Dana 44 HP – Rear Axle

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

Has anyone ever had one (D44 HP) while running smaller tires (30”+/-)? The manufactures say they will hold up fine and I would have “nothing to worry about.”

 

The local 4 Wheel Drive Shop said their not worth the money and I should have them upgrade my D 35 with better axles…

 

It seems whoever is pushing their goods/services tries to convince me to spend my money with them. :dunno:

[redneck23ms]

are you talking about getting a custom rear axle built? none of the stock rear 44s were hp. the shop you are going to is just trying to get you to spend money there. a stock dana 44 is 10x's better starting point that and dana 35.

[Pete M]

Has anyone ever had one (D44 HP) while running smaller tires (30”+/-)? The manufactures say they will hold up fine and I would have “nothing to worry about.”

 

The local 4 Wheel Drive Shop said their not worth the money and I should have them upgrade my D 35 with better axles…

 

It seems whoever is pushing their goods/services tries to convince me to spend my money with them. :dunno:

 

 

By "HP" are you referring to a High Pinion axle?

 

With 30" tires, your Dana 35 should be fine left stock. I would never condone spending any money on a Dana 35 to "upgrade" it. There are more weak points than the shafts and it's wasted money.

[JeepcoMJ]

Has anyone ever had one (D44 HP) while running smaller tires (30”+/-)? The manufactures say they will hold up fine and I would have “nothing to worry about.”

 

The local 4 Wheel Drive Shop said their not worth the money and I should have them upgrade my D 35 with better axles…

 

It seems whoever is pushing their goods/services tries to convince me to spend my money with them. :dunno:

 

 

By "HP" are you referring to a High Pinion axle?

 

With 30" tires, your Dana 35 should be fine left stock. I would never condone spending any money on a Dana 35 to "upgrade" it. There are more weak points than the shafts and it's wasted money.

 

 

Agreed.

 

the axle shop is just trying to get work. the place with the "hp 44" is just trying to make a sale.

 

just go to the junkyard, and find an original comanche dana 44.

 

-Pat

[jpnjim]

With 30" tires, I'd keep the D35, and keep one eye open for a better alternative (especially if I was going to go bigger someday).

 

A high pinion 44 rear 'could' be worthwhile in a short wheelbase Jeep, with moderate tires & horsepower, but I couldn't ever see running one in an MJ.

 

A stock MJ D44 would be the best option if you want bolt in reliability.

Ford Explorer 8.8's, or a XJ 29sp 8.25" are easier to find, but require a little more work.

 

Either way, with 30's, even that turdy-five should stand up reliably under moderate use.

Tho I would not spend the $$ to upgrade the shafts on the 35.

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

Thanks for responding, some impartial advice is really needed.

 

I’m going to add a locker (Detroit), and wanted to upgrade thee D35 as I’ve only heard negative things about it. I need a dependable rig and don’t want to loose any ground clearance.

 

Hear is the situation. I broke my back in 3 places and yep, crippled and confined to a wheelchair. So, I can’t lift my rig any more or get any larger tires because I wouldn’t be able to get in/out of the truck, thus the need for a HP (high pinion).

 

So, I guess there are fewer options for me… So, the question really is, what would you do?

[Pete M]

I'd go with an Aussie locker and leave the rest as is.

 

I still don't understand why you need a high pinion rear axle. :hmm: It doesn't change the height of the truck at all.

[1990 Pioneer 4x4]

I'd go with an Aussie locker and leave the rest as is.

 

I still don't understand why you need a high pinion rear axle. :hmm: It doesn't change the height of the truck at all.

 

 

My thought was that the D 44 HP could be stronger than the D35. no...?

[JeepcoMJ]

I'd go with an Aussie locker and leave the rest as is.

 

I still don't understand why you need a high pinion rear axle. :hmm: It doesn't change the height of the truck at all.

 

 

My thought was that the D 44 HP could be stronger than the D35. no...?

 

 

yes.

 

but you won't find one with the right bolt pattern or width is the issue.

 

that would mean you'd need to custom build an hp44 for it.

 

 

if you're bent on an hp44, I would say to find a factory comanche dana 44 rear, and a front closed knuckle (because they're less desireable and thus cheaper) hp dana 44, and take them to an axle shop and have them swap the differential housing, then gear the truck accordingly.

 

this would give you proper axle width, a high pinion axle, and while they have the axle and your truck they can set the pinion angle accordingly by simply rotating the axle on the tubes.

 

 

the benefit you're going to get by going high pinion is simply that it's stronger than a dana 35, and your driveshaft will be higher, thus less chance of contact with terrain.

 

the difference in height between an hp 44 and lp 44, with the length of our rear driveshaft, would be a negligible several inches...hardly worth the money of having the custom axle bent.

 

 

realize however, that upgrading to a dana 44 means needing your rear driveshaft shortened as well.

 

that all said, you're still better off going to a dana 44 any way you go about it. DO NOT spend ANY money on the dana 35...you will regret it.

[jpnjim]

Thanks for responding, some impartial advice is really needed.

 

I’m going to add a locker (Detroit), and wanted to upgrade thee D35 as I’ve only heard negative things about it. I need a dependable rig and don’t want to loose any ground clearance.

 

Hear is the situation. I broke my back in 3 places and yep, crippled and confined to a wheelchair. So, I can’t lift my rig any more or get any larger tires because I wouldn’t be able to get in/out of the truck, thus the need for a HP (high pinion).

 

So, I guess there are fewer options for me… So, the question really is, what would you do?

 

 

Tough situation man, I wish you well. :thumbsup:

 

For a locked rear end, with max ground clearance (max driveshaft clearance a plus), & high reliability wheeling, on 30" tires, I guess your choices are:

 

1) The fully polished D35, Detroit, & possibly 30spline shafts.

I don't like this option, but if there ever was an application for it, your's is it.

IF I went this way, I'd def run some kind of a brace, even that bolt on one could help.

Lockers don't like it when the tubes are out of alignment, and D35's weak tubes like to bend.

The only thing that would push me in this direction is if I got a great deal on one used.

People build these up, then change their minds all the time.

 

 

2) MJ D44, with a locker (you said Detroit, so with a full Detroit).

Probably cheaper than the above, but you'd likely end up putting the extra money into rebuilding the brakes (they're 2.5"x10" vs your D35's 1.75"x10", so the parts are different).

Stronger housing, stronger gears, same size shafts (tho aftermarket shafts above may be stronger)

Less ground clearance.

 

3) Aftermarket high clearance, high pinion D44.

more diff clearance, more driveshaft clearance.

Gear set is weaker than the 44 above, since it's running on the coast side of the gears.

Assuming a 4.0L & 30" tires, the gears are more than up to the task.

Negatives, cost.

 

4)Way over the top for this, but if you're looking at aftermarket 44's, you could also consider aftermarket 9's.

A shaved 9 would give you even more clearance, and if you wanted to run a high pinion gearset, there's two options now (Currie HP9"/8.8", or the TrueHigh9").

True High 9" is stronger, with a higher pinion (highest of all HP axles), but is extreme overkill for this.

Currie's HP is still overkill, but cheaper.

Low pinion 9's have the lowest pinion of all common rears, so that would be a downfall if you went with a regular (LP) 9 rear.

 

5)Closest thing to a stock axle, that would give you ground clearance, strength, durability with a locker, and still be affordable, is a Toy diff.

Tacoma rears are in our 60" wide range, and 2wd's even come in our 5 on 4.5" bolt patturn, but I don't think they make an 8" dropout in this size (I'm thinking all 2wd 5 on 4.5" Taco rears are 7.5" dropouts).

Probably worth doing the research tho, since even stock, unshaved Toy axles have decent ground clearance with 30's.

There's a factory high pinion version, if you really need the driveshaft clearance, and/or factory electric lockers.

http://home.4x4wire.com/erik/diffs/

Just another option.

 

(8.8 & 8.25's are also still options, but this post is already way too long winded :cheers: )