Amc M20/dana 44

Has anyone put M20 backing plates on a D44?

Or can the D44 plates be modified to accept the M20 cables?

I'm getting ready to work on my D44 and would like to get the emergency brake working again while I have it out.

The project is to install 3.54 gears , Detroit Truetrac, convert to oil bath operation, and get the emergency brake working.

 

Your D44 came from the factory with cable parking brakes. Why don't you install the stock brake cables?

Not sure what you mean.......

 

My D44 is from a 75 CJ, the emergency brake is on the dash to the right of the driver. The cables are both about 5 ft long and the equalizer is near center. On my 78 Jeep the brake is on the driver left, and the driver cable is approx 3'. The pass cable might be able to be used but the equalizer is on the left. I just didn't want to loop the driver cable to take up the excess.



To convert to oil bath you remove the inner axle seal, which allow diff fluid to flow thru the axle tube to lube the bearing. The negative to this, is the outer seal behind the bearing has to be in good shape to prevent leakage onto the brake pads.

 

OK, another question,
I know the timkin bearing "set-9" fits the AMC M20 one piece axle.

I thought I watched a youtube video where the guy said the Dana 44 one piece or flanged axle used Set-10. Does anyone know if this is correct. ???

 

Yes, set 10.

 

Very interesting
I didn't know this was possible!
How many of you guys are doin this?
Gotta be better than repacking every couple yrs.

 

my results were less than spectacular. unless watching a failed bearing leave with an axle drum and tire is your thing. the oil lubed bearing lasted less than a year.

 

I did the brakes on a Ford truck I had one time and did not grease the bearings when I put them back in. Being a full float
rear I assumed they would oil from the axles which they do. Drove to work and when I got back in, I heard a crash sound
from the rear end. The bearings had welded themselves to the spindles. My bad. Replaced the bearings and traded the truck
in as the spindles were pretty much toast. Hard lesson learned. I would give a huge no on trying to use the gear lube for
bearings on a jeep axle. You know there is grease on the bearings and not relying on the gear lube and the level of same.

 

From the research I have done, Dana did this for a couple of years. And the negative response is, that they switched backto grease. But 8000lb boat trailer axles also run in an oil bath. As I have posted is earlier posts, I have lost a axle bearing every 3000 miles, 3 times. I've had the axle examined by a machine shop and they tell me there is nothing they can find. So with this axle I'm going to try oil. We will see how it goes, ....... and as for axles coming out and passing me, it's happened twice. I don't like it either and that's why I'm trying something different.

 

You tow alot?

 

Tow, No,
I drive to the west coast almost every spring. I drive the setup that is my avatar. from 2001 to 2014 I had very little problems. but in 2018 I lost my first bearing, again in 2019 then in 2021which was my last trip. I was injured on that trip. So this coming spring will be my next trip, ..... If I can get the Jeep back together.

 

You are using a flanged 44. Gear oil level in the axle would be critical to keeping the bearings lubed.
I would guess at least a 1/4" of lube on the bottom of the axle tubes would be the minimum. That said,
grease the bearings when putting them together before they receive oil from the axle.

 

yes it is a flanged axle. I need to cut the axle perches off. When I bought it from Daryl he welded the perches on at 0 Deg. unfortunately the AMC axle sits at 3 deg, and I added a 6 deg wedge. When I installed the dana 44 axle in SoCal, I added an 8 deg wedge to get it close to what was needed. So I'm going to weld the perches on with all that to eliminate the wedges. Then I will look at where the fill hole is, I have a heavy duty Rock Crusher diff cover and will probably need to move the hole higher, to get fluid in the axle tubes.

 

Eliminating the wedge you will realize more lift on the rear. Rewelding the axle perches for the proper angle you could
use a double cardan drive shaft and not need to shim your trans cross-member down. Tom woods has good info on that.
That is the way I would go with a D20 and any sort of lift. Since you have to weld the perches back on, it makes sense.

 

Did the machine shop check for housing runout??? Three times in 3000 miles suggests something besides lube is a problem. To me, that suggests a bent housing.

 

Great minds think alike,
all ready have a Tom's woods cardan drive shaft and the D20 is twin sticked.

As for cross member shims, I had to drop the cross member 1" when I installed the T-18 four speed.

 

That was suggested by several people i know. But the local machine shop said no, AND it's the driver side. the pass side has the same bearing since 1999

I was going to oil bath the M20, but since my daughter bought my Tru Trac I'm changing to working on the Dana44

 

The backing plates are not interchangeable.

 

Got some work done today, ..... 1st I cleaned off the axle table and put the M20 in the corner, because it has let me down.
Now, before you get too far down the page, ..... A Warning!! For Those That Hyperventilate upon seeing things they don't agree with, .... get you bag now. Or for those who scream at seeing stupidity, ....
Not this pic. The next one


I managed to get the axle on the ground. I'll put it on the table tomorrow.

 

No worries here. Everyone has an opinion and their own ways of doing things. Sometimes you gotta work with what you got and
within your skill set. Just be safe and getter done.