Moving a rear D-44 carrier to the front.

[fungus]

Just triple checking and making sure my research is correct before things get torn apart...

The 67 I've got has 1/2 ton d-44s (open front, powerlock rear). I'm going to swap in a 3/4 ton drivetrain from a 69 donor I picked up. I'd like to take the powerlock from the 67 rear (ra-28) and throw it in the 69 front (open fa-15). Both have 4.09s already. I'm thinking that if I put the 69 ring gear on the 67 powerlock carrier (just to keep the matching r&p together for wear patterns) that it should go right back in with a quick check/ setting of the original backlash.

Sound about right? Just want to make sure I'm not missing any bearing size differences or goofy spline count changes.

Ultimately this will give me a 3100# d-44 front w/ 4.09 & powerlock with a d-60 full floater rear w/ 4.10s & powerlock. I'll have the extra ls carrier so might's well use it! Mo traction is mo betta...

Thanks,
fungus

 

[towpainter3]

Been there, done that. It'll work , put a full spool in mine and put the power locker in the front. Just took the ring gear from the open and put it on the p/l carrier. Slammed it in and checked the lash. Was .002 tighter than the original reading which was loose due to wear. Left it alone and its great. No noise or unusual wear patterns.
Checked it a month later after snappin a front axle shaft, had to pull the cap to get the splines outta the carrier. After that I made a tool to fish em out, took a piece of half in sst rod and epoxied a high strength magnet to it. Used it on my buddies Chevy in the woods. Pulled broken spline end right out.
The gears and carriers were from a 69 Jeep pickup and my Scout is a 74.

 

[fungus]

Cool. Exactly what I was thinkin' with moving it to the front. Thanks for replying!

 

[Chris Pucci]

As long as you keep the ring and pinion pairs together you should be able to swap around the carriers no problem. And if you get lucky the specs should be close enough for 40 year old gears...