[Questions]M1009 Axle Swap and Drive Shafts.

[RCarboneljr]

So I've been browsing old threads for a while now and can't seem to find what I'm looking for. Hoping someone can give me some advice on what I should do.

VERY long story short, I was out wheeling last weekend and I ended up breaking both drive shafts and my right front axle. After doing some research I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that I was just putting too much torque into the 1/2 ton axles/drive shafts and that's what caused them to break. I then started calling around and looking at more threads online to see what needed to be done to beef it up. A friend of mine suggested replacing the stock axles with a D44(Front) and D60(Rear). It just so happened that he had a friend that had an extra set of D44 and D60's sitting in his yard and said he would sell them to me for $260(Said he got them off a parts truck and has pretty much made his money back, hence the cheap price). He did say the drums(?) need to be replaced on the 44's but other than that they are good. I have a few questions for you guys and that's what bring me here today.

A few things you might want to know about my truck.
- I have a 4" body lift (I think. It's what I've always thought but i coworker of mine said he thinks its both body and suspension. I can post pictures if needed)
- This is NOT a daily driver
- I'm trying to make this truck a fun, reliable, truck to go 4 wheeling in, but not trying to pour $1000's into it.

1) I hear the 44/60 combo is pretty much plug and play AND is a very reliable upgrade. I know the 44's are 6 lug and the 60's are 8, so I was thinking just an 8 lug converter for the front. Is this true? Is it a good idea?
2) I have 15'" rims right now, but i hear I'll need at least 16". Are there any good places to get surplus rims and tires? How large of a tire can I get without having to do any modifications and still not have it rub?
3) If the 44/60 isn't a good idea, what are some alternatives?
4) What about the drive shaft (This I have not done research on yet)? When I took the rear drive shaft in the guy suggested a bigger yoke with a cross over U-joint, so that's what i had him do. Should I get bigger drive shafts? Suggestions? Ideas?
5) All three parts broke at the U-join. Except the rear drive shaft, I'm not sure if the U-joint or the yoke went first. I think this was because I had cheap/old U-joints in (The rear had been replaced about a year or two ago, but they were only $10.) Am I over thinking this whole thing? Do I just need to service my truck and get better quality U-joints?

As of right now I'm planning on just replacing what I have with what it was before. I still want to buy the 44/60 combo if it's a good upgrade though. I'll just have to store them and start saving until I can afford to upgrade everything that needs to be upgraded.

I'm sure I'll think of more questions, but for now this is all I have.

Thanks.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I'd like to know what the 44/60 came out of. GM hasn't used the 60 rear since 1972 and the 44F could have been had in 6 or 8 lug. You mentioned that the 44 needed drums? If it is a drum front, its likely a closed knuckle and not worth the effort to swap.

 

[RCarboneljr]

I'm not sure what they are originally out of, but the last truck to have them was a K5.

I will get a hold of the guy to see if it is in fact a closed knuckle. Why do you say it wouldn't be worth the swap?

 

[cucvrus]

Old Junk. Drum brakes on the front? If you want to do this at least buy a GM 14 bolt corporate rear and a Dana 60 front from the same vintage vehicle. Putting antiqued axles under a CUCV is just not worth while. The M1009 has GM Corporate 10 bolts in it. What are you doing to break this stuff? I wheel an M1009 very hard but with sense and do not break as much stuff as you have listed. I break more stuff plowing snow then wheeling. Everything has its breaking point so the older axle that you listed are not as tough as the stock axles in the M1009. With wet knuckles you are just devaluing the vehicle and doing a lot of work with no gain. It is a lose lose all around. Do as you want it is your truck. But for $2K or less you can have the best. The 1 ton GM axles from a CUCV pickup or ambulance.

 

[royalflush55]

I always use Spicer hardened u-joints that are not drilled for grease zerks. They last a lot longer in normal use and won't break as easy in severe use.

 

[RCarboneljr]

Good advice, appreciate it.

As to what was happening when they broke: One of the trucks (Inexperienced 4 wheeler) with us went down a hill that was washed out at the bottom. When he turned around and tried to get back up it was too soft and we was slipping at the top. He then tried to back down and ended up running over a tree trunk, popped his tire, slid half way down the hill and ended up sideways. My truck was the only one that was able to make it up the billy goat trail he went up (Again, inexperienced. Most of us in the group would have turned around long before he got where he was) so it was my job to pull him out. Because of the way the tail was, i had to pull him about 20 feet at a time and I had to go off trail. So basically I would pull as far as i could, back up, and tighten the tow straps and pull again. Rinse and repeat. On the second pull I was given the OK to go and I did but for some reason I was just digging. I gave it one more go and that's when the rear drive shaft went out. Come to find out, my spotters forgot to put the truck I was pulling up in Neutral AND the popped tire was half buried. At that point I still had my front wheels so we wanted to get my truck back on the trail so I could coast down. Because I was off trail it was VERY soft and I was just spinning. After Much digging and throwing rocks and twigs under the front tires to gain traction we decided to give it another try. That's when my front drive shaft broke. As far as the axle, I'm not sure when it broke, we just noticed it when we were finally able to get my truck back onto the trail.

 

[Cucvnut]

Rear 60's are junk, put in a 14ff and swap your front 10 bolt axle from a 6 to 8 bolt or put in a 60.

 

[RCarboneljr]

Okay thanks guys. I will turn down the 60/44's and just fix up what I've got for now. I may look into the 14ff and 60's in the future.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Matt has a valid point. Most FF Dana 60s have 1.31" 30 spline axles. A step up from a 10 bolt but not half what a 14 bolt is. 14FF can still be found cheap and should you ever need to set it up with new gears, it's very user friendly. Should you elect to add a Detroit No-Spin, they are much cheaper and easy to install.

 

[Chaski]

You won't regret a 14 bolt and a Dana 60. Like what was already said the 14 bolt is a marvel of engineering except for the brakes. It has three pinion bearings, the carrier preload is adjustable with a spanner wrench.

Only thing with the 14 bolt is to make sure you don't get one with a gov loc. The carrier for the gov loc is not compatible with a locker. You want an open one, or one with a Detroit out of a CUCV. Up in Northern California you can get an open 14 bolt full floater for $200 or less. A SRW Dana 60 out of a K30 or CUCV seems to fetch about $1200, a DRW Dana 60 front out of a dually can be had for $800-1000 ish.