Can I use these hubs?

[ram fan]

I have these hubs on my parts truck ('74 W-200 CC) and would like to put them on my '77 883 to get rid of the full time 4WD. I'm assuming I'd have to swap the TC also. Here are some pics from the parts truck. Let me know what all I would have to do to make the hub swap. BTW, both are D44 fronts. I know there were different TC's through the years. Which one is better, the one in the parts truck or the ones used in the M series? Thanks for the help guys!
Craig
This is the unit on the parts truck....

[ram fan]

[712edf]

The 74 has a NP 205 divorced gear driven part-time t-case, probably the most desired stock t-case ever put in a 1-ton or smaller truck. They have a reputation for being bulletproof. They were used by Dodge as a divorced unit in all 4x4's from 69-74, then again as a married unit from 81ish til around early 90's in 1 tons & possibly heavier rated 3/4 tons. GM also used a married version of the NP205 in their heavier trucks, mostly with manual trannys.

The 77 has a full-time married NP203 chain driven t-case. Also a very strong unit. The chain does stretch over time. The 203 got a bad reputation for poor mileage & excessive wear of front parts. Operationally it is a great unit. The lack of locking hubs in my opinion is a strong point. Ford, GM & Dodge all 3 used the NP203 in the late 70's.

I have owned both. I liked both! I did switch a 203 for a divorced 205 (put a 72 unit in a 78), but my 205 has a Braden PTO which attached. I think its a matter of full-time vs part-time. Both t-cases are outstanding. If you put the 205 in the 77 you'll need to use the 74 tranny & I'm not sure what to do about the hubs. I assume you want to keep the disc brakes on the 77, but want a provision for unlocking the hubs too. I am not up on 44's, I only have 60's. I do believe an 81-84 Dana 44 will bolt in & be your best bet. It has discs & selectable locking hubs. Maybe others will chime in.

Bucky

[tinner12002]

I used an 84 dana 44 in place of the cad axle in my 91 in order to get lockable hubs. I didn't change the TC and stayed with the 241. The disavantage I have, if you want to call it that is that if I drive with the hubs locked, I think its backfeeding so to speak back to the TC so I don't do that on the hiway, could be the same problem you would have by changing the front without changing the TC, but I look at that as a minor problem, I just don't use the lockouts unless I need them. But it does give me the advantage of running low range in 2wd. The other thing is that somewhere in the 80s, if you go to an 80s front axle, I think dodge went to the 5 on 5.5 wheel bolt pattern whereas yours I believe is the 5 on 4.5. But back to your orig ques, I believe most dana 44 hubs are interchangable but some of the bearings are diff so you would have to get the spindal, possible spelling error, that goes with the hubs your wanting to use. You also would have to get possibly the whole outer knuckle in order to get the caliper to bolt on. Guess I should have looked at the pic better to see that you have 8 lug, So bolt pattern wouldn't be an issue.