hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

rockjunkie · Jul 12, 2012

my buddy has a 99 xj and he bought a hp 44 out of a 78 f250 to go in the front. He in the process of building a house so i get the pleasure to do the axle swap. the xj has stock axle with a 6in lift. i have no idea were to start and just looking for any kind of help... And we on a budget so i cant get to carried away on stuff. thanks

TBItoy · Jul 12, 2012

easiest thing to do would be to start with a D44 from an F150 and build some extended radius arms, mount them to a trans crossmember with long arm link mounts.

Or you can buy/fab link brackets to use the Jeep control arms/links.

Just search more on NAXJA or Pirate for xj build ups. D44 in the front of an XJ is SUPER common.

The Luke · Jul 12, 2012

Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

Leaf spring the front. Cant get any easier.

mdo817 · Jul 12, 2012

Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

The Luke said:
Leaf spring the front. Cant get any easier.

Especially with that front end, use the factory lower control arm brackets, 3.5" BDS YJ springs and go for it. Folks talk **** but it's cheap and works.

TBItoy · Jul 13, 2012

Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

The Luke said:
Leaf spring the front. Cant get any easier.

Well how bout that... I never really considered using leaf springs in the front of a rig that has coil buckets built in.

The Luke · Jul 13, 2012

Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

It works pretty good on the back of my zj. I got sick of ripping upper control arms out of the unibody and couldn't afford long arms. So leafs were an obvious choice. I've got the same 44 in my garage waiting for the front of mine to get a set of leafs. I used O.M.E. 2.5" 4runner leafs. Gave me about a 2" stretch.

skipnrocks · Jul 13, 2012

TBItoy said:
easiest thing to do would be to start with a D44 from an F150 and build some extended radius arms, mount them to a trans crossmember with long arm link mounts.

Or you can buy/fab link brackets to use the Jeep control arms/links.

Just search more on NAXJA or Pirate for xj build ups. D44 in the front of an XJ is SUPER common.

X2... I know a good set of leafs do well but I would always go link/coils if I had the choice...

pachary · Jul 13, 2012

What rear axle? Or are yall doing a budget retube. or is the rear already full width?

The Luke · Jul 13, 2012

Re: Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

skipnrocks said:
X2... I know a good set of leafs do well but I would always go link/coils if I had the choice...

I agree completely.. I just know leafs tend to be more budget friendly.

muddycreek · Jul 13, 2012

Did mine like this:

Worros · Jul 13, 2012

Theres a company out there called TNT I think that makes a truss that will make that axle a bolt in swap

tonybolton · Jul 13, 2012

Worros said:
Theres a company out there called TNT I think that makes a truss that will make that axle a bolt in swap

While i dont have a HP44....i did use the TNT truss on my LP44. While its not cheaper than leaves...it was a nice piece. I like it because it raisesthe control arm mounts which helps control arm angles and clearance.

tonybolton · Jul 13, 2012

The below pic is with the truss and just some adjustable short arms.

rockjunkie · Jul 13, 2012

Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

mdo817 said:
Especially with that front end, use the factory lower control arm brackets, 3.5" BDS YJ springs and go for it. Folks talk **** but it's cheap and works.

what kind of shocks did u use? what size tires u runing? i really like this set up u got here.

rockjunkie · Jul 13, 2012

pachary said:
What rear axle? Or are yall doing a budget retube. or is the rear already full width?

i still in process of putin a 60 in the rear. got it bolted in just lack brake lines drive shaft and shocks... and just wanted to say thank u to everyone for the ideas and advice.

xjmarc · Jul 13, 2012

I just did a whole lot of measureing on my old axle, used Rusty's lower control arm mounts. I made my uppers out of DOM and some scrap plate I had laying around. Scrap plate for the track bar mount too. I used coil buckets off another axle I had laying around.

pachary · Jul 14, 2012

I know this isn't what yer askin, but I never understood the logic in going through the trouble to put a 44 up front if you are already going full width and have a 60 out back........

xjmarc · Jul 15, 2012

pachary said:
I know this isn't what yer askin, but I never understood the logic in going through the trouble to put a 44 up front if you are already going full width and have a 60 out back........

It was the $800 difference for me Paul but if I had to do it again I'd skip the 44. That being said mine has done well minus one stub with my 38s.

mdo817 · Jul 15, 2012

Re: Re: hp44 in front of xj. help!!!!!!

rockjunkie said:
what kind of shocks did u use? what size tires u runing? i really like this set up u got here.

Not sure what brand shock they were, but they were attached were the coil spring used to sit, I can measure the length open/closed tomorrow, as far as tires they are 38X12.5X15 TSL's, the pictures above were all taken after I swapped the D44 out in favor of a D60, but I ran the same set up on a D44. I didn't build it, I bought it with the leafs in it, but I liked it enough that the next rig I bought got the leaf set up fabbed up under it.

5genflaboy · Jul 16, 2012

What 44 housing? Meaning cast wedges on it or welded wedges? Makes a difference if you can buy the tnt truss or have to use radius arms. The cast one suck. I have a LP with a tnt truss short armed on 37s with a 3" lift and hydro assist. I converted the outers to 5on5.5