Question for GTR1999

[Barry08]

Gary I am getting my diff overhauled and new gear set on my 81 in a while.
Wondering if a drain plug would be a good idea on a dana 44 ?
Will be behind a mild 406 say 425 hp and 460 tq ,3.70 gears ,2004r,street tires no strip action just the occasional tire frying and street driving.


Thanks.... Barry

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Can other people answer or just Gary?

 

[Barry08]

Everyone's answer is always welcome!!!!!
It's just the fact I know he is an expert on the subject.
Good to see you guys are paying attention!!


Barry

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

I'm sure Gary will be thrilled to know you consider him to be a drain plug expert. That's quite an accolade.

Here's my non-superstar response- the diff oil only needs to be changed every xx,xxx miles- maybe once every ten to twenty years if you go by mileage only. There's little or no evidence that changing it more often does anything except make the oil companies richer.

Do you really want to spend money on drilling a hole in a housing and hoping that it doesn't crack or leak, and that the plug will come loose and reseal ten years from now, or would you just want to do what us iggerant plebes do and just suck the oil out with a vacuum? otfl

 

[Peer81]

I think Gary will say: "please don't weaken the C3 Dana44 any more then it already is". :W

Greetings Peter

 

[GTR1999]

Hi Guys,
Hey Mike, Diff plug expert ha! I thought you would say "Gary hates the 80-82 diff's and won't touch them"! Which of course is correct.

I don't think tapping a hole will weaken it and won't cause it to crack. Countersink the lead in thread if you do.

With that said, my advice if it were my car would not be a stock rebuild on those diff's. I would change over to an iron diff which I can build to hold up to 1000hp but that would cost a lot more and you would have to switch over to the earlier 1/2 shafts,rods,brackets, etc. They are a lot stronger.

The option and best if you keep an 80-82 diff is to send it to Mike Dyer and have him fit a steel cap to it. Mike is the best 80-82 builder out there and no one is fitting a steel cap to them. If you just install a new gear and master kit you still have the weakness in the caps they came with. They are all over the place with fitment, that is why some can beat them up with over 400 hp and not break them while others with stock 200 hp cars crack the caps.

I have been asked a lot to build these and I certainly can fit a cap but just don't like them and I wouldn't want to stamp my ID in something I don't have a lot of faith it.

 

[Barry08]

Hi Guys,
Hey Mike, Diff plug expert ha! I thought you would say "Gary hates the 80-82 diff's and won't touch them"! Which of course is correct.

I don't think tapping a hole will weaken it and won't cause it to crack. Countersink the lead in thread if you do.

With that said, my advice if it were my car would not be a stock rebuild on those diff's. I would change over to an iron diff which I can build to hold up to 1000hp but that would cost a lot more and you would have to switch over to the earlier 1/2 shafts,rods,brackets, etc. They are a lot stronger.

The option and best if you keep an 80-82 diff is to send it to Mike Dyer and have him fit a steel cap to it. Mike is the best 80-82 builder out there and no one is fitting a steel cap to them. If you just install a new gear and master kit you still have the weakness in the caps they came with. They are all over the place with fitment, that is why some can beat them up with over 400 hp and not break them while others with stock 200 hp cars crack the caps.

I have been asked a lot to build these and I certainly can fit a cap but just don't like them and I wouldn't want to stamp my ID in something I don't have a lot of faith it.

Thanks Gary

 

[GTR1999]

Good luck Barry, if you get the steel cap fit then you'll probably be ok.