Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Dana 44 Reverse Rotation in a 4.88 Ratio
Old Ford 4x4s are where this gear set lives. A 1978-79 Bronco or F-150 with the solid-axle Dana 44 front, or a 1980-1996 Bronco or F-150 running Ford's Twin Traction Beam Dana 44, needs a reverse-rotation ring and pinion up front whenever the rear is regeared for 35 in. tires, or when the original front gears start howling in four-wheel drive. The Yukon Gear & Axle YG D44R-488R is a 4.88 reverse-rotation set built for exactly that axle.
Ford put the front Dana 44 pinion high in the housing, which turns the pinion the opposite way from a rear axle. Reverse-rotation gears are cut so the drive side of each tooth, the stronger side, takes the load when the truck moves forward. A standard-rotation Dana 44 set in this housing would run on the weaker coast side all the time. This set uses an 8.50 in. ring gear, a 26-spline pinion and 10 ring gear bolts. At 4.88 it multiplies torque enough to turn large tires in low range and keeps the front turning at the same speed as a 4.88 rear, which the transfer case requires once both axles are driven.
Look at where the front driveshaft enters the housing: on these Ford fronts it enters high, above the axle centerline, which marks a reverse-rotation axle. Read the ratio from the axle tag or count driveshaft turns with our ratio and axle code guide, and confirm the rear ratio too. Our Dana 44 axle problems guide covers the TTB version and its unique parts, and the carrier break guide explains why a 4.88 set mounts on the 3.92-and-up Dana 44 carrier. If your axle has 3.54 or 3.73 gears now, plan on a different carrier or a locker built for the 3.92-and-up series.
Yukon lists this set for the reverse-rotation Dana Spicer 44 front: the 1978-1979 Bronco, 1976-1979 F-150, 1975-1979 F-250 and 1979 F-350 solid-axle fronts, and the TTB Dana 44 IFS front in the 1980-1996 Bronco and F-150 and the 1980-1990 F-250. Ford's TTB fronts changed in 1993, and the early and late axles use different install parts, so match your year, read the casting, or send us your year and VIN before you order. It does not fit a standard-rotation Dana 44 rear or the Jeep JK Rubicon front, which uses its own set. Our hard parts section lists the other rotations and ratios.
Replace every bearing when you change gears. For 1993-and-later TTB trucks, the Yukon Dana 44 IFS master overhaul kit supplies the pinion and carrier bearings, seals and shims. Yukon's setup chart gives the Dana 44 a starting pinion shim of 0.042 in., 14-19 in-lb of new pinion bearing preload, 0.006-0.011 in. of 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. Check the pattern with marking compound on both sides of the teeth. While the axle is apart, inspect the outer stub axle and hub parts; our locking hub guide helps with the outer end. Seal it with a fresh Dana 44 cover, fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil, and follow the break-in procedure.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YG D44R-488R |
| Fits | Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Dana 44 Reverse Rotation in a 4.88 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.
No. The JK Rubicon front Dana 44 uses its own reverse-rotation set with different bearings. This set is for Ford reverse-rotation Dana 44 fronts, solid axle and TTB.
Only if it is a 3.92-and-up carrier. If your axle has 3.73 or lower gears now, the ring gear will not sit correctly, and you need a carrier or locker for the 3.92-and-up series.
Yes. Front and rear ratios must match on a 4x4. Pair this set with 4.88 gears for your rear axle, which on these Fords is usually a Ford 9 in., 8.8 or Sterling 10.25.
It is commonly chosen for 35 in. tires on full-size trucks with stock-ratio transmissions. Smaller tires spin the engine high on the highway with this ratio.
75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil, with friction modifier if the axle has a clutch-type limited slip. Change it after the first 500 miles of break-in.
