Just wondering what they were thinking?

[Felix Benet]

As we all know modern Studebaker rear ends do not provide lubrication for rear wheel bearings.

As far as I know GM, FoMoCo, and MoPar rear ends bathe the rear bearings without removing them for repacking.

So I was just wondering what Spicer was thinking when the model 44 hit the streets?

[JohnM15]

If I am not mistaken, the Dana 44 (Spicer 44) was originally designed to be a front driving axle on 4x4's. In the front 4x4 application the differential seals were located just outside of the differential bearings. The adaption to a rear driving axle left the axle dry and non-floating axle bearing were installed at the outer end of the axle, same as any other non-floating axle differential design...

[bezhawk]

Prior to 58( or was it 56?)....anyways, Studebaker provided a plug that you could unscrew and grease the rear bearings.
people would over grease and blow out the seals, so they deleted this neat feature.

[PackardV8]

If I am not mistaken, the Dana 44 (Spicer 44) was originally designed to be a front driving axle on 4x4's.

I'd never heard this. IIRC, the Danas were designed and introduced way before 4x4s were at all common. Where could we find a citation as to it being designed for front 4x4s?

From Wikipedia:

The Dana 41 was the precursor to the Dana 44 and was used from the 1930s to the 1950s The Dana 44 rear axle first saw use in the 1940s and is still in use today. The Dana 44 has a gross axle weight rating up to 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) and is a semi-floating type with one bearing on the end of the axle tube that carries both the weight of the vehicle on the axle and also allows axle rotation. The Dana 45 was made during the 1950s and 1960s and is basically a Dana 44 design, but has bigger axle shafts and 20 splines.

jack vines