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By Richard - 4 Years Ago
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What size ring and pinion is in the Dana 44, used in the 54,55,56, Station Wagons. Also was the same rear end used in the T Birds
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By 55blacktie - 4 Years Ago
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The Dana 44 is 8.5." 55-56 T-bird/w Fordomatic 3.31 rear-axle ratio. 19-spline axle shafts. Higher ratios available/w manual transmission.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 4 Years Ago
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'55 and '56 T-Birds used a Dana 44, but the axle housing is different than the wagons. I don't know about widths, but the spring perches on the Birds were taller than on the wagons.
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By 55blacktie - 4 Years Ago
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I can't speak for 54s, but I did check my 55 manual, which confirms that 55 wagons used the Dana 44, not the banjo-style that was used in sedans. I don't know if the width is the same as the T-bird, but the wagon's rear shoes are 2" wide vs. 1 3/4" for the T-bird, both being 11" diameter. As it has been already said, the T-bird has taller spring perches, which drop the back lower than the front-not a look I particularly care for, preferring level or slight front drop.
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By miker - 4 Years Ago
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In 1968 or so I replaced the Fordo in my 55 312 bird with a T-85 o/d. The local junkyard (who's owner had an F code 57 bird) sold me the Dana 44 out of a 56 6 cylinder o/d wagon. Rear gear was 4.27 IIRC. I used 1.5 or 2" lowering blocks to get the car level. It came drum to drum, shoes were good, I just used it. Width was the same.
The 55 bird I bought in 1999 had the Dana 44. On going thru it the bird axle bearings wouldn't fit the axles. It was a truck Dana, bigger axles. It also had very crudely welded bird perches. Somewhere along the line the original 4:11 rear had been swapped out for a 4:11 truck rear end.
I've heard various explanations about Dana 41-45-? being variants. I don't know what's correct. I do know the birds, trucks, wagons and police cars usually had a Dana of some sort. All looked the same from casual looks from under the car.
They're getting hard to find parts for, at least the non 44 variants. If you're re going to change ratios, it's a pita. Having been thru it on the bird, I should have put a 9" or a newer 8.8 in
Randy's is local to me, they're pretty good with these. Various more modern vehicles used the 44 gears, including early Vipers.
https://www.randysworldwide.com/
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By Richard - 4 Years Ago
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I put mine up for sale in the classifieds. Replaced it with an 8 inch from a maverick
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By Florida_Phil - 4 Years Ago
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My 55 Tbird has it's original T86-R10 O/D transmission and Dana 44 rear axle. According to what I have found on the Internet, O/D TBirds had 3.70 gears. My car had a tag on the differential cover that read 4.11. The final ratio is hard to guess without counting the gears as the O/D unit changes the final ratio. One day I might get the energy to get under the car and find out. For now, it's a mystery. 
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By 55blacktie - 4 Years Ago
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My 55 T-bird's Dana 44 3.31 gears were replaced with 2.72 gears. The shop gave no indication that it was a difficult swap, although an Auburn limited-slip was also installed at the same time.
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By carl - 4 Years Ago
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I have a dana 44 that came out of a 56 Ford wagon 6 cylinder with od trans 4.27 gears Carl
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By 55blacktie - 4 Years Ago
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FYI: There are two different carriers for the Dana 44. The small carrier is for ratios up to 3.73.
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By Richard - 3 Years Ago
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In retrospect I should have used the Dana 44 instead of the Maverick 8”. I had to relocate the Maverick spring perches to make it fit.
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By 55blacktie - 3 Years Ago
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My cousin-in-law's 65 Mustang has the original 8" axle, but he had 3.50 gears installed. The 302 engine is producing about 300 hp at the crank, running through the original C4 transmission. The only complaint he has is that he wishes he had retained the original gearing for the highway. I think that all 260/289/302 Mustangs, with the exception of K-Code and Boss 302, used the 8" until the 80s Fox-bodied 5.0s were equipped with the 8.8" axle. K-code and Boss 302 were equipped with the Ford 9" rear axle. Depending on what you have under the hood, the 8" should be fine. It also should be easier to service than the Dana 44.
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By Florida_Phil - 3 Years Ago
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In the seventies, we ran a1965 Mustang convertible drag car. I bought the body with no title from a junk yard for $350. It had a 289, a modified C4 with a high stall converter, an 8" rear with small slicks and slapper bars. At the time, the car ran in the 13s. We never broke the 8" rear.
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By dbird - 3 Years Ago
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I imagine as an adult with an automatic trans the 8 inch should be plenty strong. As an 18 yr old with a 64 Falcon, lightly modified 289 with a T-10, I did manage to destroy the OE 8 inch, 3.25 open. The housing came apart around the rear pinion bearing. Kind of a fan of 8.8s now, got one for my F100 with 3.9 limited slip and disc brakes from the local pick n pull for around $150.
Don
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By 55blacktie - 3 Years Ago
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I was somewhat concerned about my 19-spline axles being the weakest link. However, if Phil has 4.11s and a manual transmission, I should have no worries with 2.72 gears behind a C4. It's my understanding that numerically low ratios are harder on the transmission, but numerically low gears are harder on the rear end.
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By Florida_Phil - 3 Years Ago
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If I drove my current TBird like I drove when I was 16, I could destroy a 9" rear!  Seriously, I drive my car conservatively. I've destroyed enough manual three speed transmissions to know better. If I was going to drag race my car, I would swap in a 9" and a modern gear box. The only racing I do now is to the ice cream store.
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By 2721955meteor - 3 Years Ago
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Florida_Phil (12/30/2020)
My 55 Tbird has it's original T86-R10 O/D transmission and Dana 44 rear axle. According to what I have found on the Internet, O/D TBirds had 3.70 gears. My car had a tag on the differential cover that read 4.11. The final ratio is hard to guess without counting the gears as the O/D unit changes the final ratio. One day I might get the energy to get under the car and find out. For now, it's a mystery.
with 371 and down all gears will fit,3.7i and up you need a different carer,purchase my 371 from amazon,had to machine the bearing surfice to use correct cups(older 44s used smaller . spyders and axel gears worked( 4.11 is down 3.50 is up) i found this confusing but gear guy sorted me out
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