D44 D36 C-beam difference?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 947
Likes: 0
From: Middletown N.Y.
D44 D36 C-beam difference?
Is there a difference in c-beam from a D44 D36 car.I've got one that's 39.5" from center of outer mounting holes can't remember if it's from d44 or d36.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Yes, it can be, the distance between the front and rear bolt holes is 15/16ths less on the DANA 44 c-beam, so if you used a DANA 36 c-beam with a DANA 44 you would need to drill new holes 15/16ths further back at the the tailshaft housing end of the beam in order to make it fit the shorter distance.
Have a look here, this is by forum member "JoBy"
http://www.joby.se/corvette/mods/2001-0X11_diff/
Have a look here, this is by forum member "JoBy"
http://www.joby.se/corvette/mods/2001-0X11_diff/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,481
Likes: 566
From: Clearwater Florida
D36 - D44 C-beams
I am presently in the process of swapping a D44 into my 87 auto and have encountered the same dimensional problem with the beam being too long to allow the rear to fit the frame mounting brkts. Mine measured out @ 3/4" and like the others I redrilled the forward end (trans ) of the beam but I drilled @ 7/8" and am having the driveshaft shortened by 1" . I looked at Joby's pics and am concerned that he did not shorten it . On my car I could tell that the yoke was bottoming on something in the trans....most likely the speedo gear snap ring or retainer and rather than jam it in thought it would be prudent to take the d-shaft for a trim. All this as of yesterday afternoon (12-02) I won't get the shaft back 'til Monday so I'll have to fill you in later on my progress.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
If i were you and you wanted the job to go smoothly, which im quite sure you do, i would use the shaft and c-beam from a 6 speed car. It will fit on perfectly, there is no refabrication of parts, no mods, and no stuffing around. Simply remove and replace with the 6 speed parts. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
Originally Posted by Robert Hyclak
I am presently in the process of swapping a D44 into my 87 auto and have encountered the same dimensional problem with the beam being too long to allow the rear to fit the frame mounting brkts. Mine measured out @ 3/4" and like the others I redrilled the forward end (trans ) of the beam but I drilled @ 7/8" and am having the driveshaft shortened by 1" . I looked at Joby's pics and am concerned that he did not shorten it . On my car I could tell that the yoke was bottoming on something in the trans....most likely the speedo gear snap ring or retainer and rather than jam it in thought it would be prudent to take the d-shaft for a trim. All this as of yesterday afternoon (12-02) I won't get the shaft back 'til Monday so I'll have to fill you in later on my progress.
I did the same thing, and although it looks like there is 1/8" just looking at the gap, it is in fact bottomed out. I also went with the 6 speed shaft in the end for fear of breaking something in the A4 tailhousing. I also used a redrilled C-beam. The next time I have that C-beam out, I'm going to trim the excess material off the end too.
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