Advantages of running brand new Dynatrek vs. Rebuild 44's

Axles are the about the last item that I need to replace to make my rig complete.(for now) I am trying to decide on weather or not I should buy front and rear 44's from dynatrek with all the bells and wisle, or should I rebuild a set from used 44's. Iv'e got a buddy who is willingly opening up his garage to me and he says that he has litterly a pile of fairly new 44's that I could pick thru for free. I now that there will be an obvious price difference but my big question is that would I need any special tools to dis-assemble and re-assemble the rebuilt 44's. Also is it better to have trained personal like dynatrek just do all the work for me or trust my club and friends to give me advice and help on the rebuild.

Club/friends is just as good. The only difference in my opinion is people who buy brand new have more money than brains. I can afford brand new axles but it doesnt mean im ever going to use them. In my opinion its a waste of money that I'd rather use elsewhere.

DoctorPhate said:

The only difference in my opinion is people who buy brand new have more money than brains.

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There is nothing wrong with purchasing a set of axles if you don't have the time, feel you don't have the skill, don't have the tools, etc.

That being said, I built my set as it is significantly cheaper. The only special tool you'll need for a front 44 is the spindle nut socket. They can be had for $10-15. You'll need a few extras if you plan on gearing them yourself but if members of you club have done it they'll have the goods. Obviously you'll need the equipment to create and mount brackets as well (welder, means of cutting, etc).

warranty included when new?

Dynatrac = sexy lookin axle
Homebuilt = cheap

If you can afford it, and don't wanna go threw the hassle or the time of building axles then go for it! an don't let anyone tell you different.

dyna all the way. when u build the 44s after gearing assembly which is a bitch then its big brakes and truss and crom shafts. and etc. ull be sick of the project by the time u finsh the first axle. then the stuff that u wanted to put on but didnt will just be another pain in the ass when u decide to do it. saving a few bucks is nice but u can easily spend an ass load builind an axle as well. especially if u didnt set it up correctly then its double money and work. just my 2 cents.

Dont know how much dynatrac 44's are, but I was reading a build where a guy bought dyna 60's for his TJ. they were "base" model and he paid 12k for the pair.

Maybe buying the front would be worth it, but on a cherokee, its pretty easy to install an axle in the rear.

bails85 said:

dyna all the way. when u build the 44s after gearing assembly which is a bitch then its big brakes and truss and crom shafts. and etc. ull be sick of the project by the time u finsh the first axle. then the stuff that u wanted to put on but didnt will just be another pain in the ass when u decide to do it. saving a few bucks is nice but u can easily spend an ass load builind an axle as well. especially if u didnt set it up correctly then its double money and work. just my 2 cents.

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Some truth to this, if you want it soon don't do it yourself. It can be a long project. I know some people have moved out to the garage and done this in a couple weeks. Mine was over a year to complete, but I was willing to wait for just he right parts to show up on Craigslist at just the right price instead of buying new everything. Looking at the Dynatrac website I saved a couple G doing it this way I guess. Plus I have some satisfaction of saying "I did that".

Buying something because you don't have time, money or desire to do it yourself doesn't make you a shithead like some will say. Assess your situation and make the best choice for you. It's easier and faster to order them; it's cheaper and more time consuming to build them.

The other thing to consider about price difference... all brand new parts. I built a new axle for a member on here and he ended up having about $4500 in parts alone. EVERYTHING was new except for the housing. So, ball joints knuckles caliper brackets, cailpers, pads, shafts, locker, gears, install kit, etc... all brand new. Then I had to assemble it for him. So, basically, its all in what you can re-use and what you can't. If you want a new axle, you are going to pay new axle price weather you do it yourself or not. The only upside is that you can build something as good or better for less money if you have good skills. Like the customer's for example... It had RCV shafts which are better than a Dynatrac 44, plus its high pinion. The only high pinion 44 Dynatrac offers is the ProRock 44. Yeah its nice, but its not cheap by any means. The customer's axle also used WJ brakes and true high steer, and had perfect geometry after I installed it. However, not that I am a spectacular guy, but these things can not be completed by just an average joe. If you want to build one, you may be better to buy. But if you can weld, you could probably swap one pretty easily.

Team Willys said:

I built a new axle for a member on here and he ended up having about $4500 in parts alone. EVERYTHING was new except for the housing. So, ball joints knuckles caliper brackets, cailpers, pads, shafts, locker, gears, install kit, etc... all brand new.

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Holy markup on parts! That's just plain nuts for something that is still using D30 parts. I have less than that into my front D60 even with "EVERYTHING new except for the housing" and RCVs.

Team Willys said:

... these things can not be completed by just an average joe...

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Why not?
I was no different than the "average joe" before I started my build. Time, tools, and learning will allow you to do anything you want. It seems like most of you are trying to scare the OP into buying a pre-built axle. Like I said, nothing wrong with that but it is pretty easy to setup an axle in the scheme of things. They aren't magic.

RCman said:

Holy markup on parts! That's just plain nuts for something that is still using D30 parts. I have less than that into my front D60 even with "EVERYTHING new except for the housing" and RCVs.
Why not?
I was no different than the "average joe" before I started my build. Time, tools, and learning will allow you to do anything you want. It seems like most of you are trying to scare the OP into buying a pre-built axle. Like I said, nothing wrong with that but it is pretty easy to setup an axle in the scheme of things. They aren't magic.

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Just doing some real quick math I come up $3600, not including tax, shipping and other things I can't think of off the top of my head. $4000-$4500 seems about right for everything new. Oh yeah, plus whatever you have to pay for a housing.

Counting back on the posts I see: 3 votes buy, 2 votes build, 3 votes with advise and pick what's best for you and 1 that's not a vote.

DoctorPhate said:

Club/friends is just as good.

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Ha, no not always. I've seen a lot of people in clubs think they can fab, and be more than willing to offer advice, only to not know what they are talking about.

DoctorPhate said:

The only difference in my opinion is people who buy brand new have more money than brains.

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See, in my opinion, people who don't have the necessary fab skills and buy brand new axles rather than trust not only their lives, but the lives of everyone on the road, to inexperienced and unsafe fabrication, have more brains than people who make comments about people having more money than brains.

RCman said:

Holy markup on parts! That's just plain nuts for something that is still using D30 parts. I have less than that into my front D60 even with "EVERYTHING new except for the housing" and RCVs.

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Wow, I completely agree, especially on the whole still using D30 part.

I know Bill and I (and most of the NAC), go back and forth about costs of building front D44's vs. front D60s, but we agree that it costs less than $4500.

I built a HP44 including making the steering and trackbar, and did the whole "EVERYTHING new except for the housing" and just barely hit the $3K mark. And it has "true high steer" unlike the crossover steering the WJ knuckles uses, and it doesn't use any crappy D30 parts.

RCman said:

Why not?
I was no different than the "average joe" before I started my build. Time, tools, and learning will allow you to do anything you want. It seems like most of you are trying to scare the OP into buying a pre-built axle. Like I said, nothing wrong with that but it is pretty easy to setup an axle in the scheme of things. They aren't magic.

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X2

Begster said:

I know Bill and I (and most of the NAC), go back and forth about costs of building front D44's vs. front D60s, but we agree that it costs less than $4500.

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D60>D44 :kissyou:



Im another one to say build it yourself. I trust my local clubs/friends to help me with my builds and trust there judgement. At least all your local people have knowledge/experience in the same areas that you wheel and know what works and what doesnt. We in the NAC are a pretty tight group that wheel together alot and know the conditions around here.

Either route is gunna get you roughly the same outcomes, beefier axles that are basically all new stuff. If you/your buddies have some know-how, welding skills, and basic gear understanding, then by all means go ahead and do it yourself. Save some cash, make it awesome and perfect, enjoy satisfaction of having done it yourself. If theres things like lack or skill/ lack of time/ etc reasons for wanting a crate axle, that go ahead and order up some.





PS: Build junk yourself and tell everyone else to .!..!.

If you can't fab, buy them. If you need them tomorrow, buy them.

If you don't know how to work on axles...that's a shitty excuse. Building axles is certainly something any 'average joe' can do. It's not a mystery, it's not some kind of weird voodoo crap you gotta go to school for. It's stuff that if you can't do it, you'd better learn anyway, because you don't wanna be 'that guy' on the trail when things go wrong.

If I paid $4500 in parts alone for an axle that still had any remnants of a D30, I'd be the first one to call me a jackass.