wagoneer dana 44 axles in a comanche

[DirtyComanche]

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

 

Yes.  Passenger drop stuff.

 

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.

 

Because all you wind up doing is throwing the tires on wheels with very little backspacing so they clear the control arms/fenders/frame, or turn the steering stops out.  Conveniently the D44 has the steering stops out from the factory, you can't turn one nearly as tight as a D30, D60, etc.  IMHO I'd rather go with a wider axle, and run wheels with more backspacing, which keeps the scrub radius where it should be, and then do what you can to make it steer as tight as possible.  Sometimes you have to accept that you're going to need to add a slight extension to the fender flare and run a little wider track width.  Also the reason I like the Yukon hubs is they aren't as thick as many, and the dial/housing isn't plastic, so you can get away with running a wheel with more backspacing without smashing them to bits.

 

For a D44 I think I'd be a fan of the 65" or so width of certain F-150s, IIRC.  Then run a 8 or 9" wheel with 5-5.5" backspacing.

 

Also, if you move up to a D50 or D60, it isn't easy to fit coil buckets and control arm brackets on the axle if it is narrowed down to 61"~, since the inner Cs are so massive compared with smaller axles.  I left my D60 as it was and do not regret it a bit, scrub radius is perfect and I can get lock to lock without having moved the stops and it just barely clears the control arms/frame with wide 37s.

 

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.

 

Don't use those.  They are bad.  5x4.5 is a useless pattern in the long run, and I would pick another pattern and find a rear to match.  You can't build a D44 hub and fit the 5x4.5 pattern on it without it being a garbage setup, there just isn't the space.  The Wagoneer axles that people tend to use are 6x5.5.  It's not a bad pattern as there is a lot of wheels that fit it, and some good rear end options.  8x6.5" is better in the long run, IMHO, and there's various ways you can do that on a D44 (GM 3/4 ton parts are the easiest to find).  5x5.5 is also easy, using Ford parts.  Either way, I feel you're better off using standard parts, rather than redrilling hubs and rotors.

[Incommando]

Most decent Dodge 1/2 ton axles used the 5x5.5 pattern and used lockout hubs (or slugs for the full time applications). The 5x4.5 were an early unit bearing design and are not desirable.

 

As said above: a trussed HP D30 with good axles and ujoints is about equal to a low pinion D44. By the time you get the 44 to fit the MJ it will be much more expensive to use then modding the 30. Finding a good donor HP 44 would be ideal if you want to go that route

[wildman4x4]

I'm running 5 on 5.5 on my TJ. Rear axle is a Tera Low CRD HP60 and is 60" wms. That was also the other reason I went to 61.5" width on my front axle. Having it waggy width makes it easier to get shafts too.

Yes I totally agree with you on the Yukon hubs. I plan on trying them out and see how they hold up to my 408 engine and 38" SX tires. I am running 4.5" back spacing on my rims and have zero issues with turning and

I don't have my steering stops turned out. I haven't touched them they are stock.

I didn't want the size/weight of a D60 up front. I am looking at getting a new housing built with 60 outers & HP44 center and then use Jantz Engineering Jana 54 to get a stronger ring and pinion. Then run RCV axle shafts

and I'll have a front axle that will run my 38/39" tires no problem.

 

Here's my TJ.

 

This was when I was running 35" tires.

 

 

And this is with 38" tires.

 

 

Playing around back when I had 35" tires.

 

[DirtyComanche]

I can't see imagines because this internet connection blocks everything...  But as I said, the D44 can't turn (well, it CAN) nearly the angle a D30 or D60 does, since from the factory the stops are set out quite a bit farther.  I'd have to look it up, but IIRC it's about 10* less, which is significant.  You may fit those tires fine, but IMHO being able to steer tighter is worth going a little wider for.  YMMV, all scenarios are different, warranty is 30 seconds or 30 feet, and this advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

Personally I'd be pretty upset with myself if I bought RCVs and then didn't pull as much steering out of them as I could, since one of the great things about them is they're still strong when operating at realistic steering angles.