Paul Bruchal Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I'm just now starting my project. I'm wanting to end up with 35" tires. Do you think I should keep a eye out for a totaled Jeep Rubicon like on a website "copart" for axles for the 35"s. Good idea or bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyboy Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I wouldn't bother they are usually way overpriced and the front axle isn't much of an upgrade over an HP30. Its a lp44 center section and the rest is pretty much d30,only real advantage I can see is the d44 will except deeper gears then the d30. It wouldn't be a bad axle but IMO its not worth what people are getting for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirteatr717 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 If your willing to dish out the money for those axles why not go d60 in the front and a 14b in the back with 36-37s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 The TJ D44 front is barely an upgrade over the D30. Has the same stub shafts, unit bearings, etc, and has a low pinion 44 center section. A JK D44 front would be a better upgrade, keep an eye on craigslist, your more likely to find a JK D44 front than you are a TJ, and it will likely be cheaper too, though you will probably have to travel for either front axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 If your goal is 35s at max, the TJ Rubi 44 would be sufficient if you upgraded the shafts. I have a TJ Rubi 44 waiting to go into my truck, but I am only going with 31s. It also came with the Vanco Big Brake Kit, Alloy USA Shafts, ORO Steering, RE TB and a Rockcrusher diff cover with 17k miles on it. I paid less for it than most folks ask for a stock axle. I had to drive far into OK to pick it up. It is nice they are bolt in and a factory Jeep part. Its a shame most of them are trying to be sold at such high prices. That said, I would do it. Of course I say that, I already did. You might be most happy if you got just the housing and filled it with the parts you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bruchal Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 I really don't know anything about axles besides the strength difference between the dana's... sorry if I sound retarded on this thread. "If" i found TJ Rubicon axles, id put Chromoly shafts in the dana 44s.. Reason why i want the TJ Rubicon axles is of there width... i thought that they are the same width as the MJ's...?? But buying the housings and filling it with parts, isn't a bad idea... Probably be way cheaper too... I'm willing to dish out the money for "stock width" axles... Rockyrider367 is selling a dana 60 front aand 14b rear for $1000! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Not only are they bolt in and the stock width, they are the correct bolt pattern for factory MJ wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 The TJ Dana 44 front is nice because: Its a direct bolt in. It's the right width. Its the right bolt pattern. It's not nice because: It's low pinion. It has weak tubes. It's SUPER expensive, because everyone and their mom wants one. Now, consider the JK Dana 44 front: It's 61.9 WMS vs 60 for the XJ/TJ D30/44 High pinion. Comes with dual piston brakes. Comes with E-locker. Has crossover steering. Has bigger brakes than XJ brakes. Cheaper than TJ D44 front. Cons: 5x5 bolt pattern(needs adapters or hubs/rotors redrilled). Has CV style pinion flange. Needs coil buckets moved inward 1" on each side. If you do built a TJ D44 front use WJ knuckles/calipers for cheap big brakes and crossover steering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Here is a JK D44 front compared to a WJ D30 front. The important things to note here are that the WJ coil buckets are 1" too far outboard comepared to the XJ, and that the JK uses different shock and swaybar brackets. That JK D44 front is what will be going into my MJ with redrilled hubs and rotors. At only an inch more tire on each side sticking out I can live with that. The link mounts on each side are .5 inches wider than XJ/MJ/ZJ/WJ/TJ mounts, so they are not a problem to boltup to stock arms, or especially aftermarket arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bruchal Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Whats the price difference between the JK dana 44 and the TJ dana 44? I'm just guessing the JK is more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Whats the price difference between the JK dana 44 and the TJ dana 44?I'm just guessing the JK is more expensive. I've seen JK fronts cheaper than TJ fronts. (almost consistently so, like I said everyone and their mom wants a TJ 44, so its hard to find deals on them) Heck you used to be able to buy the JK front new for like $1300 complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Also looks like the new JK D44 front has gone up in price, now its around $1700 for a complete axle from moparpartsamerica Part number P5153825AB if you interested in searching around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Be aware JK axles are ~4" or so wider than YJ/TJ/XJ/ZJ/WJ/WK and MJ axles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bruchal Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Has anyone on here done this swap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Be aware JK axles are ~4" or so wider than YJ/TJ/XJ/ZJ/WJ/WK and MJ axles. more like 1.9" wider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 1.9 is ~4, isn't it? ;) I heard the trucks were 4" wider, I knew the axles were wider, so I assumed by 4" also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sam Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 1.9 is 4, isn't it? ;) I heard the trucks were 4" wider, I knew the axles were wider, so I assumed by 4" also. Ya think its fair to say the JK is 4" wider. But the axle is not all that much wider, 1.9" by everything I can tell, its nearly impossible for me to measure correctly right now but that seems to be the consensus online, and thats about right if the XJ WMS is 60" I've looked at it before when I started planning my swap, and I looked at it again last night, the control arm mounts are the same pattern, but each one is .5 inches further out, I haven't tried it, and I might have to now with my JK axle while this WJ axle is out to make sure that stock arms will boltup to it, I see no reason aftermarket heims wouldn't go on no problem. The JK coil buckets are exactly 1" further out, but in addition to that they are setup a little different for the JK sways. My plan for this swap is to use aftermarket control arms with heims and push the axle about an inch forward(nessesary to clear the oil pan). Then cut the coil buckets and shock mounts off to use on the XJ. Now the axle is bolted up, sways, coils, shocks hooked up. Steering from a WJ could be used for the highsteer/crossover. Input is meant for a CV, so converting it to a yoke would be REALLY nice. Now its 1" wider on each side, and you have 5x5 wheels(probably the worst part about this), or hubs and rotors that need to be redrilled to 5x4.5. If you wanted more width spacer adapter could do that just fine, But I really don't want 2" more sticking out on each side so I will redrill the hubs and rotors. I really want to stick with 5x4.5 wheels since I am wanting to run the silverstars. If I wanted moabs I could just get a set of JK moabs and run a JK44 rear(cheap really, like 300-400 for a 44 with 4.10s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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