I’m long overdue for some posts to this website. Back in 2021, I got a front Dana 44 axle from a seller in Detroit. It was a short roadtrip compared to our crazy roadtrips across the world, but worth it since I got that whole setup for $800!!! Suspension, axle, brakes, everything.
Well, that was a long time ago. And I’ve been putting this project off for about four years and I’m sick of waiting for 4WD. After spending thanksgiving with my friend and doing some kitchen renovation with him, I got motivated to actually rebuild this beast and get it going.
Overview:
There are going to be a million things to do.
- Get a short-shaft C6 tranny that fits a 7.3 IDI.
- Get a transfer case
- Get Gearvendor adapter that goes from my standard C6 tailshaft adapter to something that mates up after the transfer case.
I won’t be able to use the 4WD and Gearvender at the same time, because the rear axle will be at a different ratio than the front, but that’s fine. I hope I’m not gearsplitting in the snow in the Sierras at 50mph 🙂
Another wildcard will be to determine the gear ratio, and if it’s not a match with the rear axle, do some hard-rocking differential pinion gear swapping.
Add to the list:
- Get a new pinion ring gear and pinion shaft for the 3.55
Also, I’ll need a bunch of parts. This Quadravan shaft is trashed. TIME TO BUY:
- Get Seals
- Get Bearings
- Get U Joints
- Get Shocks
- Get Ball Joints
- Get lots of synthetic grease
- Get Steering Stabilizer
- Get Caliper rebuild kits
- Get Rotors, if necessary
- Get Suspension Bushings
- Get lots more.
Let’s go over the mess of parts I have already:
Looks like I have the Coil Receiver, Coil, some kind of double-shock setup (looks DIY), brake calipers (from 1979), brake pads, rusty rotors, FWD lockouts, old shocks, etc.
Also, they gave me a set of rear leaf springs. Turns out the Quadravan kit came with leafs to get the vans to ride more level after the front axle lifted the front end up a bit.
There are some suspension components all attached together. Radius Arms with bushings, center link, tie rods, and some other parts.
The rotor shields are totally trashed. They’ll either need to be replaced or significantly reshaped on the vice and anvil.
Well, back in 2021, in my dad’s shed, who coincidentally let me store that axle for a couple years and leave a greasy mess on his new shed floor in Wisconsin, I took the time to disassemble the kit into manageable pieces for the drive to Los Angeles. I ended up driving all those parts cross-country back in 2023, and they just sat in my garage until now.
Dana 44 FWD
Yes. I got a Dana 44. Before you blow up the comments with “shudda gotta Dana 60,” hold your wad. I’m not taking my van to the top of Mt Whitney. It’s mostly a highway roadtripping van, and I like the option of turning on 4WD if I need it. It’ll be not common, but I like it. Just like I like adding a turbo just cuz. Also like adding an GVOD just cuz. This is my “just cuz” project cuz I’m getting old and I just want it.
The axle is dirty, grimy, ugly, and old. But overall, it’s intact. With a little elbow grease, new parts, paint, and TLC, it could transform into something useful.
In 2023, I found a NP208F transfer case for sale in Los Angeles of all places. $100. The guy sold it from some place like Alhambra, so I just drove over and picked it up. He had a bunch of rice grinders so either his truck project was abandoned or he stole it. Who knows at this point.
Chapter Irony:
I set up an automatic search on eBay for “NP208F Gearvender” in the hopes that some day some one some where they’ll sell one. BUT Gearvender has a standing policy to stop all reselling of adapters. Just try it. They don’t like it. They want you to buy directly from them. I’m not upset about that, but just in case I stumble on a lucky sale, I’ll get it.
I called up Gearvenders and asked if they ever sold any of the adapter for the t-case NP208F, and surprisingly they had several in stock. Not that expensive either. $550 IIRC. They included the gaskets and rebuild kit as well. I have the J-Type with the Maximum Overdrive Deep Sump, so it’ll mate well with the new adapter.
A few days later, I found a Gearvendor adapter for the NP208F on eBay. LOL. Typical. I bought it anyway. Now I have two, just in case. Why have one, when you can have two at the price of two?
Transmission Issues:
A friend from the Milwaukee area was selling various diesel IDI C6 4WD parts. He is Andrew, and he had me full C6 short-shaft, just needed to pick it up for $200. The only catch was I was in LA, and it was 2023. Thankfully he held on to it for a few months until I could meet up with him around Christmas. Everything was good aside from the whole trans being in a million pieces. Not quite sure how to deal with that mess, but it’ll work. Maybe I can combine all the parts from my two good long-shaft C6’s and make one decent short-shaft C6.
Driveshaft? Not a problem. I’ll worry about that last.
Rear Suspension:
I need to make a retroactive post about that. In 2023, I got really annoyed with my slumpy saggy old leafs. Check this:
I installed the quadravan rear leafs early. I took a bunch of photos and videos, and then I just forgot to post it. Ultimately, it’s not that complicated. Remove the u-bolt nuts, spring bolts, and install springs.
It sits up a lot higher, and it’s a lot springy-er. It’s great when I’m hauling a bunch of people or house project supplies, but when the van is empty, it’s like a scared rabbit. Jumpy as hell.
Building the Jig.
Glenn and I drove the axle back to LA in 2023. It’s a beast. Likely a few hundred pounds and it takes more than two guys to carry around. I set up the shop crane to lift it out of the van and drop it on the shop floor. Right away, I realized this wasn’t going to work. It’s about 7 ft long and too heavy to slide around. I need a thing that will put this axle about 2ft off the ground and be easy to wheel around. Glenn and I used all the scrap wood in the shed to make a crude jig. 
Luckily, I had a bunch of sturdy casters from my buddy Ryan that just gave them to me a couple years back. They even had some nice steel receivers built in to the caster. You can see the casters in the back of the image above (they are red).
The jig worked well. I left the diagonals to extend up passed the box, so that there was no torsional movement and they kept the axle from sliding off the platform.
Getting STARTED.
Here it is. Yikes.
I removed the coil assembly, central stabilizers, and radius arms. Not in the photo. They are in the backyard, collecting dust and rust.
Are these tie rods salvageable?
Rotors look a little rough, but useable.
Calipers look grimey, but that could’ve been all the penetrating oil that I used to disassemble the kit.
U-joints on both sides look rusty and like they’ve been in a field for 30 years.
That’s the start. Time to tear it down. I’ll post later this week about ripping this down to the axle housing and start the differential pinion work.
GO DO SOMETHING AWESOME IN YOUR LIFE.
