Blew my dana 35

[Warren99]

Thinking forward, I think I'll try to look for a dana 44 front and rear. I don't care too much about rear disc brakes, so if I see a rear d44 on another XJ or MJ I'll get that, as for the front one I'm not too sure. I guess I could also look for a set from a rubicon TJ. Are those the same widths as the XJs/MJs? I'm aware the rear would be a 4 link but I have no problems cutting those off and welding on leaf perches. Also, would the 4 link brackets on a rubicon TJ's front D44 match up perfectly to my long arms(running a stock dana 30 right now), or would I have to somehow relocate them?

[89 MJ]

TJ axles are the same width as MJs/XJs. A TJ front axle is a bolt in swap for an MJ. I seem to recall reading that those TJ D44s aren’t a ton stronger than D30s. That said, I’d run one if I found one for a good price. 

[Warren99]

7 hours ago, 89 MJ said:

TJ axles are the same width as MJs/XJs. A TJ front axle is a bolt in swap for an MJ. I seem to recall reading that those TJ D44s aren’t a ton stronger than D30s. That said, I’d run one if I found one for a good price. 

Alright thank you.

 

What would you guys say would be a fair price for a XJ/MJ Dana 44? I just found one being sold with 4.11 gears and a Dana 30 for $400

[acfortier]

30 minutes ago, Warren99 said:

Alright thank you.

 

What would you guys say would be a fair price for a XJ/MJ Dana 44? I just found one being sold with 4.11 gears and a Dana 30 for $400

That seems like a great price, but not sure how much is varies depending on location. I had a MJ D44 with 3.55 gears, no idea of internal condition, that I had sold for $500 a year ago or so. 

[Warren99]

4 hours ago, acfortier said:

That seems like a great price, but not sure how much is varies depending on location. I had a MJ D44 with 3.55 gears, no idea of internal condition, that I had sold for $500 a year ago or so. 

Ah ok cool, its a 6.5 hour drive that would be the main draw back. He says he thinks its welded or has a spool, hes taking the cover off today to check.

[89 MJ]

8 minutes ago, Warren99 said:

Ah ok cool, its a 6.5 hour drive that would be the main draw back. He says he thinks its welded or has a spool, hes taking the cover off today to check.

I also think that’s a great price. There’s an XJ D44 for sale where I am for $600. And that’s for a D44 with stock gears. If it’s 6.5 hours round trip, you definitely should get it, even if you’ll have to change the spider gears or carrier. 

[Warren99]

Just now, 89 MJ said:

I also think that’s a great price. There’s an XJ D44 for sale where I am for $600. And that’s for a D44 with stock gears. If it’s 6.5 hours round trip, you definitely should get it, even if you’ll have to change the spider gears or carrier. 

6.5 hours one way unfortunately, but yea I still think it would be worth it. I'd run a spool/welded one for a while and eventually get some type of locker.

[gogmorgo]

Not bad for a 4.11 geared axle. I’ve seen people ask that for just the D30. Bit questionable if it’s been welded though. I’ve definitely driven further than that for parts. 12 hours south to Montana and back for an MJ AMC 20 and non-cad D30, both 4.10 geared. But just remember that your time and money are worth something too. For me I turned it into a recreational trip so acquiring the axles was only part of a long weekend plan.

 

And yeah on the TJ front 44, the pumpkin and inner shafts are bigger but the ujoints and wheel ends are the same as the 30. And those have been the weaker parts of the D30 in my experience.

I’d still be interested in it for the limited slip diff with the selectable locker even though they’re a weird system. But I’m a weird guy. 

[derf]

TJ Rubicon front Dana 44 has the same axle tubes and outers as the Dana 30.  So the same strength as what you have there.  The center section is bigger but it's a low pinion where it's driving the coast side of the gears going down the road.  Not as strong as a high pinion front with reverse rotation gears.

 

Still, it's an upgrade over a 30.  And it bolts in.  Weld on a truss and gusset the inner C's and it'll handle 37s just fine unless you beat it like a rented mule.

[Warren99]

4 minutes ago, derf said:

TJ Rubicon front Dana 44 has the same axle tubes and outers as the Dana 30.  So the same strength as what you have there.  The center section is bigger but it's a low pinion where it's driving the coast side of the gears going down the road.  Not as strong as a high pinion front with reverse rotation gears.

 

Still, it's an upgrade over a 30.  And it bolts in.  Weld on a truss and gusset the inner C's and it'll handle 37s just fine unless you beat it like a rented mule.

Well good thing I don’t ever plan on running anything bigger than 32s since that’s the biggest I can fit and still realistically get flex without cutting much of the fenders with my current lift. With that being said I’ll probably just run with the 30 until it breaks if it ever even does.

 

Also update, they are actually 3.73 gears and luckily it’s a spool, not welded. I’m actually happier with 3.73 as I’ll still drive it on the road a lot, and right now with 3.55s or whatever it is I have my Speedo is like 3mph slower than my actual speed at highway speeds, so it may even out perfectly