Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Dana 44 Reverse Rotation in a 4.56 Ratio
A 4.56 front set is the usual match for a Ford Bronco or F-150 that has moved up to 33 in. tires and had the rear regeared to 4.56. The Yukon Gear & Axle YG D44R-456R is that ratio for the reverse-rotation Dana 44 Ford used up front: the solid axle under late-1970s Broncos and F-series trucks, and the Twin Traction Beam (TTB) Dana 44 under 1980-1996 Broncos and F-150s and 1980-1990 F-250s. It is also the set to buy when the original front gears have started to howl or chipped a tooth in low range.
On these trucks the front driveshaft enters the Dana 44 above the axle centerline, so the pinion turns the opposite direction from a rear axle pinion. Reverse-rotation gears are cut so that forward driving loads the drive side of the teeth, which is the stronger, quieter side. This set has an 8.50 in. ring gear, a 26-spline pinion and 10 ring gear bolts. At 4.56 the driveshaft turns 4.56 times per tire revolution, which brings back the pull a stock 3.50 or 3.54 front loses once taller tires go on. It also has to match the rear ratio exactly, because with the transfer case locked both axles must turn at the same speed or the drivetrain binds.
Look at where the front driveshaft meets the housing: high entry means a reverse-rotation axle. Find the current front and rear ratios from the axle tags, the door code or by counting turns, using our gear ratio and axle code guide. Our Dana 44 problems and rebuild cost guide covers the TTB axle and what wears in it. The carrier matters too: a 4.56 ring gear needs the 3.92-and-up Dana 44 carrier, explained in our carrier break guide. A truck with 3.54 or 3.73 gears today needs the Dana 44 3.92-and-up open carrier or a locker for that series.
Yukon's fitment rows for this part number are all Ford reverse-rotation Dana 44 fronts: the 1978-1979 Bronco, 1976-1979 F-150, 1975-1979 F-250 and 1979 F-350 solid axles, and the TTB Dana 44 IFS front in the 1980-1996 Bronco, 1980-1996 F-150 and 1980-1990 F-250. The gear set itself is the same for early and late TTB axles, but Ford changed the TTB in the early 1990s, so bearings, seals and spindles are not interchangeable between the two. Match your year and read the axle tag, or send us your year and VIN and we will check it. This is not the set for a Jeep JK Rubicon front, which has its own reverse-rotation gears, or for any standard-rotation Dana 44 rear. If you need 35 in. tire gearing instead, the 4.88 version of this set uses the same carrier, and the rest of the range is in our hard parts section.
New gears need new bearings. On a 1993-and-later TTB axle, the Yukon Dana 44 IFS master overhaul kit supplies the pinion and carrier bearings, races, seals and shims in one box. Yukon's setup chart lists the Dana 44 with a 0.042 in. starting pinion shim, 14-19 in-lb of pinion bearing preload with new bearings, 0.006-0.011 in. backlash and 60 ft-lb on the bearing caps. Ring gear bolts are torqued by size, 55 ft-lb for 3/8 in. and 75 ft-lb for 7/16 in., with thread locker. Paint the teeth with marking compound and read the pattern on both the drive and coast sides before buttoning up. Fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil, keep the first 500 miles easy with no towing, and change the oil after break-in. With the knuckles off, it is a good time to check the outer stub axles and U-joints, and our locking hub guide covers the hubs on these trucks.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YG D44R-456R |
| Fits | Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Dana 44 Reverse Rotation in a 4.56 Ratio |
| Type | Final Drive Gears |
| 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.
Yes. Yukon lists the YG D44R-456R for the reverse-rotation TTB Dana 44 front in 1980-1996 Broncos, 1980-1996 F-150s and 1980-1990 F-250s, as well as the 1975-1979 solid-axle Ford fronts.
Only if it is the 3.92-and-up Dana 44 carrier. Axles that came with 3.54 or 3.73 gears use the smaller-series carrier, so plan on a 3.92-and-up carrier or locker.
The rear must also be 4.56. On these Fords the rear is usually a Ford 9 in., 8.8 or Sterling 10.25, so order a 4.56 set for that axle at the same time.
4.56 is commonly picked for about 33 in. tires on these trucks. For 35 in. tires most builders go to 4.88.
Use 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil. Drive gently for the first 500 miles, avoid towing, then drain and refill to remove break-in wear metal.
