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Toyota 8" rear vs. Dana 44 rear

Thardy

Thardy

"FARM TOY"
Location
Santaquin, Utah
So I'm getting ready to build my 96 4runner. I don't want to go full width so I am putting a Waggy D44 in the front (this is already decided). My question is on the rear. What is the strength difference between my Toyota rear and a Dana 44 rear? A little info on both axles.

Toyota: Pros, it is currently under my 4runner. It does have the E-locker.
cons, I know nothing about it. I'm Limited to 4.88 gears to match the front 44 and I would like to go lower.

Dana 44: Pros, Detroit locker, I can match gears anywhere from 3.73 to 5.89, I have spare parts, I know how to work on them,
cons, ?

I have both axles so its not a matter of which one I have. It's more which one do I want to sell. Which do you recommend?
 
Deathstar182

Deathstar182

New Member
I'm a ford guy and I personally love the D44 gonna put some new seals on mine tomorrow, that's what I'd go with, but I am biased
 
Thardy

Thardy

"FARM TOY"
Location
Santaquin, Utah
Thats what I'm looking for. I have Toyota guys saying stick with Toyota and other saying go D44. I am leaning towards the 44 mainly for the taller gears.
 
T

Too Far

parts is parts
Location
Highland
I can't see why you would pull the toyota axle you all ready have under there for a 44. I don't think you would gain any strength by going with the 44, and do you really want the tiny pinion gear that goes with gears lower than 4.88?

I have run both axles under an older crawler, and the 44 seemed to break shafts easier than the toy axle. I didn't have ring and pinion problems with either axle on 4.88 gears and 35" tires.

The steel toy housings are sure nice to weld to if you ever decide to add braces, link tabs, etc.
 
Thardy

Thardy

"FARM TOY"
Location
Santaquin, Utah
Point taken. The only reason its even an option is because I haven't actually built the runner yet. I'm going to pull the rear end and put leafs under it so I am going to be basically at the same point with both axles. I can weld the perches on either one. I know I'm going to get asked this so I will say it now. The reason I'm going with leafs over coils is 1. price, 2. I have been doing a lot of research. I've read a lot on Pirate and on other Toyota forums and that seems to be the way to go. Plus I have the springs.
 
Chevycrew

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
Couple big things you missed... What tire size? What is the final product going to be used for?


For me, I would never put a 44 in the rear, they are weak enough in stock form, and the pinion becomes tiny with lower gears.

How wide is the waggy axle you are planning on running? If you are shooting for 37's or more, I would put 8 lug outers on the waggy axle, and a C&C 14FF in the rear(63" wide).

But this is assuming it is getting built to wheel.



(I tend to over build to prevent breakage)
 
Thardy

Thardy

"FARM TOY"
Location
Santaquin, Utah
The rig will be used mostly for mild to moderate wheelin. As of right now the hardest trails I can think it will hit is something like Steelbender, the Triple, Hells Revenge. Probably nothing like Pritchett yet. I'm still debating on once I finish it to build a Scout/buggy out of my unsold Scout 800 for the more hardcore stuff.

The waggy axle is I believe 60"-61" I really don't want to go full width.
 
I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
Toy = SLIGHTLY weaker gears (up for debate) probably stronger shafts.

If the width works, and the lug pattern works, leave the Toy in. Especially since you have the E-locker.

I have the same combo of axles under my Willys (Waggy D44 front, Toy E-locked rear) and it hasn't broken in 2 years of sitting in the garage. ;)

Also, if you want deeper than 4.88, you can do 5.29's in the rear and 5.38's in the front. It's close enough to work out just fine.
 
iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
I Lean said:
Toy = SLIGHTLY weaker gears (up for debate) probably stronger shafts.

If the width works, and the lug pattern works, leave the Toy in. Especially since you have the E-locker.

I have the same combo of axles under my Willys (Waggy D44 front, Toy E-locked rear) and it hasn't broken in 2 years of sitting in the garage. ;)

Also, if you want deeper than 4.88, you can do 5.29's in the rear and 5.38's in the front. It's close enough to work out just fine.
Click to expand...


Just curious why you would say toy has slightly weaker gears, or how you would tell? yes you can go to 5.29's in a toy, my buddy had 5.71's in his 1994 but i dont know if the e-locker limits it at all
 
I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
sparticus19 said:
Just curious why you would say toy has slightly weaker gears, or how you would tell? yes you can go to 5.29's in a toy, my buddy had 5.71's in his 1994 but i dont know if the e-locker limits it at all
Click to expand...

Smaller diameter ring gear, smaller pinion shaft.

I have seen more broken Toy gears I think, but that could also be due to the stronger shafts, as well as people keeping them and running large tires on them when they really should be swapped out for something larger. D44-type people don't seem to have the same aversion to upgrading axles that Toy loyalists do. :rofl:
 
iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
i see well a valid point at that i also think it could be that toy guys tend to run the lower weaker R&P sets like 5.29's. But i agree the toy shafts are stronger even just the stock to stock i the toy shafts would be better
 
K

kobyhud

Lurker
Location
Lindon, UT
I once ran a 79 waggy dana 44 with 5.13s in the front of my rodeo.

You're description of what you want to do is a little inconsistent. The trails you have described are perfectly fine attempting in your vehicle as is. A vehicle with a mild lift and a single locker should be fine on those trails. (Assuming you have either protected your corners and rockers or don't mind a little damage).

Going to 5.29s or 5.38s generally implies that you are going past 35" tires. Going past 35" tires generally also means that body damage and breakage is in your future. Someone else more familiar with the toyota power band and 35" tires should chime in here but seems to me that 4.88s should be good with your stock drivetrain and 35" tires. If memory serves, 35" tires pretty much takes the pep out both the 4 cyl and 6 cyl toyota engines regardless of gearing.

Pritchett should be well within in your range with 35" tires and the appropriate lockers.

As for my vote. I would stick to the toy. A selectable locker for free is handy. I don't like the driving characteristics of my detroited vehicle even though I have a 112" wheelbase and it doesn't see much pavement. I like being able to turn better in tight spaces, and I would prefer to not chew up my grass when I pull around my house to park in the back.

Everything you modify from stock generally ends up taking a little more streetability from your rig. Choose once and choose wisely how far you want to go.
 
ozzy702

ozzy702

Well-Known Member
Location
Sandy, UT
kobyhud said:
I once ran a 79 waggy dana 44 with 5.13s in the front of my rodeo.

Going to 5.29s or 5.38s generally implies that you are going past 35" tires. Going past 35" tires generally also means that body damage and breakage is in your future. Someone else more familiar with the toyota power band and 35" tires should chime in here but seems to me that 4.88s should be good with your stock drivetrain and 35" tires.
Click to expand...

5.29's and 35's is a great combo with gutless toy motors. If you have a healthy 5rz then 4.88's would be fine with 35's as well if you do a lot of highway driving. I need to find some 35's to throw on my extra set of rims so I can do some more exploring and drive my rig more. 39's bring the suck. :D
 
Thardy

Thardy

"FARM TOY"
Location
Santaquin, Utah
So looks like the toy is the way to go huh! Like i said the plan for now is mild to moderate, but that may change. Maybe what i should do is stick with what I have then down the road if I want to go more hardcore grab the D60s that I have for my Scout. Thoughts?

Sent from my BAD ASS phone via Tapatalk
 
Thardy

Thardy

"FARM TOY"
Location
Santaquin, Utah
ozzy702 said:
5.29's and 35's is a great combo with gutless toy motors. If you have a healthy 5rz then 4.88's would be fine with 35's as well if you do a lot of highway driving. I need to find some 35's to throw on my extra set of rims so I can do some more exploring and drive my rig more. 39's bring the suck. :D
Click to expand...

My motor does run strong still but with 250k who knows for how long. I don't do much highway driving with it but would like to use it as kind of an expedition
Rig. I think i will just run the 4.56's i have. Then upgrade if needed.


Sent from my BAD ASS phone via Tapatalk
 
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