Early Bronco Front Axle Tech

Early Bronco Front Axle Identification: Dana 30 vs Dana 44

The first generation Ford Bronco came with either a Dana 30 or Dana 44 front axle. The Dana 30 was used from 1966 to mid-year 1971. At that point in 1971, Ford made the switch to the beefier Dana 44 front end and continued through 1977, the final year of the Early Bronco. In 1976 and 1977, Ford equipped the Dana 44 with disc brakes. All Early Broncos prior to 1976 came with factory drum brakes.

How to Tell if an Early Bronco Has a Dana 30 or Dana 44

The easiest way to identify which front axle you have is to look at the steering knuckles. The Dana 30 uses king pins held in with four bolts on the top and bottom. The Dana 44 uses ball joints secured with large castle nuts.

Dana 30 Front Axle	Dana 44 Front Axle

While rare, a small number of Broncos were delivered with “hybrid” axles using Dana 30 outer components with king pins and a Dana 44 center section and gears. These were primarily found on '69 and '70 model Broncos. The only reliable way to confirm which axle you have in these cases is to verify the front cover design. The Dana 30 has a concentric shape, while the Dana 44 has an offset shape.

Shop Dana 44 Front End Parts (71.5-77 Ford Bronco)

Shop Dana 30 Front End Parts (66-71.5 Ford Bronco)

---

Note: Not all parts shown in this illustration apply to every year. Identify your front axle first, then check the part description for proper application.

Dana 30 & Dana 44 Spindle Identification

Three different spindles were used from 66-77. All Bronco Dana 30 axles and 71-72.5 Dana 44 axles use a spindle with the spindle/outer axle seal pressed into the back. These have six bolt holes. The 72.5-75 axles do not have the spindle/outer axle seal pressed into the back. Instead, the seal is located on the outer axle seal flange pressed onto the outer axle shaft. These also have six bolt holes. The 76-77 disc brake spindle is easily identified by its five bolt holes. All new spindles come with spindle bearings.