Big ton axles

[Gubachoo]

Found a 90 big ton in a local junkyard and since I need to change my axle ratio after my lift and bigger tires figured I would see if this 44 would be any good. Problem is I can't get all the way under the truck and jacking it up where it is won't be easy. Wrote the VIN down but can't find anywhere that will give me any clue of what the ratio would be. No VIN decoders or any of the searches here came up with anything. 1J7GJ26L1LL195597. 4.0 5spd 4wd. Anybody know of a way to figure it out without jacking it up in the muddy junkyard and crawling under it?  Tried to read the tag on the axle but could barely reach it and it's pretty well illegible as far as I can see. Thanks.

[Dzimm]

The VIN you posted is only 16 digits instead of the normal 17.  

[thecodemonk]

Post up the VIN in the registry and @eaglescout526 will get some info on it put together. :)

[Gubachoo]

Just now, Dzimm said:

The VIN you posted is only 16 digits instead of the normal 17.  

 

Damn fat fingers, just corrected

[eaglescout526]

DRK	Dana 44/226MM Rear Axle

 

It does have a D44

[Gubachoo]

Just now, eaglescout526 said:

DRK	Dana 44/226MM Rear Axle

 

It does have a D44

Thanks, anyway to tell the ratio from the VIN? I can see it but it's hard to get to and I can't spin it or pop the cover off as it sits.

[eaglescout526]

DMM	3.07 Rear Axle Ratio

 

There should be a tag on the diff with a part number and ratio.

[Gubachoo]

Just now, eaglescout526 said:

DMM	3.07 Rear Axle Ratio

 

There should be a tag on the diff with a part number and ratio.

Thanks again, very helpful

[eaglescout526]

No problem! Happy to help. Now don't take the ratio for what is attached to the VIN. It may not be the same as what the diff is tagged with. But that being said D44's are common to have that gear for our trucks.

[Gubachoo]

True, problem is the junkyard guy doesn't want to move the truck unless I commit to buying the axles, and as much as I would love a 44, I'm trying to get away from the 307 after the lift and 31's. it'll do 75 at 2000rpm, but the take off from a light is pretty sad, and who needs to go 75 in an MJ? Maybe have to get cold and wet and dirty and crawl under there. 

[eaglescout526]

I wouldn't mind going that fast that comfortably. But even just pulling it and turning around to sell it to someone who wants or needs an MJ D44 would want to have it.

[derf]

It's a Dana 44.  Pull it.  Someone will want it and pay good money for it, no matter what gears are in it.

 

Swapping gears to something else is also very easy, with tons of aftermarket choices.  So keep it, swap the gears, throw in a limited slip or locker, replace all of the bearings and seals, and you have a bolt in "new" axle.

[Dzimm]

Agree with the above.  You will absolutely get your money back and then some.  People pay a lot for a D44.

[JMO413]

1 hour ago, Gubachoo said:

True, problem is the junkyard guy doesn't want to move the truck unless I commit to buying the axles, and as much as I would love a 44, I'm trying to get away from the 307 after the lift and 31's. it'll do 75 at 2000rpm, but the take off from a light is pretty sad, and who needs to go 75 in an MJ? Maybe have to get cold and wet and dirty and crawl under there. 

I would but it and rear gear it Dana 44 are hard to find. I feel you on the 3.07 and 31's that's my current combination. I'm going to 4.10 with junkyard diff's just need the time to get them cleaned and swapped.

[87MJTIM]

If the truck has a manual trans, the factory gave it 3.07.  If an auto, then 3.55.  

[omega_rugal]

get the dana 44 no matter which ratio, these days, MJ dana 44s are becoming the holy grail

[Limeyjeeper]

Exactly. Very hard to find.

[Gubachoo]

Hmm. Thanks for all the input. I've regeared many axles before so that wasn't my worry, it more that I would love to just plug and play and be done with it. 

[omega_rugal]

58 minutes ago, Gubachoo said:

Hmm. Thanks for all the input. I've regeared many axles before so that wasn't my worry, it more that I would love to just plug and play and be done with it. 

 

take the chance to refrsh the axle, new seals, new oil etc...

[mjeff87]

D44 has a carrier break @ 3.55 or 3.73.  To regear it higher,  you'll need a new carrier, or "thick" cut gears.

[WahooSteeler]

17 hours ago, mjeff87 said:

D44 has a carrier break @ 3.55 or 3.73.  To regear it higher,  you'll need a new carrier, or "thick" cut gears.

 

Correct, carrier break on D44 is 3.73

[benjy_26]

On 3/13/2020 at 6:21 PM, mjeff87 said:

D44 has a carrier break @ 3.55 or 3.73.  To regear it higher,  you'll need a new carrier, or "thick" cut gears.

Sounds like a great reason to throw in a Detroit or similar into it. 

[Gubachoo]

Well. I grabbed it, and hauled it 2200 miles back to new england to rebuild it and throw it in. Figure 3.73 makes the most sense with my setup. Will order front and rear and do them one at a time (front driveshaft is out for ujoints at the moment and the snow is gone so I should fine) Will open it up tomorrow and see what it looks like. If the LSD is still good I will just use that. It's my DD and only occasionally wheeled so don't see a detroit or anything similar as being needed. Will do all new bearings and seals while I'm at it and give it a clean and a coating. hoping everything looks good when I pull the cover tomorrow, felt and sounded fine in the yard. Excited to eliminate this "weak link" in my truck and make a sensible gear change with my 31's

[Gubachoo]

So I bought the axle and brought it back to CT to rebuild and regear. Have done many axle rebuilds in the past so am feeling a little dumb at the moment. As soon as I took the dif out and got the bearings off I measured and recorded the thickness of the shims beneath the carrier bearings and replaced them exactly with new shims from the kit. The dif carrier does not want to fit during reassembly however. I double checked my shims and that the bearings were pressed flush and it all seems good. As I am writing this I am thinking I should double check the bearing and race numbers and compare them to the old ones, but baring that, any ideas? It is an original LSD that went back in with new gears. Like I said, have done a few axles before and know they should resist a little going in, but this is at the point where it will require serious force and I know that is wrong. I have done gears and lockers before without case spreaders so don't see why this should need one. I am willing to reduce to shim load to make it correct, but as far as I have learned, it should go back together as it is albeit with a little extra resistane due to the new bearings... Thanks for any help.

[schardein]

The service manuals I am familiar with say a case spreader is required.  That you have gotten by without one in the past doesn't mean they aren't a standard tool for diff work.

 

If you are putting in new gears, the old shims are only a starting point.  No guarantee they will be right.  Backlash & gear pattern must still be checked and shims adjusted to get them right.