wagoneer dana 44 axles in a comanche

[comancheboy]

I'm starting a comanche projected and want to swap out the week old dana 30 and 35 in it now and swap in a set of 1972 wagoneer dana 44 front and rear axles. Will these axle work in my comanche our will i have to buy a new t-case besides my 231 in it now. I also want to set up a long arm kit on it as well thinking a rough country long arm or a rusty's long arm. will these kits work with the dana 44's after i put the brackets on the front axle or will i have to make my own long arm kit. Is there any good builds with these axle in a comanche that has good info on them and there build??????? :typing: :thumbsup:

[Incommando]

Those won't work. The front is driver's drop on your MJ while those axles are pass. drop, for one thing. You need '80 - newer FSJ axles.

[cracker]

Actually the newer rear still won't work without wheel spacers. It is very narrow.

[jpnjim]

You guys are both right.

 

79 & older Waggy axles have a passengers side axle drop

(you can use a D300 to get the ft driveshaft on that side, but you're exhaust pipe will probably have to move first)

 

80-91 Waggy axles are drivers drop, with 60.5ish wide ft axles.

 

The rear is more like 58".

I'm running a 59.5" wide rear, without spacers, but 60", or wider would be better.

[Pete M]

match that late-model grand waggy front axle with the rear axle from a mid 90s Isuzu Rodeo or Honda passport. It's the same width, same wheel bolt pattern, it's a Dana 44, and it comes with 4.10 or 4.56 gears and disk brakes under a v6 model. You just need to swap out the pinion flange with a U-joint flange.

[comanche09]

What is involved with swapping in a Front D44? There is an '88 Grand Waggy at my upull :( ... The dang thing is complete and in not bad shape.

[Pete M]

welding on all the MJ brackets. also regearing.

[whowey]

welding on all the MJ brackets. also regearing.

 

What?? 2.73's or 3.31's aren't very good???

[comancheboy]

I just found wagoneer axle for my comanche. I want to swap in the front and rear but i want a long arm kit for the front. Any good kits out there that will keep in those dana 44's. I do still have the puego trans mite need to swap in that AX-15 trans seem like no one has a kit that works with that puego trans? anyone have any good ideas for this swap???????? :hmm:

[cracker]

I just found wagoneer axle for my comanche. I want to swap in the front and rear but i want a long arm kit for the front. Any good kits out there that will keep in those dana 44's. I do still have the puego trans mite need to swap in that AX-15 trans seem like no one has a kit that works with that puego trans? anyone have any good ideas for this swap???????? :hmm:

 

I beleive Claytons makes a kit that will work well but please take a note above that the rear 44 from a waggy is REALLY narrow and with the way the MJ frame rails extend wide in the back it will be VERY hard to not rub when flexing. Depending on your backspacing on your wheels it could be as little as 1/2" space between the tire and frame rail on flat ground.

[comancheboy]

I was thinking running wheel spacers. But it be cheaper to run one of those isuzu or honda rear dana 44's. Is a 88 grand wagoneer axle vacum or a non vac front axle dana 44?

[Bounty Hunter]

I was thinking running wheel spacers. But it be cheaper to run one of those isuzu or honda rear dana 44's. Is a 88 grand wagoneer axle vacum or a non vac front axle dana 44?

The only vacuuum disco d44 from a Waggy is '84 and '85 I believe, I run one with a cable attached so I can turn easier with the front spool. I also run a mid '90s Rodeo rear d44, comes standard with disc brakes and matching 6-lug wheel pattern.

 

The Rodeo d44 is most often found with 4.30 gears, it's a thick ring gear on a carrier designed for taller gears, ala 3.07 and 2.72. The other two main goofy things about the 'zu d44 is the pinion flange should be swapped for a yoke, and one pinion bearing is an oddball size compared to most d44 install kits. Really not a problem, just means taking the old pinion bearing to the parts store for cross-reference of the numbers.

 

I'm building 2 new d44's for my MJ and YJ, starting with 3/4ton HP44 housings from a late '70s Ford truck. Cutting the inner C's and narrowing the tubes in order to run Waggy axleshafts. Brackets and a Rough Country longarm upgrade and I'll be good to go.

[comancheboy]

Thanks for the help. What about the steering on the front wagoneer axle will the steering work in my mj or will i have to get something made? My buddy was telling me to take the steering box as well out of the wagoneer and put it in my mj sents it has four bolts holding it in end stead of my mj 3 bolt style?

[Darren]

The steering will work, however you'll have to ream out the pitman arm to accept the larger waggy tierod end. I ran a waggy 44 in the front of my MJ. You don't need the steering box.

[cracker]

The steering will work, however you'll have to ream out the pitman arm to accept the larger waggy tierod end. I ran a waggy 44 in the front of my MJ. You don't need the steering box.

 

Interesting. I was unable to make it work in it's OEM condition. My lift may have been the culprit though. I am at 7" of lift.

 

I needed to have an inch and a half more length to my drag link in order for it to function. To make it work, I had to change out the pitman arm TRE with a GM TRE (either the ES2026R or ES2026L of which I don't recall) and that offered me the complete length I needed.

[Bounty Hunter]

The steering will work, however you'll have to ream out the pitman arm to accept the larger waggy tierod end. I ran a waggy 44 in the front of my MJ. You don't need the steering box.

There's a GM tierod end with a small taper similar to the stock Jeep TRE's, you can use it at the pitman arm to avoid having to ream it out.

[bpm4x4]

I have a waggy 44 in mine, I used the rubicon express bracket kit and would not recommend it. I reamed out the pitman arm using the Snap On "hand reamer" in a slow drill, the taper was right on the money.

[mvusse]

Would not recommend the RE kit, or the axle?

[bpm4x4]

Would not recommend the RE kit, or the axle?

 

If I could do it again, I would not use the Rubicon Express kit.

[Man Chi]

Gents I found this local to me what do you think?

 

Narrow track, driver side drop Dana 44 for sale. Has manual locking hubs (is not a vacuum disconnect).

Steering and calipers are not included.

Price - $300

[DirtyComanche]

Gents I found this local to me what do you think?

 

Narrow track, driver side drop Dana 44 for sale. Has manual locking hubs (is not a vacuum disconnect).

 

Steering and calipers are not included.

 

Price - $300

 

Price is high unless it is in very good shape.  If it is 'As pulled' I bet the ball joints, u-joints, and wheel bearings all need to be replaced, and the hubs might be worn or of an inferior design.  Most of the D44 aftermarket hubs aren't much good, IMHO the only thing worth running at this point is the Yukon Hardcore ones, unless somebody else has cloned them.  No brake calipers is a bummer, and no steering isn't helping even if you were unlikely to reuse it.

 

I would try to pay less.  It probably has 3.07 gears also.  Realistically you're going to dump $1000 into that axle, maybe more, to make it into something decent.

 

Personally I do not recommend or endorse staying at the factory-ish axle width for tires any larger than 35".  What are your plans?

[benjy_26]

 

 

Gents I found this local to me what do you think?

 

Narrow track, driver side drop Dana 44 for sale. Has manual locking hubs (is not a vacuum disconnect).

 

Steering and calipers are not included.

 

Price - $300

Price is high unless it is in very good shape. If it is 'As pulled' I bet the ball joints, u-joints, and wheel bearings all need to be replaced, and the hubs might be worn or of an inferior design. Most of the D44 aftermarket hubs aren't much good, IMHO the only thing worth running at this point is the Yukon Hardcore ones, unless somebody else has cloned them. No brake calipers is a bummer, and no steering isn't helping even if you were unlikely to reuse it.

 

I would try to pay less. It probably has 3.07 gears also. Realistically you're going to dump $1000 into that axle, maybe more, to make it into something decent.

 

Personally I do not recommend or endorse staying at the factory-ish axle width for tires any larger than 35". What are your plans?

What he said. Unless you're going to go up to 35's or bigger and abuse the skinny pedal, a D30 can survive for a long time, especially if trussed and are running upgraded shafts.

[87mjdriver]

didn't some of the waggy rear axles have a rear diff offset?

[wildman4x4]

MJDriver,

Yes the older model Waggy and Cherokee's did have an offset axle to the right both front and rear. Just like older CJ models.

 

DirtyComanche, Yes I agree there really aren't any hubs other than Yukon's that are worth a darn. I ended up just running slugs in front. I have a HP44 narrowed to Waggy width under my TJ.

Why do you not like the width of Waggy axles for running larger tires? To try and keep my TJ as street legal as I could I went narrow to keep the tires under the flares somewhat. I run 38" SX tires and haven't had any issues other than one blown stock u-joint.

[mikekaz1]

What do you guys run as a bolt pattern with the front 44s? The fsjs were all 6 or 8 lug correct? I've never seen one in person but I've herd the old Plymouth trail dusters (not ramchargers tho for some reason) had 5x4.5 lug pattern on a d44 front which could be swapped over.