1972-1974 Dodge Open Knuckle Dana 44 Front Axle

Shop Now for 1972-1974 Dodge W100 and W200 4x4 Open Knuckle Dana 44 Front Axle parts & manuals. In stock for quick shipping.

Dodge parts books first catalog Dana 44 open knuckle front axles for 1972 model year vehicles. Dana lists an open knuckle axle for 1971-1/2, but as far as we can determine, these axles were in 1972 model year trucks. The new, drum brake, open knuckle front axle with serviceable wheel bearings replaced Dana 44 closed knuckle axles that had been used by Dodge since 1957. In 1974, we started seeing the newly introduced Ramcharger with a troublesome live spindle, full time, disc brake front axle. Dodge parts books do not list the introduction dates for the live spindle axles in the pickups, but most if not all 1974 W100/W250 trucks with Dana 44 axles will have the older drum brake axle with serviceable wheel bearings. There may be a few early 1975 pickups with the older axle, however, every 1975 W-series pickup we can remember had the live spindle front axle. It is too bad Dodge did not just upgrade the 1972-1974 axle with disc brakes as the serviceable wheel bearing design is much more reliable than the full time axle that replaced it.