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front axle swap


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2 minutes ago, Jesse J said:

If I where to find a crappy waggy with d44s with that big six lug pattern could I put both of those on my truck?

With much effort yes. You’ll need all new brackets and wheels. Lots of suspension fab work and welding. Plus not all Wagoneers have the drivers drop 44 that is not a disconnect axle. The rear 98+ rodeo/passport axle is stronger than the wagoneer rear though. 

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2 minutes ago, Jesse J said:

If I where to find a crappy waggy with d44s with that big six lug pattern could I put both of those on my truck?

Yes.  It's easiest when you use a truss kit for the front from some place like Artec or TnT customs.

 

The rear is just spring perches and shock mounts.

 

The rear is narrower by a bit so spacers help the put the wheels out where they belong.

 

 

I have a set from an 88 Grand Wagoneer sitting in my garage that were under my XJ for a while.  The front needs a carrier and gears but the truss is on it.  The rear has perches set up for an XJ but that's easy to change.  It has 4.27 gears and a truetrac.

 

You could probably talk me out of them pretty easily.  I'd even consider driving halfway and meeting you on I80 somewhere like Rawlins WY.

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7 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

With much effort yes. You’ll need all new brackets and wheels. Lots of suspension fab work and welding. Plus not all Wagoneers have the drivers drop 44 that is not a disconnect axle. The rear 98+ rodeo/passport axle is stronger than the wagoneer rear though. 

huh cool.

 

6 minutes ago, derf said:

Yes.  It's easiest when you use a truss kit for the front from some place like Artec or TnT customs.

 

The rear is just spring perches and shock mounts.

 

The rear is narrower by a bit so spacers help the put the wheels out where they belong.

 

 

I have a set from an 88 Grand Wagoneer sitting in my garage that were under my XJ for a while.  The front needs a carrier and gears but the truss is on it.  The rear has perches set up for an XJ but that's easy to change.  It has 4.27 gears and a truetrac.

 

You could probably talk me out of them pretty easily.  I'd even consider driving halfway and meeting you on I80 somewhere like Rawlins WY.

oooooooo that's actually incredibly enticing how much cash (or seat covers) would it take to get them?. I didn't know they made 4.27 gears. again feel like I am hijacking the thread but it seems like good information for the oc and anyone else

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Just now, derf said:

Yes.  It's easiest when you use a truss kit for the front from some place like Artec or TnT customs.

 

The rear is just spring perches and shock mounts.

 

The rear is narrower by a bit so spacers help the put the wheels out where they belong.

 

 

I have a set from an 88 Grand Wagoneer sitting in my garage that were under my XJ for a while.  The front needs a carrier and gears but the truss is on it.  The rear has perches set up for an XJ but that's easy to change.  It has 4.27 gears and a truetrac.

 

You could probably talk me out of them pretty easily.  I'd even consider driving halfway and meeting you on I80 somewhere like Rawlins WY.

That’s a great deal! There may be some big screws your going to have to replace:holdwrench:. Lol, just messing with you @Jesse J

 

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the real question is still, does all that effort actually give you more than you can get with just upgraded shafts/joints in a dana 30?   the dana 30 is no slouch and the late model ujoints are the same ones found in a 44.  and when it comes to failures, the joints are by far the most common I've seen (not counting failures due to lack of preventative maintenance)

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1 minute ago, Pete M said:

the real question is still, does all that effort actually give you more than you can get with just upgraded shafts/joints in a dana 30?   the dana 30 is no slouch and the late model ujoints are the same ones found in a 44.  and when it comes to failures, the joints are by far the most common I've seen (not counting failures due to lack of preventative maintenance)


Very very true. Really nothing to be gained going to an LP44 vs an HP30 given the complexity and expense of the swap. I sure did like my locking hubs on my waggy D44 but when your hubs are frozen or full of mud and your trying to get them engaged it truly is miserable. 

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um, just leave them locked.  tadaa! they are deleted! :D 

 

old school is indeed cool, but old school can be a real pain in the finger tips when the hub is jammed and won't fully turn to lock and it's -10* outside and I start to question why I chose this overly complicated solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place.  :peep: 

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38 minutes ago, Jesse J said:

well yes they suck. but they are old school and old school=cool. do they make locking hub delete kits?

Do you have experience with them? Locking hubs are a neat concept and can lessen some wear as well as provide slightly less drag. They can also be a royal pain to get engaged or disengaged. 
The later model grand waggys did not have a locking hubs and we’re just locked all the time. Some had a vacuum disconnect though which if it wasn’t for the vacuum actuator itself failing, is not a bad idea. Old school is not always cool. There was a lot of crap made in almost all of automobile history and it continues today. 

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I put 200k miles on my Liberty (in AWD no less) before I had to replace a single moving part up front.  unlocking hubs are just another overly complicated thing that will eventually break.  :fistshake2:  a few years back I had to help a buddy replace one in his ford (on a brutally cold day of course) because otherwise he had no 4wd. 

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2 hours ago, Jesse J said:

well yes they suck. but they are old school and old school=cool. do they make locking hub delete kits?

Yes.  The Grand Wagoneers came with full time 4WD in either an NP228 or NP229 transfer case (predecessor to the NP242).  So they put in solid splined pucks with a chromed stamped steel cover where the locking hubs would go.  I think I still have one set to go with that axle somewhere.  I'll have to dig around this weekend.

 

I also think it needs new u-joints since the old ones were taken out.  But I still have the stock shafts.  It's a good opportunity to upgrade from the 297X to the 760X.

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The ability to disconnect and keep from spinning axle shafts, ring and pinion, front driveshaft and front tcase output are nice features. Remember the YJ, MJ and XJ all started with a vacuum disconnect axle to keep from spinning the front shaft and tcase output among other things. That front tcase output rear pilot bearing is a real pain to replace. Many who go from cad to solid shafts have to balance the front driveshaft as well. In addition I did pickup about 1-1.5mpg average over a few thousand miles of driving while unlocked. That’s all I can say regarding the pros of locking hubs. 
 

But it is absolutely true that they can be a real pain to get engaged and disengaged. Looks stupid trying to rock your Jeep back and forth to get the hubs to engage or dealing with ice or mud seizing them up. I feel like the wheel bearings are definitely more maintenance than unit bearings also but maybe that just my experience with them. 

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9 hours ago, Jesse J said:

true that. locking hubs are cool though:cool:

 

9 hours ago, Jesse J said:

well yes they suck. but they are old school and old school=cool. do they make locking hub delete kits?

 

49 minutes ago, Jesse J said:

my friends old ford had them and they where very crappy.

 

:dunno:

 

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