I am gathering all the parts to do a solid axle swap on my 90 Chev, and was wondering if the dana 44 and 9.5 14 bolt can handle 37 inch tires and a 383 strocker?  With these axles would it just be better to use 35 inch tires?  I know a dana 60 and fullsize 14 bolt would be better but I have easy access to the smaller ones.  I just want to know if this is possible without major upgades to the axles right away.  They would recieve upgrades as parts break, but if everything is going to break right away or repeatably I just want to know.  Thanks.  

37's are too much for D44 plain and simple. 35 are pushing it too but is a better limit for 44's than 37's. Consider this, you will have about the same ground to axle diff housing clearance with 35's and current axles as with D60 and 10.5 14 bolt and 37's. BTW, 35's are no real problem for a 9.5 as it is a fairly stout axle. keep locker out of front D44 axle and you should do okay up there with 35's and in rear a locker is fine with 35's and a 9.5.  

It depends on many things, including the weight of the vehicle, the power of the motor, the presence (or not) of lockers, and how you drive. I'm running 37's on a D44/12 bolt combo under my YJ, locked at both ends, with a stout 383 Chevy, on the most difficult rocks in CO. SnoMan will insist that it is impossible for this combination to live, but we're doing fine, thanks.  

I agree with what SnoMan stated, but I also agree with Dirty_Dog.  The use of your right foot plays a major roll in how long parts will last. I will give you an example.  I know someone that has 94 1500 Chevy Silverado that is running 6" suspention lift, 3" body lift, engine built to about 400 HP, 37" tires, with the 10 bolt rear and IFS front.  But he only gets by with that because he has open differentials and mainly drives it on the streets, his only off roading would be driving through snow on our frozen lakes out to the fish house and back.

By the way, if you look hard enough and long enough you can find the 10.5 full floater (cheap) but the D60 front will be a bit harder to come by.  I have paid as little as $100 for a working 10.5 full floater with 4.10 gears.  

Dirty_Dog:
It depends on many things, including the weight of the vehicle, the power of the motor, the presence (or not) of lockers, and how you drive. I'm running 37's on a D44/12 bolt combo under my YJ, locked at both ends, with a stout 383 Chevy, on the most difficult rocks in CO. SnoMan will insist that it is impossible for this combination to live, but we're doing fine, thanks.

As usual Dirty Dog NEVER looks at the physics involved. Those tires and axles on a YJ IS NOT the same as on a full sized truck but that logic seems to escape him. Hauling and carrying around a extra 1500 pounds of so with a full sized truck loads axles differently and places far more demand on them. (If DD put 1500 lbs of ballast in that YJ to equal weight on them with a full sized and played hard he would not get far at all before it broke) You follow his advise you will have problems. I look at the big picture, not just my ego. BTW he is the same guy that says he get 20 MPG at 90 MPH and gets 700 HP with 9 PSI and 91 octane with 10 to 1 CR. You have to seriously temper some of his advise.  

Quit crying, snoball. I did say that the weight ofthe truck matters.

Of course, I am running 37's on the locked D44 in the front of my 8000lb Dodge too. And despite your predictions of armageddon, it's holding up just fine.
The Dodge only has about 250K miles on it, so perhaps you'd like to define "not far at all" for us?  

I am not crying but you are a lying. It seems every thing you have walks on water, get great MPG or never breaks and defies physics. I can actually calculate at what torque level a axle will yield and then break based on material used and thickness. I do not endorse or recommend operating axle in the grey or red areas of capacity while you are your ego strongly promotes it. I will suggest something that I am 99% sure it will not break for them in there planned usage while with you it is maybe 50/50 at best and they get the repair bill not you.  

Lying? LOL You bonehead, it's too easily confirmed. As a matter of fact, since I used the Dodge to compete in RTCC, the editors of Four Wheeler have seen it. And it is still running the same axles, 3 years later.
I did break the rear driveshaft at RTCC. The good folks at Attica let us use their shop to make a new one. The one we built is still in there.
I wouldn't bust your chops if you weren't such an absolutist. You insist things are impossible when they're not. Is a D60 stronger than a D44? Absolutely. But it IS possible to run 37's on a D44 in an 8000lb truck, locked, wheeling it, and keep it alive.
Unlike you, I USE these things. I don't live on paper.
Happy Thanksgiving.  

Whats up my fellow chevy fans? I am building a 77 1/2 ton 4wd and i have a tranny question.  I am putting in a 383 crate motor with 405hp and 440 ft-lbs of torque.  The truck currently has a stock 4-speed manual tranny and I would like to keep it  that way.  Does anyone know if the stock unit can handle this much power or can I beef it up somehow?  I really don't want to switch to an automatic.  Any info will be greatly appreciated  

Well what trany is it? If it's the SM-465, then it should be fine.  

i know this is late, but one thing that wasnt mentioned was braking.

a half ton axle cant safely brake big tires.

i would be more concerned in stopping my rig on the street or trail then if the axle will handle the tire that is too big for it in the first place.