Toyota 8" D44 FF hybrid

[Matt Pascoe]

I'm running a Toyota 8" rear axle on my Jeep and for several reasons would like to convert it to a full floating axle.
Front Range Off Road in CO makes an adapter plate that bolts to the housing flange and allows you to bolt Toyota front spindles and hubs to the rear axle. This would work fine except that I would have to convert the Toyota hub to 5x5.5 and run Toyota hub locks.

This got me thinking that if I can adapt over to a Toyota spindle, why not adapt to a D44 spindle using the Warn D44 full float kit? This would give me the 5x5.5 that I want and also allow the use of drive flanges or Warn hubs.

One problem is that a Toyota 30 spline is slightly different than Dana 30 spline. Brian at FROR told me that he has made many custom shafts that were dana on one side and Toyota on the other so it sounds like this might not be a huge problem.

Heres a "borrowed" pic of the Toyota flange. It has a square pattern of 3-3/8" x 3-3/8"

Heres the adapter plate:

Toyota spindle:

Toyota hub:

Heres a pic of a Dana44 warn spidle:


My questions are, can this be as simple as bolting or welding an adapter plate to my axle flange and having some custom shafts made?

Any advantage to bolting OR welding on the adapter plate?

Lastly, I run 1.5" wheel spacers that I would like to eliminate. I'm sure I can gain some width with the adapter, any idea if the Warn FF kit will add any width?

I realise this is kinda an oddball project, but any help/opinions would surely be appreciated

Thanks,
Matt

[Robert J. Yates]

.....nothing really to add other than to suggest that if you decide to buy a set of those Dana/Toy axle shafts - buy 2 sets so you have spares

[John]

Finally, some stuff I know about

Here's the TJ pattern for reference.




I don't think you're going to pick up any width from the Warn FF kit, but to do this the easy way you could just remove the Toyota end from the axle and weld on some D44 stuff if you don't want an adapter.

I'm very familiar with that kit from the pictures and have talked to them at length about it since I'd love rear hubs for flat towing reasons. They said that it was possible to pick up 3" of axle width by flipping the hub around, and using a custom bracket for the brake caliper. That would put you right on where you need to be wouldn't it?

And for simplicity I'd just weld the 6 holes shut and drill the new pattern like what you had done on your current shafts. then use the wheel studs that I gave you the part number for.

This just leaves the brakes, and that kit is set up for the 4 piston toy stuff and leaves you minus an e-brake if that's important to you.

[Matt Pascoe]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
.....nothing really to add other than to suggest that if you decide to buy a set of those Dana/Toy axle shafts - buy 2 sets so you have spares

So, you don't think I could just make a run to AutoZone if I break something?

One of the nice things about Toyota axles is the left and right shaft are identical so you just need one spare. And I wouldn?t leave home without one

John, I thought you might have some input on this

That axle flange dimension really helps (although there appears to be a transposition of the dimensions). If I do opt to graft a D44 spindle onto the Toyota axle I will want a D44 spindle that has the largest flange pattern (larger than the Toyota's 3-3/8"at least). So I'll have to do some research as to what spindle to use.

The more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense to just stick with the Toy spindle and hub. That will eliminate allot of guess work on spindles, customization of brake brackets and need for custom made shafts. Brian at FROR is willing to machine some hubs for me to 5x5.5 so it will be pretty much a bolt on affair.

They said that it was possible to pick up 3" of axle width by flipping the hub around, and using a custom bracket for the brake caliper. That would put you right on where you need to be wouldn't it?

What Brian told me was that if you use IFS hubs you get the extra 3" (as opposed to solid axle hubs) but the IFS hub does not lend it self to being re-drilled to 5x5.5, not enough material around the new stud locations.

I "think" that with a full floater conversion the extra leverage imparted by the 1.5" spacers is not a problem. With the semi-float shafts however, I managed to slightly bend the shaft flange at Moab this past spring giving me a tire wobble

Fortunately I have enough semi-float spare shafts to make it through the season and ponder the full float conversion till the spring. Seems like a good idea though...

[John]

I'd stick to the KISS method and run it with the Yota stuff too.

Are the shafts they include alloy? I don't recall off hand. And any thoughts on what you'll do for a rotor?

As for your bent shaft, I feel your pain. When I put the first 8" in I was a tard and didn't put in fresh bearings. The strain of them wobbling and the spacers caused both my shafts to bend in the center and make the Jeep undrivable. That's what led me to the current Tacoma axle I now run.

You'll just have to upgrade your front brakes to try and keep up with those 4 piston jobs, or dial out some of the pressure going to the rear maybe?