Steel cap for Dana 44
 

Look what I found...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...f9f3f0e9-1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...fa08281d-1.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...4c3dfb9d-1.jpg

Did you find it or make it? The last pic of it shows it hasn't even been drilled yet for bolt holes.

I did not make it. One of our forum members who rebuilds differentials made this cap. As far as I know, he is the only one who also hand-builds Dana differentials.

i like it !!! and would consider using it .

NICE PIECE! I was alway afraid of the aluminum caps splitting while watching late model Vettes launch at the drags.

Yeah, he did a really nice job machining that cap. He really knows his stuff. This is going to be a very popular mod in my opinion.

Here's the cap mounted
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k4...forum/Bob7.jpg

What are the benefits of caps like that? Street use, track use...maybe only for high HP engines and very stout drive trains?

Look at the second pic Stinger posted. The cap breaks where it has been cut down for the bolt. Also the cap supports the lateral forces of the carrier. The steel cap is wider using the the case for additional support like the iron diffs.
The stock caps have been known to break just from spirited driving with a stock motor and driveline. Since there are no new caps available, and they have to be machined in the case so a used cap won't help, the only option was to buy another diff and have it rebuilt or do the full conversion and install and iron diff.
This cap allows a diff with a broken cap to be repaired and it eliminates the weakest parts of the 80-82 danas.
Mike

I guess I never really took into consideration how big that cap really was. Now that I can see it mounted, that thing is just monstrous!

Nice machine work. What type of steel did you use for the cap?