Problem with Dana 44 Pinion yoke
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
Problem with Dana 44 Pinion yoke
Hey everyone. I have a strange problem and no idea how to fix this. So I have an 84 that I swapped in a Dana 44 with 3.73's in years ago. I'm in the process of doing a 4L80e swap. With that swap I'm upgrading to 1350 u joints and yokes. This is where the problem lies. I ordered a forged pinion yoke from Dennys driveshaft. Because of recovering from covid I didn't pull off the yoke before I ordered parts. I was under the understanding that the Dana 44 used 29 splines and the Dana 36 used 26 splines. Well I ordered a yoke with 29 splines. My Dana 44 pinion yoke has 26 splines. Anyone ever see this before?
And before anyone asks yes this is a Dana 44. It has 2 bolts on the top of the cover instead of one. Could this have anything to do with the fact that it has a Richmond gear set in it? I'm at a loss.
And before anyone asks yes this is a Dana 44. It has 2 bolts on the top of the cover instead of one. Could this have anything to do with the fact that it has a Richmond gear set in it? I'm at a loss.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,397
Likes: 2,742
Hey everyone. I have a strange problem and no idea how to fix this. So I have an 84 that I swapped in a Dana 44 with 3.73's in years ago. I'm in the process of doing a 4L80e swap. With that swap I'm upgrading to 1350 u joints and yokes. This is where the problem lies. I ordered a forged pinion yoke from Dennys driveshaft. Because of recovering from covid I didn't pull off the yoke before I ordered parts. I was under the understanding that the Dana 44 used 29 splines and the Dana 36 used 26 splines. Well I ordered a yoke with 29 splines. My Dana 44 pinion yoke has 26 splines. Anyone ever see this before?
And before anyone asks yes this is a Dana 44. It has 2 bolts on the top of the cover instead of one. Could this have anything to do with the fact that it has a Richmond gear set in it? I'm at a loss.
And before anyone asks yes this is a Dana 44. It has 2 bolts on the top of the cover instead of one. Could this have anything to do with the fact that it has a Richmond gear set in it? I'm at a loss.
Before there were 'Super 44' gear sets, it's how it was done!!! There's many more out there that have yet to be ID'd I'd think!
Get a correct nut and ID the seal using information on your old seal.
***Knowing that it's a very early Hybrid build it could give you several other options for a pinion flange/drive-shaft fabrication.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Dec 5, 2020 at 03:20 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
I'd say your D44 build is an early using standard D44 parts and yours will have either welded 'sleeve & pinion bearings' or a very hybrid combination. It's not an unusual thing to stumble across. What size is the hex on the pinion nut? Is it an issue? No - you just need a 26 spline conventional flange. If you were planning on doing bearings etc while you're there, it will require some thought!
Before there were 'Super 44' gear sets, it's how it was done!!! There's many more out there that have yet to be ID'd I'd think!
Get a correct nut and ID the seal using information on your old seal.
***Knowing that it's a very early Hybrid build it could give you several other options for a pinion flange/drive-shaft fabrication.
Before there were 'Super 44' gear sets, it's how it was done!!! There's many more out there that have yet to be ID'd I'd think!
Get a correct nut and ID the seal using information on your old seal.
***Knowing that it's a very early Hybrid build it could give you several other options for a pinion flange/drive-shaft fabrication.
I was told that this Dana 44 was pulled from a 96. But I can't verify that. He told me that he took it to a shop and had it re-built with a Richmond 3.73 gear set. I can verify that. When I had the cover off I could see the word "Richmond Gear" right on the ring gear. And I counted the teeth to verify that it was in fact 3.73 ratio. The nut on the pinion is 1 1/8". I've been using this rear for years now without issue. A lot of hard launches and no noise and no leaks.
So after doing a little digging through the Richmond gear catalogue. I can't find a gear set that fits an 85 to 96 Dana 44. They do have one that fits an 80 to 82 with a 26 spline Dana 44. I'm wondering if the shop used the 80 to 82 gear set in this rear and then used a Dana 36 yoke. Does this sound plausible?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,397
Likes: 2,742
I was told that this Dana 44 was pulled from a 96. But I can't verify that. He told me that he took it to a shop and had it re-built with a Richmond 3.73 gear set. I can verify that. When I had the cover off I could see the word "Richmond Gear" right on the ring gear. And I counted the teeth to verify that it was in fact 3.73 ratio. The nut on the pinion is 1 1/8". I've been using this rear for years now without issue. A lot of hard launches and no noise and no leaks.
So after doing a little digging through the Richmond gear catalogue. I can't find a gear set that fits an 85 to 96 Dana 44. They do have one that fits an 80 to 82 with a 26 spline Dana 44. I'm wondering if the shop used the 80 to 82 gear set in this rear and then used a Dana 36 yoke. Does this sound plausible?
So after doing a little digging through the Richmond gear catalogue. I can't find a gear set that fits an 85 to 96 Dana 44. They do have one that fits an 80 to 82 with a 26 spline Dana 44. I'm wondering if the shop used the 80 to 82 gear set in this rear and then used a Dana 36 yoke. Does this sound plausible?
https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/p...4-8091-1X.html
What are the #'s on the ring gear and if you can read end of pinion. I believe your thoughts don't work but I'd think the gears intended for a F series Ford or maybe a MOPAR D44. The nut appears to be the same but that shouldn't concern you. Just ID the pinion flange/yoke by dimensions.
Here's a link (might work) to some D44 pinion flange/yokes.
https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/c...s_dana_44.html
Search a 30271 using that website and that should be a correct nut - you could use that info also!
Last edited by WVZR-1; Dec 5, 2020 at 07:35 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,876
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
There seems to be many that use what I suspect you have now. This flange/yoke would do the '80 - '82 Corvette and others.
https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/p...4-8091-1X.html
What are the #'s on the ring gear and if you can read end of pinion. I believe your thoughts don't work but I'd think the gears intended for a F series Ford or maybe a MOPAR D44. The nut appears to be the same but that shouldn't concern you. Just ID the pinion flange/yoke by dimensions.
Here's a link (might work) to some D44 pinion flange/yokes.
https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/c...s_dana_44.html
Search a 30271 using that website and that should be a correct nut - you could use that info also!
https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/p...4-8091-1X.html
What are the #'s on the ring gear and if you can read end of pinion. I believe your thoughts don't work but I'd think the gears intended for a F series Ford or maybe a MOPAR D44. The nut appears to be the same but that shouldn't concern you. Just ID the pinion flange/yoke by dimensions.
Here's a link (might work) to some D44 pinion flange/yokes.
https://www.northerndrivetrain.com/c...s_dana_44.html
Search a 30271 using that website and that should be a correct nut - you could use that info also!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,397
Likes: 2,742
Thank you for all the help. I didn't want to open up the differential if I didn't have to. So I won't be able to get a part number off of it. It was years ago that I had it open. There is some info stamped on the yoke that came off of it. It's a Spicer and has a "37" stamped in it. So I hope with that I can find some info and see if Denny's driveshaft can make a suggestion.
Just use the dimensions. I haven't bought from Denny's for years. I used to send everyone to Denny's but a friend received some real nasty u-joints from them, they misrepresented some ZF 'slip-yokes' but they've already got your $$$ so you're their customer.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Dec 5, 2020 at 08:49 PM.
