Dana 44s vs. Chevy 10-Bolt Front Axles: Which Is Better? - Dirt Every Day Extra

Many ½- and ¾-ton GM 4x4s came with a solid front axle that could have been a Dana 44 or a GM Corporate 10-bolt. Are they the same thing? Or very different? Which is better? Do parts cross over between the two? On this episode of Dirt Every Day Extra, Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle ask Offroad Design’s Stephen Watson for some insight on these solid front axles and discuss which one you really want.
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[@SuperTimeStretch]

I don't 4-wheel. I don't own a truck. I just watch for entertainment, but learning stuff like this is very important for all car-people and I enjoyed this video.

[@TheMainLead]

Why is it important

[@aaroncolombo]

@@TheMainLead to know is not to know

[@HogshooterHotrods]

I love seeing guys give you real world junk yard how to find, identify and what's interchangeable. I have a 1991 V2500 suburban and a 75 k10, will have to look at the covers and see how they compare.

[@codymoncrief2128]

There was a dana 44 made for Jeep J-20 pickups that was possibly the best factory one ever. It had a standard Dana 44 diff housing, axle shafts, flat top knuckles, but it sported the twice-as-thick Dana 60 tubes and Dana 60 hub/bearing assemblies.

[@nathanharland3375]

If you are worried about your 10 bolt or 44d, Dana 60 is the answer

[@wvjeepguy8178]

Exactly. Sperduty Dana 60's are so cheap and plentiful nowadays.

[@Petis333]

Money lol

[@kegtappereiu]

Corporate 14FF bolt

[@whiterosemotors9026]

I've got 2 for sale

[@scottmcburney8938]

@@whiterosemotors9026 you have 2 Chevy (passenger side pumpkin) Dana 60 for sale? Where are you located? How much$

[@gilvietor1918]

Thanks, I was quite curious about this. I have had numerous people tell me that my 2012 JK had the same 44 in it as old vehicles did, glad to know the truth now.

[@AgamemnonTWC]

Gil Vietor Neither the JK 44 nor the JK 30 have anything in common with their predecessors. Almost everything prior to the JK is parts interchangeable across most makes, nothing interchanges with a JK.

[@highlander3566]

I am swapping a 57' short bed on to a 78' GM. Now I know what axle I have. Very clear explanation. Glad to know my "10 bolt" is enough to fit my needs for a daily driver. Thanks

[@Stuka87]

You can get a D44 with a high pinion, and there is way more after market support for it.

[@RiffMusic1970]

Zoom out a little. I’m seeing way too much detail.

[@xmo552]

How

[@townsendliving9750]

Right over your head

[@MMXProductions]

Really enjoy these technical discussions. Great companion to the axle talk, I mean High Sierra 4x4, podcast

[@mikepierunek]

Let the man talk

[@ReshardsAutomotiveWorkshop]

Thank you. I was really bummed about having to put a 10 bolt in my willys. I don't feel so bad now.

[@bigghoss762]

Makes me feel better about keeping the 10 bolts in my '84 K5.

[@bismarckcuellar9764]

me too in my '79 k5

[@danielr.7870]

Any issues?

[@bismarckcuellar9764]

@@danielr.7870 None .. standard use... Not for rock climbing

[@lol123321123321]

You CAN get 5.89s for a hp Ford d44. 9 tooth pinion and 53 tooth ring gear. I run 5.38s and it's a 8 tooth pinion. I'd love to try the 5.89s but not matching rear ratios. 5.83 with the Ford 9" is close enough if you have disconnect hubs.

[@2JZLS]

yes they posted another with fred this means modified is coming soon again. best show ever. *modified.*

[@bdavis12758]

My 80 has a factory installed d44 and it took some stuff I tell ya. My 81 has a 10 bolt and it’s not that bad actually but I don’t rock rock crawl

[@brunothehumble]

It is because of that interchangeability that bronco and f-150 guys with ttb front axles use older chevy 3/4 ton trucks to get all the conversion parts needed to swap the 5x5.5 lug pattern for the 8x6.5 pattern to match a rear axle.

[@brianbirc]

The real front end for performance is the Dana 44 Twin Traction Beam used on Ford F 150s and Bronco's from 1980-1996 in the Bronco and same or close F 150 trucks. With cut and turn modification for lift rather than dropping the center mounting spot down, plating and gusseting the beams. Then long chrome molly radius arms Heim joint mounted rather than bushings and add a horizontal mount to he top and bottom mount to the beams. Put in a locker a F 250 slip shaft and U joint on the passenger side and chrome molly axles and good U joints. Strong manual hub locks new bearings and seals and good time for ball joints mounting the spindle. With some tall real bi pass reservoir shocks (or coilover shocks) like Fox, Sway Away my favorite on mine King or similar not Rancho and its kind. You will have a great front set up after cycling clearing for clearance and limit strapping the droop and bump stops for compression. Fast through large whoops without spilling your drink and long travel 4x4 bullet proof front drive like this with rear stuff and shocks too...kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXq8gX6tisethKc In the bumps and 4x4 like this..kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnizmqKljdh4r7M or comfortable road trips with your girl like this 1st run on Mojave Road song length at late sunset...kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqXYiKerh5ekf8k

[@9HighFlyer9]

So basically as long as you fabricate and modify a long paragraph worth of changes, the axle is awesome. Got it.

[@bdavis12758]

Yup my 1980 k10 has the factory dana44 and yes, it is a Dana 44 bc that’s what I wanted..... the c10bolt was a decent axle just didn’t look beefy enough lol.... although I have 33’s and factory broken leafs but it rides okay

[@gtuttle4]

Thank, great information! I have a 78 Chevy K10 and will be checking to see which one I have. I'm needing a hub cap (dust cover).

[@Ccorbetttt]

I run 38.5s with a 10 bolt just fine

[@snchzcarlos21]

Thanks man your slowly building up my confidence. Really would suck to buy a 44 but I see a lot of people saying they work just fine. Not planning on doing any rock crawl.

[@tudor.turtle1958]

It's clear as mud.

[@hexentoterbandtx]

Fred rules!! PA farm boy does good in the offroad world!!!!

[@SootHead]

Easy to convert a 28 spline 10-bolt to 30 spline with no neck if you can find aftermarket inner shafts. Also, some 10-bolts have thicker tubes. Have seen them anywhere from 0.25 to 0.313" wall thickness... all 3.0 inch tubes. Definitely a viable axle, though the D44 has all the advantages in product support.

[@SootHead]

Hi Steve- long time no see. I'm a piker compared to you!

[@dkhill27]

So I have a 3/4 ton Dana 44 in my mud truck.8 lug Dana 44.

[@krwiles]

This is like archeology. Going through a junkyard I feel like Indiana Jones.

[@johnshowcarbuilder6720]

On the topic of the Dana 44 in the newer jeeps they already have made a Dana 45 it is obsolete and they replaced it with the Dana 44

[@DrGand]

Swapped my 10-bolt for a Dana 60 in my '87 K10 and couldn't be happier.

[@DrGand]

@Marc Owens Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, local classifieds... They're getting few and far between for square body Chevys.. Good luck!

[@DrGand]

@Marc Owens Would need a Ford Dana 60 for anything with a drivers side transfer case like your '03 Chevy. You would definitely need a welder and some fabrication skills but plenty of people have made them fit.

[@DrGand]

@Marc Owens For the rear axle you would want to swap in a GM 14-bolt, not a Dana 60.

[@DrGand]

@Marc Owens I run 44s with my 14-bolt with 5.13s. It's a 10.5" rear axle. Super strong.

[@nurburgflip1188]

So I want a ORD coilover conversion...would it even be worth going through the trouble using this axle?

[@zososldier]

oddly enough i was just thinking of switching a blazer over to 1 tons then using the 1/2 tons on a samurai w/ 37s. sounds like a good fit.

[@shoominati23]

You can so narrow them, you just have to pull out the old axle tubes and press in new ones. Yukon gear & axle and Randys ring & pinion supply heaps of parts for them. I'd go for a Chevy 10.5 14 bolt if I wanted something unbustable though.

[@Catrik]

There are no 14 bolt front axles. Unless you custom order/make one, but then its $$$$

[@Thundarr995]

DANA 44 actually has 8.44 in ring gear. That's why they call it a DANA 44.

[@chipschleichardt5641]

Oh great! Mom's driving JKs have better axles than most of us. Yay

[@traviskaminski5604]

Thank you

[@xmo552]

I need something like this for rear jeep swaps and preferably pre JK. Dana 44 Dana 60 Ford 9 Ford 8.8 Chrysler 8.25 Please and thank you Fred

[@Matp345]

Great extra. Gotta do one on rears now.

[@jimmyallen8210]

I always thought the big difference was the inner C-clips on the 10 bolt. That is what keeps me away from a 10 bolt.

[@mrheart4242]

I would like to see a 80 ford ifs to solid axel swap. I have a 82 f250 ifs. Leaves with the I beam it currently has a 1 ton rear end, and 1 and a half suspension.

[@justintucker9961]

D44 only made till I 78 I dont think so I got front d44. That came out of a 3/4 ton chevy that has 11 /85 stamped on the ring gear .

[@CoachEgg]

If you just can't sleep, I've found your cure

[@Kanoee64]

When are you going to do a video on Dana 60s ?

[@eeanpitcock874]

Thank you so juch

[@josefheilman4482]

I'm in the process of building a Dana 44 High Pinion from a '77 F-150, Reid Racing steering Knuckles, RCV Axles, Slotted Cryo Rotors, ProComp extended stainless steel brake lines, Timken bearings, Dana-Spicer Full Spool (3.08 gears), Warn 30 spline hubs, Stage 8 spindle lock nuts, Blue Torch Fabworks .25" thick diff cover, with 15x8 steel wheels on 33x12.5x15" BFG ATK02's. Waiting for the next paycheck to buy some GM-Style 1-ton Steering with DOM tubing and some driveshafts. It's all going underneath a 1989 Ford E-142 (Shorty window van E-150) with a EFI 300ci straight 6. Fred and Dave: Are there any suggestions you guys would have after wheeling the Tradesman? Stephen: Thank you so much for the NP205 you guys built for me last year!

[@JacquesDufrene]

Since everything from the knuckle out on the 10 bolt is interchangeable with the 44, does that mean (since the 44 is interchangeable with the 30, 27, and 25,) that hub components from the 30, 27, and 25 will interchange with the 10 bolt?

[@kainhall]

ive got a 77 silveraudo...heavy half ton.... but not really because its 4 wheel drive, and has a 400 small block and NP203 (its 100% stock) and im KINDA sure it has a GM corp 10 bolt in the front.......ill have to look i also think the rear is a GM 12 bolt......im pretty sure on that one its a strange truck.....not a lot of them had 400 small blocks, but the VIN says it should have a 400, and the heads have steam holes.....so its a 400 6200 pound GVWR plate...... i really want to have my local gM dealer lookup the VIN and tell me what it actually is..... because i thought they didnt make heavy halfs in 4x4

[@landonlundholm5178]

i have a 94 chevy k2500 and i am looking in to doing a SAS and I think the 44 will work but I dont know if there is something better anyone know?

[@williamsanders468]

Fred you should get a Police crown vick and make it an offroading machine

[@Stuka87]

And on another note, the guy states all D44's are 30 spline, which is not true. Old D44's were 19 spline.

[@TheDeJureTour]

Stuka87 Do you know how to tell how old a Dana 44 is? I have a '84 K5, with a D44 6-lug front axle that the previous owner put on. I'm assuming it's a pre-79 axle, but I could be wrong of course.

[@mattm3843]

The spindles interchange fyi and alot easier to find than the dana 44 small bearing

[@everythingautomotiveeta5839]

Excellent video. Informative

[@jdmeaux]

WOW! Lots of information in a short video. I better read the book. JD

[@lvmybears]

Now lets talk about using rockwell axels on our rigs.

[@BuildThreadsNorway]

Am I the only one who think it's curious that axles are classified by the number of bolts they have? Really interesting discussion though!

[@suckerpunch60duce]

Build Threads most axles aren't classified by the bolts though.. I think ring gear size is more common.

[@docholiday5766]

They aren't that's just a slang term for it. He even says it in the video.

[@Stuka87]

Especially when GM makes more than one version of the 10 bolt (7.5" and 8.5" ring gears).

[@Mosibfu1]

so dana needed 44 bolts where chevy managed with just 10... inefficient..

[@Stuka87]

For Dana, they have axle series. They have the 20 series, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and the 100 series.

[@sexybluelady]

Is the zoom in feature broken on the video guys camera......It would be nice to be able to SEE all of these features on the different axles. Jeeze MT come on!

[@MLFranklin]

Super useful. Thanks!

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Dana 44 center rack first on top.

[@vendetta1306]

Now i'm more confused that when it started

[@warriorxj6010]

Why not an episode on jeep xj???

[@allenmckinney9533]

Thinking of taking my 94 s10 2wd and sas it. If I keep the chevy rear end I've already bought and put a jeep front axle on it can I convert the jeep 5x5.5 lugs to chevy 5x4.75 pattern? Without adaptors.

[@xmo552]

Did you do it and how did you?

[@duncandmcgrath6290]

Good bit of free knowledge ...

[@v8felon]

That was good info! Stop trying to sell anything to me MT if its not free I ain't paying

[@vinskeeter]

They started using 10 bolts in 77.

[@TheCreepa69]

Nice episode thanks for the info. I live in Houston and a have an 86 Chevy k20 that came from Colorado. I noticed y’all said Steven is a Chevy square body expert and makes parts. Is it possible to get his info?

[@peytonwalters1814]

So can I take 8 lug hubs off a 77 an put them on my 73 half ton

[@bdavis12758]

You’ll have to change the spindle for a 3/4 ton bc they are a bit bigger than the 1/2 ton.....

[@peytonwalters1814]

Brian Davis thanks for reply so I need spindles backing plate an hud an it should work

[@fixitup2193]

GM corporate 14 bolt front axle

[@kp4ls]

How $used dana44 for jeep wrangler 2011 from

[@ronaldreed7698]

44 any day.

[@joeymozart]

Uuuuummmmmmmmmm, I’m running 39s KR2s on a Dana 44 with 488s, Detroit and chromoly axle shafts and wheel KOH Johnson Valley.

[@danielmills9843]

does anybody know what rear end will fit in a toyota motor home I have the the 5 lug death rear end 3.90 gear ratio

[@josephdailey7775]

So I'm not really asking about a costume effective alternative but I'm curious. I have a d44 out of my old square body I'd love to narrow down for my yj. If I narrow the d44 to stock yj width, can I use the shafts out of a tj Rubicon 44?

[@josephdailey7775]

Cost effective* is what I meant 😂

[@brettsharbono3022]

Just a comment for the guys saying a 10 bolt is completely weak...I ran a 30 spline chromolly shafted 10 bolt with 5.13 gears and a Detroit True Track for 3 years under a 454 full roller big block with 620 lbs of torque, 39.5 boggers. Just saying...

[@stephenlamphier1141]

Which one is better? Dana 60....

[@trakyboy5128]

But the 44' don't have a pinion support. The GM 10's do !!

[@anomilumiimulimona2924]

Gm made the 10bolt because the 44 couldn't have freeway gears.

[@toomanyprojectstx]

so newer Jk's come with Dana 44's??

[@RadRover99]

Ricardo Sandoval Sports and Saharas comes with rear Dana44. Only Rubicons come with Dana44s front and rear.

[@mattdavis822]

30-06 rules

[@Beat98TJ]

What’s better for rock buggy? A 60, duh!

[@chevyracer666]

So my chevy dana 44 is a 6 lug. How do i change to 5x5.5. Do i just redrill??

[@MrDanielaaron]

chevyracer666 put 80s dodge knuckles on it off of a half ton 4x4

[@charlesboetel1324]

Ford or dodge rotor and hub,leave the knuckles, calipers and brackets. Make sure the wheel bearing ID matches the od of the Chevy spindle. I have built axles this way before.

[@chevyracer666]

Charles Boetel thanks i was just thinking of redrilling the hub for 5x5.5 bolt pattern. This is going to be used for a offroad prerunner not 4x4.

[@AgamemnonTWC]

chevyracer666 Why would you be using any of these axles on a 2WD? If you're building a 2WD prerunner, there's no good reason IMO to stick with a solid front axle at all.

[@charlesboetel1324]

Chevy rear ends are not dana 44, 10bolts, 12bolt, and 9.5" 14 bolts are all 6 lug rear ends used in 1/2 ton chevs.

[@kermets]

Its hard to miss when you wont even allow it in our country........

[@bigmackthomas9314]

Interesting. Wonder why he says only up to a 35" tires on 10 bolts and d44s yet toyota guys run 37s on 30 spline shafts all day long. Cv vs u-joint maybe?

[@jameslandon4126]

People stick with the 35" tire limit on 10 Bolts and D44s because many full-size trucks came with those axles and for a full-size, 35's are a good cut-off point because the extra weight of the full-size truck is already limiting the axle strength. Those Toyota axles will hold up well under a small truck with big tires just as there are people running 39.5 to 42" tall tires under Rangers with full-size D44/Ford 9" axles. Axles like the Toyota 8", Dana 44, and Ford 9" running 42" tires will become ticking time bombs when wheeling around 6000 lb. full-size trucks.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Landcruiser axle shafts are bigger and beefier than 10 bolt, or at least 100 series and later. Front diffs are a little more fragile. Having just rebuilt a 100 IFS front diff and a 9" Ford gunker the Toyota is stronger factory and drags less power. Though why the hell you want those huge wanker tyres is beyond me. Huge unsprung weight and you need shorter gear sets to turn them. And the shorter the ratio the smaller and weaker the pinion. 35" is the absolute maximum ever needed.

[@krisflood5734]

that's because the Toyota's usually very low horsepower. but even then I've seen them bust axil shafts. I'm running 35s w/ 10bolt and have broke enough of them that I Cary 2 extras when offroading(axil shafts). the big difference is Toyotas I run with are usually putting out 70-110 hsp. on 44s. I'm putting out about 350hsp on 35s. both cases are pretty comparable because I've seen pretty equal numbers of broken shafts on both sides. I'd say that this guy in the video is spot on and knows his shit.

[@jsmeswagner6104]

It's all how you drive

[@randyTrevor-fs3to]

​@@ldnwholesale8552I've seen plenty of broken birfields in stock land cruisers with stock tires, not being abused. Sorry but you are dead wrong toyota axles are vastly inferior

[@powersource688]

you can put d44 gears in a 10 bolt been doen before

[@dannywiley4072]

And what does that involve?

[@NONAME-kw3pu]

33" tire max.. happier with 31" tire. most tire mfgs short the consumers 2" on tire sizes anyway when measured on the ground. 35's are really 33's.... 33's are really 31's... so on and so fourth.

[@AnthonySvt_]

I’ll take my Ford 10 bolt

[@AdamMalcolm96]

Is dave wearing swat boots?

[@johnhines4081]

the gm axle doesn't "have nothing" for identification.... square body expert, on the bottom left side on the pinion side, there is a casting that says "gm 10"

[@pete4wd1]

Great video! answered some questions I had....unfortunately some people just like to talk crap...but opinions are like assholes..........

[@andrewchristian2996]

Ford 9” is where its at

[@ilovetoyotatrucks]

What's my dad's ol 97 dodge 1500 4x4 318CI have? They are big ol 1's and that thing is a turd but perfect for OFFROADING plenty of power in 4x4 needs rear locker but has 1 in the front makes it easy to drive turns GREAT....10mpg on Pirelli 36"x10.5"s

[@AgamemnonTWC]

randall jr Benoit A half ton Dodge would be a Dana 44

[@ilovetoyotatrucks]

AgamemnonTWC right on thankyou sir.... I drive a 02 tundra sr5 4x4 4.7L 2UZFE v8 access cab that has some mods like fiberglass, CAMBERGE uca's and FABTECH coil over's....headers intake exhaust... more into going fast than ROCKFORD crawling -but I can do it as it's got rear LSD and 4x4.... nothing beats the looks or sound of them old DODGE trucks though!

[@AgamemnonTWC]

randall jr Benoit Very fancy sounding rig! I'm more into rock crawling myself, but I've got a Jeep to beat up doing that. I know what you mean by the look and sound of the old Dodges though, my daily is an 89 Ramcharger with a 360 and duals. Sounds amazing, looks awesome. Working on restoring her eventually, she's a nice truck.

[@ilovetoyotatrucks]

AgamemnonTWC 360 =5.9 they sound awesome.... I want a 440 68- 69 CHARGER with kings

[@randyTrevor-fs3to]

​@@ilovetoyotatruckstundras are only good for popping ball joints and bending spindles. You are endangering everyone else life that you share the road with.

[@colewebb4643]

ok here my pick forget the ten bolt 44 ok 60 better so what about the 12 bolt better is than the ten but the 10 and 12 bolt were made by Spicer but what most people don't know is back in the 60's and 70's gm. made there own 12 and 14 bolt which we're strong the gm. made one doesn't use c clips like the Spicer it was a lot stronger and tuffer than the Spicer and yes it can be narrowed it hard to fined but worth it how to tell pull inspection cover if it has c clips it's Spicer no c clips it's the gm. corp.made one no c clips if axel brakes wheel stays put hope this info. help's some one and yes I've worked on both the Spicer and gm. one so this is no line no bullshit and oh I think this is a lame conpare. sense they only conpared the 44 against a 10 bolt the ten was allway's thought to be weak and boy did gm. fuck up dropping the 12 bolt in the 80's in most car's etc. oh and for you ford guy's the 9 inch the best one is 57 to 62 they were two peise 63 and later we're three peise 57 to 62 9 inch strong as he'll and yes I worked on both hard to fined but look for car 57 to 62 dodge almost all rear ends we're made by Dana so go big for strong C😎😎L

[@DirtyDaron]

How many times can you say 44 in 11 minutes......

[@9HighFlyer9]

Don't make me watch it again so I can count

[@powergaming0845]

47

[@jss6060]

Both the 44 and 10 bolt both suck. Both are weak, I've blown up three 10 bolts and my friend has blown up his 44 a few times before we swapped them out for 1 tons and no more issues

[@FishFind3000]

Lol so the only thing the worths with a 10 or a 44 is anything that isn’t the axle.

[@MatHelm]

Note, When an expert is in the middle of giving a list of details, lose the 12 year old routine....

[@269adventures]

Mat Helm coming from a guy with avatar that 12 year old boy would use lol

[@MatHelm]

Not that I don't luv acting 12, how is John Paul Jones the avatar of a 12 year old?

[@gilvietor1918]

That's the way people communicate who like one another...

[@Babarudra]

Yea, lighten up Francis!

[@Ecosse57]

kudos to the navy.

[@InvincibleExtremes]

10 bolt can't be narrowed, end of story. if I can't squeeze it under a yj jeep or convert my 59 chevy apache to 4x4 with it, it's useless to me except as a stock axle in a stock square body work truck

[@269adventures]

Invincible Extremes Muscle Cars Garage thanks for that little piece of tid bit.

[@infidel556x45]

ok ill bite why cant a 10 bolt be shortened?is it just a shaft issue?

[@infidel556x45]

ok ill bite why cant a 10 bolt be shortened?is it just a shaft issue?

[@InvincibleExtremes]

200lbGorilla yup. you can shorten a 10 bolt rear, or a Dana 44 front end... but not the 10 bolt fronts. other than gears and bearings, there's no axle shafts available aftermarket

[@TheSqeeek]

Can't you get axle shafts made to any length? Honda guys do it all the time, I'm sure you could order some custom. I guess that's more expensive, but not necessarily "can't"

[@chromecrusher7912]

Hi notification squad

[@kassieraine110]

He's a walking talking Wiki page on axles.

[@Kraftravioli]

visit the doughnut garage

[@kp4ls]

To PR

[@SyracuseIsOranges]

9th

[@Likeaboss-id1tk]

10 bolts are way stronger

[@jameslandon4126]

Only to those who have brain damage.

[@codym3163]

Um no they're not