Light weight drag race axles

SPEEDSHIFT

SPEEDSHIFT

New member
So I have been looking around at options on some light weight axles I can build for my drag truck. I have seen a couple guys use a Ford 9" center section and what looks like a dana 44 outer section.

Does anyone have more information on what would be best for these trucks?
 
I've thought about trying a factory halfton 2nd gen frt axle in mine. Going with after market shafts. Would be about a bolt in swap. My truck doesn't hop at all and leaves smooth, I think it'd work fine. On a mid 9sec truck anyway.
 
Lots of people take our axles into the 9s. Maybe invest in a lightweight wheel/tire setup before you throw away the tried and true aam stuff.

Maybe find someone to get the ball rolling on a lightweight hub/brake idea?
 
Poulina said:
Maybe find someone to get the ball rolling on a lightweight hub/brake idea?
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Already done, look up Innovative Machining Solutions on Facebook. They say they will clear a 15” rim as well.

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Poulina said:
Lots of people take our axles into the 9s. Maybe invest in a lightweight wheel/tire setup before you throw away the tried and true aam stuff.

Maybe find someone to get the ball rolling on a lightweight hub/brake idea?
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I am looking at things from a cost verses ET gain perspective. I bet you could cut 500lbs or more by swapping to lightweight axles. As long as I dont get into custom machined parts, I could probably build a set of junk yard axles for $1000-$2000. To lose the same amount of weight or less, I would have to swap everything but the cab to fiberglass, which just the panels are almost $4000 plus paint.

My goal is to build a lighter truck that can run local 7.0 races at under 900hp or so, to help keep the truck more reliable.
 
SPEEDSHIFT said:
I am looking at things from a cost verses ET gain perspective. I bet you could cut 500lbs or more by swapping to lightweight axles. As long as I dont get into custom machined parts, I could probably build a set of junk yard axles for $1000-$2000. To lose the same amount of weight or less, I would have to swap everything but the cab to fiberglass, which just the panels are almost $4000 plus paint.

My goal is to build a lighter truck that can run local 7.0 races at under 900hp or so, to help keep the truck more reliable.
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You’re looking at easily double the price of quoted fiberglass panels for some good quality reliable lightweight complete 9” axles. They would only net a weight savings of 350# conservatively though compared to my guesstimate of an AAM pair.

And I’d call you crazy for dropping that coin on anything but a regular cab:Cheer:
 
DieselheaD said:
You’re looking at easily double the price of quoted fiberglass panels for some good quality reliable lightweight complete 9” axles. They would only net a weight savings of 350# conservatively though compared to my guesstimate of an AAM pair.

And I’d call you crazy for dropping that coin on anything but a regular cab:Cheer:
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I wouldnt buy axles from anyone, I can build them.
 
DieselheaD said:
Oh cool. I wasn’t factoring build labor lmao
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Im just talking about taking some junk yard axles and putting them together. Like a Ford 9" center section with dana 44 out assemblies and custom inner axle shafts. On the rear I can build a full float 9 fairly cheap. It wont have any kind of fancy billet chunk or anything, but it will be a lot lighter than an axle built to carry a lot of weight.



I had built a steering 14 bolt with dana 60 outers for my rock bouncer years ago, same concept with lighter parts.
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If it was a second gen you could get a 2nd gen 1500 ram “dana44” and throw some really strong RCV axle shafts in and call it good. 3rd gen front link mounts might not line up on account that the rear leaf perches are set wider.

If I remember right you could machine Dana 80 or possibly your aam spindles to make a hybrid full float 9” which would be bad ass since there’s nice aluminum hubs/lightweight brake kits for both applications out there.

On another note I have a re-tubed d44 center and 4link brackets axle project that would pair nicely that I would like to sell.
 
DieselheaD said:
If it was a second gen you could get a 2nd gen 1500 ram “dana44” and throw some really strong RCV axle shafts in and call it good. 3rd gen front link mounts might not line up on account that the rear leaf perches are set wider.

If I remember right you could machine Dana 80 or possibly your aam spindles to make a hybrid full float 9” which would be bad ass since there’s nice aluminum hubs/lightweight brake kits for both applications out there.

On another note I have a re-tubed d44 center and 4link brackets axle project that would pair nicely that I would like to sell.
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I would just be worried about the ring gear size on a dana 44, I am looking into that though. Sure would be nice to just bolt everything together.
 
SPEEDSHIFT said:
Im just talking about taking some junk yard axles and putting them together. Like a Ford 9" center section with dana 44 out assemblies and custom inner axle shafts. On the rear I can build a full float 9 fairly cheap. It wont have any kind of fancy billet chunk or anything, but it will be a lot lighter than an axle built to carry a lot of weight.



I had built a steering 14 bolt with dana 60 outers for my rock bouncer years ago, same concept with lighter parts.
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With your fab skills, have you ever thought of building a very light standard cab?
 
jasonc said:
With your fab skills, have you ever thought of building a very light standard cab?
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Every day, I already have a single cab truck sitting with no engine or trans. However I dont have the time or space for a full build like that. Right now, especially during race season, I just want quick projects that I can swap out on the truck and still make it to races.
 
Currie is a good way to go.

For reference, I had a 98 2nd gen ram SCSB with the D44 front with 35's, and I converted it into a decent wheeler. It had welded diffs, Yukon axle shafts, and a stock 360 engine. I still broke shafts at the yoke pretty often. It happened when I'd get wheel hop and keep into it, so shock loading like crazy, but man did that 360 not make power. I feel like the HP needed for a 9s truck would snap those shafts like nothing.
 
CorneliusRox said:
Currie is a good way to go.

For reference, I had a 98 2nd gen ram SCSB with the D44 front with 35's, and I converted it into a decent wheeler. It had welded diffs, Yukon axle shafts, and a stock 360 engine. I still broke shafts at the yoke pretty often. It happened when I'd get wheel hop and keep into it, so shock loading like crazy, but man did that 360 not make power. I feel like the HP needed for a 9s truck would snap those shafts like nothing.
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That’s the problem, there’s no shaft off the shelf with 35 splines that has an end yoke that will fit the d44. Only option is RCV shafts, or expensive custom shafts
 
CorneliusRox said:
Currie is a good way to go.

For reference, I had a 98 2nd gen ram SCSB with the D44 front with 35's, and I converted it into a decent wheeler. It had welded diffs, Yukon axle shafts, and a stock 360 engine. I still broke shafts at the yoke pretty often. It happened when I'd get wheel hop and keep into it, so shock loading like crazy, but man did that 360 not make power. I feel like the HP needed for a 9s truck would snap those shafts like nothing.
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Wheeling and drag racing are two completely different animals as far as axles go. Ive seen a 6 cylinder Jeep snap a rear shaft on a Dana 80... but we used to run front and rear 10 bolt axles on my mud trucks with cut 40" Boggers, 1000hp big blocks, at 4k lbs, and leaving on a trans brake with very few issues.

Nitro gear makes a set of Dana 44 axles, but due to the custom width you would probably be looking at a custom length axle anyway. Not sure if the joint would fit without hitting, but you may be able to run a set of stock Dana 60 axles if you size the housing to them. Currie can make the housing any width you want.

Thats what I did with my steering 14bolt, I just machined a set of spider gears to fit in the 14b carrier and welded it all up. I sized the axle housing to fit the axle shafts, and then I could use Dana 60 shafts from right off the shelf.
 
DieselheaD said:
That’s the problem, there’s no shaft off the shelf with 35 splines that has an end yoke that will fit the d44. Only option is RCV shafts, or expensive custom shafts
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For custom axles at a good price check out Branik Motorsports and tell them that I recommended them. They build great axles for many budgets and really know their stuff!!!

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