience that if you go over 35in tires and you get into a situation were you have to give your truck some hell you will start killing stock axles left and right. do yourself a favor upgrade to 3/4 ton axles 4.88s seem to keep my truck very drivable with 38s i can still cruise down the interstate no problem

 

you have a better selection of gears with D60-70's too.. way better axles then the stocker corp and 44...

i know with my 35's on my offroad.. with 4.10's truck still screams.. but OD sucks.. the D44 isnt made to run that size tire... parts wear out way faster.. and damn hub bearings for our 44's are about 250 a peice.. if they were worn before..youll defantly notice it now with the 35's... the D60 uses unsealed bearings... like 14 bux a peice at carquest...

D60-70's are sweet.. sux the b/c the bolt pattern is different so you gotta dig up different rims...

my offroad will eventually be sittin underneath 60-70's ...... or rocks'

 

yeah i ran my stock axles until i found a good set of 3/4 axles by the time i got the new axles in i already had toasted the frount end the hub bearing was going out and when i took them out for their final run i twisted a axle on the front

 

Alright, there has been alot of topics about this lately. Alot of people want to go to 1 tons, which is bad *** but not needed for the wheeling most of these people do.

If you want 37s and are going to be GIVING it huge on hard crap like rocks, in tight spots where your turned really sharp maybe think about 1 tons, but if your just cruising trails, hitting mud puddles, and going through some mud pits a 44 will hold up to some big tires. Alot of people with mud trucks 1000+ horse and cut 44"s runs a D44 and have no problem. Its because of soft ground and your going straight...

Like I said, going 1 tons is bad ***, but you only realy need it if its a designated trail rig you don't care about and are going to rat on her hard. Other then that, some occasional trail crawling a D44 could handle some 44"s. I know plenty of guys on 40's running with a D44 (4 I can think of off the top of my head) and they don't break to often, only when they do something dumb they shouldn't have.

Wheeling is a passion of me and many of my friends. We have big, build, trail only rigs and beat them to the limits. We know when they're going to fail, and can pretty much call it ahead of time. I don't even know how many D44 shafts I've seen broken, and a few D60 shafts. Every time a 44 broke it was on 38s or above, doing something dumb, like bumping a burm they can't get over with they're foot on the floor, turning to full lock or close and again putting her to the floor, or jumping they're crap.

Anyways, moral of the story, if its going to be a DD and occasional trails with 37s or even 38s, you'll never need 1 tons..I'd almost guarentee it.



Ok, [sm=rant.gif]