answers about a dana44

Rock_Crusher · Oct 24, 2006

I have been tossing up & down the idea of a rear axle swap...
for my 94 jeep yj - 4.0 5speed upto 33in tires

I do not like the idea of a C-clip axle...
and i keep hearing that a -

D44 from a cherokee from years '87-'89 will swap right into a YJ

and is also a non-c clip axle - and will directly bolt right in + w/ better after market products for it as well.

is this info correct...

---------------- SOMEONE PLEASE CONFIRM... thanks ahead of time.

NotMatt · Oct 24, 2006

A D44 from a '87 XJ or a D44 from an MJ various years will swap in very easily. The XJ model will need to have the perches moved underneath if you stay spring under. The lug pattern is the same, the driveshaft will bolt up, the brakelines use the same fittings... find one and you're set.

CrustyJeep · Oct 24, 2006

Yup. Be ready to pay, and be ready to spend time looking. They go for 300+ straight out of the junkyard.

Great swap, just getting a bit rare.

Toyotanut · Oct 24, 2006

CrustyJeep said:
Yup. Be ready to pay, and be ready to spend time looking. They go for 300+ straight out of the junkyard.

Great swap, just getting a bit rare.

sell'um yours. Would work great:flipoff::stirpot:

CrustyJeep · Oct 24, 2006

:haha:

Still stronger than a dana35 :haha:

Rock_Crusher · Oct 24, 2006

Thank you for the quick answers.

now vs... the ford 8.8

and,

is the 44 a non c-clip?

Is the 44 a weak housing? such as like the tubes on the ford are stamp, and need to be welded... are they're any inhancements to be made to the dana?
I think i can find one, and if it's a non c-clip - I very much like that idea!

Cascade_Crawler · Oct 24, 2006

Well crustys tubes are weak :flipoff:

I'm running a cherokee 44 and havent had any problems with it. its a non C clip semi floater. It will be going into my new YJ shortly. An 8.8 or a 44 is a great choice. Xjoe ran a cherokee 44 on 38s, and boyboy ran an 8.8 on 38's...

Stop talking and thinking and start workin rich!

Rock_Crusher · Oct 24, 2006

Cascade_Crawler said:
Well crustys tubes are weak :flipoff:

I'm running a cherokee 44 and havent had any problems with it. its a non C clip semi floater. It will be going into my new YJ shortly. An 8.8 or a 44 is a great choice. Xjoe ran a cherokee 44 on 38s, and boyboy ran an 8.8 on 38's...

Stop talking and thinking and start workin rich!

------------ I'am so broke... I'am just trying my best one step at a time to avoid breaking things as i do go along building my YJ. I'm trying to replace / upgrade the weakest parts 1st. I'am back to 31's until i get something stronger & more reliable. I've come along a little ways... so far.

at least it runs really good!

CrustyJeep · Oct 24, 2006

Cascade_Crawler said:
Well crustys tubes are weak :flipoff:

Waggies

The XJ tubes are much more stout as far as I know.

stompinjab1 · Oct 24, 2006

I got one answer They suck

Ricky Bobby · Oct 24, 2006

All 1989 and older, or 1999 & newer WJ's are bolt in D44 axles. I have a Waggy 44 in the back of mine which also needed some relocation. The 8.8 swap is popular due to the Disc brakes that came stock from 1991 & newer Exploder's.

NotMatt · Oct 24, 2006

Ricky Bobby said:
All 1989 and older, or 1999 & newer WJ's are bolt in D44 axles. I have a Waggy 44 in the back of mine which also needed some relocation. The 8.8 swap is popular due to the Disc brakes that came stock from 1991 & newer Exploder's.

Huh? You're saying a new WJ rear axle is a bolt in for a YJ? :wtf: Maybe after you cut off all the control arm brackets and weld on spring perches...

BTW, I've never seen anything but '87 XJ's with D44 rear axles in them. That's the 1st year they put 4.0L engines in the XJ. Apparently there are some '88 or '89 models out there that have D44's, but they're pretty rare... best bet is to be looking under every early 4.0L XJ you see in the wrecking yard for the diamond-shaped rear diff cover. Look at Comanches too, lots of those had D44's that are identical to the XJ 44 in every way except the spring pads and shock mounts, and some extra stuff with load balancing for the rear brakes that you can just chuck in the trash. Also, the metric ton package comanches had AMC model 20 axles in them (the good kind with 1 piece axles and good tubes)... one of those would work too, but your gearing/locker options are more limited than if you go with a D44.

WSUXJer · Oct 24, 2006

Ricky Bobby said:
All 1989 and older, or 1999 & newer WJ's are bolt in D44 axles. I have a Waggy 44 in the back of mine which also needed some relocation. The 8.8 swap is popular due to the Disc brakes that came stock from 1991 & newer Exploder's.

WJ D44's are aluminum and are 5 on 5", far from bolt-in. Exploder axles only came with disc brakes 95-up.

You'll probably end up paying the same for either an 8.8 with discs or an XJ D44. I'd go for the disc brakes. They are c-clipped but the discs will hold the shaft in if you do happend to snap one.

KarlVP · Oct 24, 2006

8.8's are c-clipped but you aren't going to break on on 33's.

Cascade_Crawler · Oct 24, 2006

There is an XJ44 for sale on PNWjeep.com

NotMatt · Oct 25, 2006

ATTENTION RICH: http://www.pnwjeep.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6487

[EDIT]: Damn, you beat me Jonathan.

Rock_Crusher · Oct 25, 2006

NotMatt said:
ATTENTION RICH: http://www.pnwjeep.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6487

[EDIT]: Damn, you beat me Jonathan.

Thanks for all the answers guys,

Cascade_Crawler · Oct 25, 2006

NotMatt said:
ATTENTION RICH: http://www.pnwjeep.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6487

[EDIT]: Damn, you beat me Jonathan.

Well you hooked him up with the link :redneck:

But damn rich you change your mind like crazy!

Ricky Bobby · Oct 25, 2006

NotMatt said:
Huh? You're saying a new WJ rear axle is a bolt in for a YJ? :wtf: Maybe after you cut off all the control arm brackets and weld on spring perches...

Sorry, should have been clearer. I meant 1999 & up WJ went back to a bolt in axle, not that it is able to bolt under a YJ. I also stand corrected on the disc brakes on an Explorer. It is 1995 and newer.:looser:

Little Red Zuk · Oct 25, 2006

Ricky Bobby said:
NotMatt said:

Huh? You're saying a new WJ rear axle is a bolt in for a YJ? :wtf: Maybe after you cut off all the control arm brackets and weld on spring perches...

Sorry, should have been clearer. I meant 1999 & up WJ went back to a bolt in axle, not that it is able to bolt under a YJ. I also stand corrected on the disc brakes on an Explorer. It is 1995 and newer.:looser:

Click to expand...

Dork. You know that the WJ has a D44-HD, while it's not a c-clip, it's still a turd axle.