cquinnball Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 I have read a lot of posts about the D44a swap and how it is not a good axel and people are better off with a D35. I am building a fast parking lot princess. I will not be crawling it so I am not worried about the aluminum section of it. I had a junked JGC 5.9L and I pulled both axels, engine, and trans. I assume the D44a does not bolt up but do I need to cut off all brackets and weld on new? Will the tube length work in the Comanche? Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 It's too wide and yes you have to cut off the brackets and weld new ones on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Should be the same width as the ZJ D35 which is the same width as the XJ D35. ZJ guys prefer the 44A over the 35. No one else does. It’s the same amount of work to put the 44A in there as it is another coil and link axle, significantly more stuff to cut off compared to any number of leaf spring axles that would be better options. If you’re sticking the thing straight in without putting any work into it first, sure you’ll save money. But if you’re rebuilding, adding traction, tougher shafts, regearing the axle anyway, it doesn’t really cost a ton more to start with a better axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 You're right was thinking the WJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cquinnball Posted March 24, 2023 Author Share Posted March 24, 2023 Thank you very much for the input! I really appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 pretty sure it was Rob that went through two 44a axles under his ZJ (both bearing failures in the diff) and then angrily swapped in a 35 and carried on. I lump them into the same category as the 35. light duty. swap-able for sure, just don't spend a ton of coin on them. the Liberty 8.25s are plentiful and cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 DO NOT use a Dana 44a. I once made the mistake of buying a WJ with the 4.7L engine. It came with the aluminum rear axle. It spent literally WEEKS in the dealer's shop while first the dealer's techs and then a "specialist" flown in from the factory tried to stop the constant droning/whining noise it made at all road speeds over about 25 MPH. The axle problem was never fixed, and about 6 months after I bought it the engine died at an intersection, never to run again. Chrysler bought it back from me and I replaced it with a 2000 XJ. You want a clue about how bad that axle really is? I bought (as I always do) the factory service manual. The owner's manual doesn't include this information, but the FSM has a warning in it: DO NOT use a floor jack under the differential to jack up the rear of the vehicle. Doing so may cause the differential housing to become deformed. Meanwhile, my '88 XJ with the D35 is at 287,000 miles, has been driven cross country heavily loaded, and has been wheeled hard on some fairly rugged trails with no ill effects. I will take a D35 over a D44a any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The86manche Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 I dunno, they put them in the 5.9 grand cherokees and those held up. I had one with 250k miles and I beat that thing and never had issues with the rear end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 2 minutes ago, The86manche said: I dunno, they put them in the 5.9 grand cherokees and those held up. I had one with 250k miles and I beat that thing and never had issues with the rear end. You were lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 And yet the ZJ groups are still full of people running 35’s+, hammering them off-road, welding them up, and don’t seem to be chewing through them. Just like the D35 there are plenty of them holding up just fine despite the reputation. In my mind it‘ll be totally reasonable to run the axle if it hasn’t been having issues, worth putting new bearings and seals into even if the need arises, but not really worth building or putting effort into to run in something else. If you can do so without spending a pile of money on it definitely a good move to truss it so the tubes don’t start moving in the pumpkin. Most texts say you shouldn’t jack up an axle under the pumpkin, even with full steel or cast centre sections. Just because you can usually get away with it doesn’t mean it was designed to be loaded in that direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 I had one in my 5.9 ZJ also. Lots of towing and some off-road with no issues, but no oversized tires. I know several years of corvettes also have the d44a in an irs setup. On a side note, the D35 can be a pretty decent axle lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 Can someone explain to me real quick what a D44a is and what they come in? I always just thought a D44 was a D44, and simply better than the D35. Is the D44a aluminum somewhere or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 1 hour ago, Warren99 said: Can someone explain to me real quick what a D44a is and what they come in? I always just thought a D44 was a D44, and simply better than the D35. Is the D44a aluminum somewhere or something? Aluminum housing. Mainly ZJ and WJ v8, and the vette as mentioned. My WJ has one, does fine for what I need. Eventually swapping in a 9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 Yeah, sometimes referred to as a d44HD. Internals are different from the regular d44 as well as the aluminum housing. In the ZJ and WJ it’s got steel axle tubes pressed into it, which I think is a large part of the issues people have with it, dissimilar metals, especially with one being much harder than the other isn’t the best recipe. Salt exposure definitely wouldn’t do it any favours, Rob and Eagle are in rust belt localities, IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghetdjc320 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 2 hours ago, Warren99 said: Can someone explain to me real quick what a D44a is and what they come in? I always just thought a D44 was a D44, and simply better than the D35. Is the D44a aluminum somewhere or something? There are a few versions of the D44 and they are all quite different. Same goes for the D35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren99 Posted March 25, 2023 Share Posted March 25, 2023 Ohh ok thank you all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omega_rugal Posted March 29, 2023 Share Posted March 29, 2023 do 4.7 WJs ever came with a diff other than dana 44a? a friends WJ (the once my MJ had to tow after its ecu blew up) but is not aluminum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted March 29, 2023 Share Posted March 29, 2023 1 hour ago, omega_rugal said: do 4.7 WJs ever came with a diff other than dana 44a? a friends WJ (the once my MJ had to tow after its ecu blew up) but is not aluminum... Yep, only difference was variok or open. It was either swapped or a 4.0 with a 35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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