Dana 44hd Spline Count

voodoovette

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2008
Messages
92
Location
Crystal Lake Illinois
Anyone know the spline count of the output shafts on the Dana 44HD. How strong is this differential compaired to the cast iron C3 differential and is there aftermarket caps availiable for the Dana 44HD differential.:search:
 
I'd take a built iron unit over a D44 anyday. If you want a steel cap see Mike Dyer he'll fit one. I could, but won't.
 
A Dana 44 HD is the C4 unit, the C3 one is known as the D44 ICA. The C4 unit uses the same guts as the viper super dana44, it has a Dana 60 sized pinion w/29 splines and a 8.5" ring gear. The stub axles are 28 splines
 
Marck it would be a nice test to toss one of each behind one of Jims engines and just beat them into the ground to see which one lasts.I'll still take a iron with a 12 bolt for the best vette IRS setup.
 
That guy John Meany...he has a 1200+ HP engine in his otherwise bone stock C4 and he drove it hard from what I saw in some vids and stuff, I don't think he broke his.

Also there are upgrades for the D44, there is a guy on CF w/ billet 4340 28 spline stub axles and Summers brothers has a C4 upgrade w/ 30 spline stub axles and 31? spline hubs and all. Not sure if they sell the stub axles separately

As for the Viper diff, to this day it remains largely the same unit. Sure, it's set up for CV joints now w/splined shafts sticking out the sides instead of stub axles w/ yokes, there's some other misc. changes but it is still the same basic idea.
 
That guy John Meany...he has a 1200+ HP engine in his otherwise bone stock C4 and he drove it hard from what I saw in some vids and stuff, I don't think he broke his.

Also there are upgrades for the D44, there is a guy on CF w/ billet 4340 28 spline stub axles and Summers brothers has a C4 upgrade w/ 30 spline stub axles and 31? spline hubs and all. Not sure if they sell the stub axles separately

As for the Viper diff, to this day it remains largely the same unit. Sure, it's set up for CV joints now w/splined shafts sticking out the sides instead of stub axles w/ yokes, there's some other misc. changes but it is still the same basic idea.
The Viper D44 with splined stubs for CV joints is the unit I was most interested in. I have an aluminum 8.8 with 31 spline stub axles that I was going to use but I did find a good deal on the viper D44 with the batwing and thought I would research this option compared to the 8.8. Also if I use the viper differential, it has the splined stubs that would just need a splined cv flange and the 8.8 needs big dollar, $400.00 each aftermarket stubs because the factory ones are made for a tri-pod cv set up that is not strong enough. I was hoping the viper would have at least 30 spline stubs, 28 is too weak in my opinion. I also have the iron C3 differential, but I am going with CV joints and this would also require custom stubs and it is very heavy. I did see a posting on VetteMod of what looked like a Dana 60 with splined stubs. I looked for more info on the internet but came up empty handed. I know this is also iron but the strength of a Dana 60 would be nice.
 
I don't know how many splines the viper unit has with the CV setup, might want to ask around, could be it has more than 28.
 
A Dana 44 HD is the C4 unit, the C3 one is known as the D44 ICA. The C4 unit uses the same guts as the viper super dana44, it has a Dana 60 sized pinion w/29 splines and a 8.5" ring gear. The stub axles are 28 splines

Does that mean the Viper guts are a direct bolt in for a C4 D44?

I have a Viper Gen 3 rear without stub axles. What are the odds that the C4 stubs will fit?
 
A Dana 44 HD is the C4 unit, the C3 one is known as the D44 ICA. The C4 unit uses the same guts as the viper super dana44, it has a Dana 60 sized pinion w/29 splines and a 8.5" ring gear. The stub axles are 28 splines

Does that mean the Viper guts are a direct bolt in for a C4 D44?

I have a Viper Gen 3 rear without stub axles. What are the odds that the C4 stubs will fit?

BBshark,
If you get a chance, can you tell me the spline count on the internals of your GEN 3 Viper differential, that is, if it is all apart. I asked the person selling the differential but have not received a response and do not want to spend money on another differential if I have to get larger stub axles. The post from 71vettewi showed what looked like a very stout Dana 60 IRS?:confused2:
I cannot find what vehicles it came in or any other information. Anyone that has knowledge of this type of differential, information would be great.
 
Last edited:
I get 32 splines, it's a bitch to count. I'm goint to see if I can get a picture. hang on!
 
Hey voodoovette, Did you find info on the Viper stub axles? I would like to put some second gen stubs on this rear (for u-joints) but I'm not sure they will fit.
 
Hey voodoovette, Did you find info on the Viper stub axles? I would like to put some second gen stubs on this rear (for u-joints) but I'm not sure they will fit.

I have a 89 corvette and keep destroying the rear end parts. It's a 6-speed and has the dana 44 in it. Has any put the viper rear end in a c4 here?
 
Viper or something else

Hey voodoovette, Did you find info on the Viper stub axles? I would like to put some second gen stubs on this rear (for u-joints) but I'm not sure they will fit.

I have a 89 corvette and keep destroying the rear end parts. It's a 6-speed and has the dana 44 in it. Has any put the viper rear end in a c4 here?

I installed a 3 gen Viper Super D44 in a C3 corvette, but I have a custom frame with narrowed rear rails and I am using a CV set up, not U-joints. The factory Viper carrier has some strength issues according to several blogs I have read, I ended up using the GKN carrier but it is expensive, around $2100. The Viper 3gen differential has 30 spline stub axles. Another option is a ford 8.8 aluminum differential. The aftermarket carriers have more selection and are cheeper. The Ford uses 31 spline stub axles. The down side to both is you need to purchase aftermarket CV adapters that are fairly expensive, $600 pair for the Viper and $800? or so for the Ford. Also the Ford 8.8 used light weight aluminum caps, that you need to replace with a set from Strange enginering. Viper uses forged aluminum caps that are much beefier. I do not know about u-joint yokes but I do know there is no real cheep way to build a good differential. I hope this may help
 
Hey voodoovette, Did you find info on the Viper stub axles? I would like to put some second gen stubs on this rear (for u-joints) but I'm not sure they will fit.

I have a 89 corvette and keep destroying the rear end parts. It's a 6-speed and has the dana 44 in it. Has any put the viper rear end in a c4 here?

I installed a 3 gen Viper Super D44 in a C3 corvette, but I have a custom frame with narrowed rear rails and I am using a CV set up, not U-joints. The factory Viper carrier has some strength issues according to several blogs I have read, I ended up using the GKN carrier but it is expensive, around $2100. The Viper 3gen differential has 30 spline stub axles. Another option is a ford 8.8 aluminum differential. The aftermarket carriers have more selection and are cheeper. The Ford uses 31 spline stub axles. The down side to both is you need to purchase aftermarket CV adapters that are fairly expensive, $600 pair for the Viper and $800? or so for the Ford. Also the Ford 8.8 used light weight aluminum caps, that you need to replace with a set from Strange enginering. Viper uses forged aluminum caps that are much beefier. I do not know about u-joint yokes but I do know there is no real cheep way to build a good differential. I hope this may help

Do you have any pictures of your set up? how long have you been running it?
 
Viper in a C-3

Hey voodoovette, Did you find info on the Viper stub axles? I would like to put some second gen stubs on this rear (for u-joints) but I'm not sure they will fit.

I have a 89 corvette and keep destroying the rear end parts. It's a 6-speed and has the dana 44 in it. Has any put the viper rear end in a c4 here?

I installed a 3 gen Viper Super D44 in a C3 corvette, but I have a custom frame with narrowed rear rails and I am using a CV set up, not U-joints. The factory Viper carrier has some strength issues according to several blogs I have read, I ended up using the GKN carrier but it is expensive, around $2100. The Viper 3gen differential has 30 spline stub axles. Another option is a ford 8.8 aluminum differential. The aftermarket carriers have more selection and are cheeper. The Ford uses 31 spline stub axles. The down side to both is you need to purchase aftermarket CV adapters that are fairly expensive, $600 pair for the Viper and $800? or so for the Ford. Also the Ford 8.8 used light weight aluminum caps, that you need to replace with a set from Strange enginering. Viper uses forged aluminum caps that are much beefier. I do not know about u-joint yokes but I do know there is no real cheep way to build a good differential. I hope this may help

Do you have any pictures of your set up? how long have you been running it?

I do not have any pictures handy, I had some on the chip in the camera but they were mistakingly errased. To make things easy, go to Street Shop INC web site and look at c5/6 corvette frame section. Scroll down to the pics of the red frame with the viper differential. This is almost identical to mine except I used 3"x4" frame rails and fabricated rear control arms. This will give you a good idea of what I am talking about.
 
Top