Revolution Gear & Axle Dana 44 Reverse Rotation Rear Axle 4.88 Ratio Ring & Pinion Set
If you are regearing a Ford 4x4 for 35 inch tires and the front axle is a high-pinion Dana 44, the front set has to be reverse rotation. That covers the 1978-1979 Bronco and F-150 solid-axle front and the Twin Traction Beam Dana 44 under 1980s and 1990s Broncos and F-150s. The Revolution Gear and Axle D44-488R is a new 4.88 reverse-rotation ring and pinion for those housings, with a 26-spline pinion and an 8.5 inch ring gear. It is also the replacement when the front diff on one of these trucks starts howling in 4WD or loses teeth on a rock ledge.
In a high-pinion axle the driveshaft enters above the axle centerline, so the pinion meets the ring gear on its upper side instead of below center as in a low-pinion rear, and the load lands on the opposite face of each tooth. Reverse-rotation gears are cut so that, in that layout, the drive side of the tooth carries the load when the truck moves forward. Fit a standard-rotation set in a high-pinion housing and the gear runs on its weaker coast side every mile. At 4.88 the pinion turns 4.88 times per turn of the front wheels. Revolution builds this set from 8620 steel in Korea and uses ten 3/8 in ring gear bolts. The carrier break for the reverse Dana 44 family is 3.73/3.92, so a 4.88 set mounts on the 3.92-and-numerically-higher carrier.
Look at where the front driveshaft meets the housing: high on the housing means reverse rotation. Count the cover bolts (the Dana 44 uses ten) and read the current ratio from the axle tag or the ring gear tooth counts; our axle code and ratio guide shows how. Then check which carrier you have. If the axle now runs 3.54 or 3.73 gears, its carrier is the low series and a 4.88 ring gear will not bolt on, so you need a new carrier or a locker for the 3.92-and-up series, as the carrier break guide explains. The Dana 44 problems and rebuild cost guide covers what else wears in these fronts.
Revolution describes this set only as a Dana 44 reverse rotation gear and does not publish a vehicle list. Reverse-rotation 26-spline Dana 44 gears are the ones used in Ford's high-pinion fronts: the 1978-1979 Bronco and F-150 solid-axle front, and the TTB Dana 44 in the 1980-1996 Bronco and F-150 and 1980-1990 F-250, per the fitment rows on the matching Yukon Dana 44 reverse 4.88 set. The catalog title says rear axle, but reverse-rotation Dana 44 gears belong in a high-pinion housing, which is almost always a front, so confirm your pinion height before ordering. It does not fit a standard low-pinion Dana 44 rear, and it does not fit the 2007-2018 JK Rubicon front, which takes its own 24-spline set. Match the pinion spline count and ring bolt size to your old gears, or send us your year and VIN. More axle parts are on our hard parts page.
Replace all bearings, races, the crush sleeve and pinion seal with the gears. On 1993-and-later TTB trucks the Yukon Dana 44 IFS master overhaul kit covers those parts. Revolution's setup chart for the Dana 44 lists a 0.042 in starting pinion shim, 14-19 in-lb of new pinion bearing preload, 0.006-0.010 in backlash, 55 ft-lb on 3/8 in ring gear bolts and 60 ft-lb on the bearing caps. Spread the case only as far as needed to remove and refit the carrier, and read the pattern on both sides of the teeth with marking compound. With the front apart, check the outer stub axle and spindle bearings on TTB trucks. Break the gears in on 80W-90 or 85W-140 non-synthetic GL-5 oil, with short drives and cool-downs, no off-road use or towing, and an oil change at 500 miles, as in our break-in procedure.
| Brand | Revolution Gear & Axle |
| Part number | D44-488R |
| Fits | Revolution Gear & Axle Dana 44 Reverse Rotation Rear Axle 4.88 Ratio Ring & Pinion Set |
| Type | Ring & Pinions |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
The 1980-1996 F-150 and Bronco TTB Dana 44 front is a reverse-rotation 26-spline Dana 44, which is what this set is cut for. Confirm the high pinion and spline count, or send us your VIN.
Revolution lists a 3.73/3.92 carrier break for this family. A 4.88 ring gear mounts on the 3.92-and-up carrier; if your axle has 3.73 or lower gears now, you need a different carrier.
Only if that housing is a high-pinion reverse-rotation axle, which is rare. A normal low-pinion Dana 44 rear takes standard-rotation gears.
No. The JK Rubicon front is reverse rotation but uses a different 24-spline pinion and its own gear sets.
New pinion and carrier bearings, races, a crush sleeve, a pinion seal, shims and ring gear bolts, which a Dana 44 master install or overhaul kit supplies, plus gear oil.
Yes. On a 4WD truck the front and rear ratios must match, so the rear axle needs its own 4.88 set.
