WJ Axle swap

[Smokeyyank]

Random question. I'm considering swapping axles on my WJ at some point. Reason being, I'd like to move up to 35s.  The D30 and 44 just don't have a lot of aftermarket support and well they just aren't that great past 33s plus I'd like deeper gears. I do not want tons. JKs are out mainly due to cost. I know a HP44 and 9 would be the combo that would work but hard to find. Ideally I really like to find something that was full width and stock 4.10s. I was trying to see what axles may work. Figured it pretty much would be dodge axles or possibly a few ford's since I'll need a driver side drop. 

I did see these and looks to check all the boxes. 

https://denver.craigslist.org/pts/d/arvada-front-and-rear-axles-410s-lsd/7235182418.html

 

So thoughts?

[Pete M]

dodge would be low pinion.  does that enter the equation for your build?  if not then those sound fine.   verify the ratio before buying.

 

um, I guess the ford dana 50 is technically not a 1-ton?    sorta?

[89 MJ]

J10s had D44s in the front and rear before the hot the AMC 20. The switch was sometime between 80-82. 

[derf]

2 hours ago, 89 MJ said:

J10s had D44s in the front and rear before the hot the AMC 20. The switch was sometime between 80-82. 

 

The SJ (Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer/Cherokee/J10/J20) had a front Dana 44 starting in the early 1970's (D30 before that)  It is passenger side drop through 1979.  In 1980 it switched over to driver drop and ran through 1991.  All low pinion.  All leaf spring under axle.  The narrow track version is about as wide as an XJ front axle.  The wide track is something like 4-6" wider and was available in some but not all of the full size Cherokees (74-83) and the only axle width in the J10/J20.  The J20 has the heavy duty version of the Dana 44 with thicker axle tubes and so forth.

 

The rear axle in the 1/2 ton SJ was a Dana 44 through 1979.  All had differentials offset to the passenger side regardless of transfer case (D20 or Quadratrac).  The Quadratrac had an offset rear output.  The Dana 20 had a centered output but the rear axle was still offset to allow the driveshaft to clear the gas tank.  In 1980, they changed the gas tank and went to all center output transfer cases.  They also replaced the D44 with an AMC20 with a centered differential.  This axle has bigger and/or thicker axle tubes than the CJ, as well as 1 piece shafts so it's just as strong as a Dana 44.  This axle ran through most of 1986 when they changed over to a centered Dana 44 towards the end of the model year.  They kept the Dana 44 through 1991.  The J20 used a full floating Dana 60.

 

The 1/2 tons used 6 bolt Chevy pattern (6 on 5.5") and the J20 used the standard 8 lug (8 on 6.5).

 

The narrow track rear is maybe 2" narrower than the matching front axle.

[89 MJ]

My dad has a YJ on 35s with a D30 and 8.8 (similar strength to the MJ D44) and a 5.3 and a 5 speed and 4.10 gears. It gets driven pretty hard, and we are yet to have an issue breaking axle parts. Both axles are bone stock. I get that the WJ is much heavier than the YJ though. I'm not sure what gears she has, but @Alexia has a 6.2 in her LJ and I haven't ready about breaking any parts in her LJ.

[Jesse J]

ah yes the old are d30s strong debate 

[derf]

24 minutes ago, Jesse J said:

ah yes the old are d30s strong debate 

It's a reasonable discussion.  I ran a 2dr JK on 35's with a trussed and gusseted Dana 30 for years.  Took some hard trails.  It held up just fine.

 

It all depends on how heavy your right foot is.

[Jesse J]

Just now, derf said:

It's a reasonable discussion.  I ran a 2dr JK on 35's with a trussed and gusseted Dana 30 for years.  Took some hard trails.  It held up just fine.

 

It all depends on how heavy your right foot is.

yeah that's exactly why its so controversial is because conditions vary wildly from rig to rig axle to axle. people use them differently

[Smokeyyank]

So the WJ D30 is low pinion and doesn't really bother me. Issue is the CV axels up front and gearing. By the time you "upgrade" it it's not worth it. I have 3.73s now and they are fine with the 32's. Probably could be ok with 35's but 4.10s would really be a sweet spot. My MJ currently has built waggy 44's under it but they are too narrow. Ideally they would be what I'm looking for minus the width. My WJ does have the 4.7 and a lot more torque than a I6 plus it's just heavier in general. While I'm not planning to bounce it off rocks and mash through walls, the D30 and D44A just don't match what I'd really like. I have a lunchbox and it's sucks on pavement would rather have a trutrac or a LSD, don't really want to pay to regear and don't want to buy non cv axles. 

[Pete M]

superduty axles are becoming popular for a reason  

[derf]

6 minutes ago, Pete M said:

superduty axles are becoming popular for a reason  

Yeah, for a less intense use case, the front Dana 50 isn't a bad axle to go with a matching sterling rear.

 

I'm going with a 60 and rear 80 but that's because I'm going to run 40's or bigger...

[Smokeyyank]

And that's the thing. Tons are just overkill and going to kill ground clearance with 35s. I'm not going above 35s as anything above that is a bunch of work to fit on a WJ. In looking at the D50 doesn't seem like there are a lot of upgrade options and basically seem R&P as a D44 with D60 outers. I'll keep poking around. Thanks for the info. 

[Pete M]

to me the dana 50 is just a stronger dana 44 without the weight of the full 60.