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D44 Alternatives?

M

Mpeckham22

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MA/NC
Im looking to swap out my Front d30 for something that can handle the 37" hmmwv tires I just threw on. Im looking to find a front 44, however i was curious what other alternatives other than just bumping to a d60 there is... thanks!
-Peckham
 
9" housing, True Low 9 center, later model Dodge 2500/3500 knuckles is supposed to be a decent, budget-ish front axle. Pair with 8 lug rear axle of your choice.
 
I'm reaching well past my personal experience but it does seem to me that the money you'd spend to make a Dana 44 reliable on 37s is going to be better spent on a Dana 60. Bigger u joints, bigger shafts, bigger everything.
 
I'm not really sure why nonone ever looks into FJ80 axles and a D300 swap. I have a pair of 80 axles sitting in my shop. Full sheet metal housing, high pinion front, full float rear, 4 puston calipers, king pin outers, large barfields, good pumpkin offset, behind the diff tie-rod, and many came stock with electric lockers. D50 superduty axles are often overlooked too. Pretty easy to throw 35spline shafts into a 50 and they can be had for $250-$400 because no one runs them.
 
Action Fab said:
I'm not really sure why nonone ever looks into FJ80 axles and a D300 swap. I have a pair of 80 axles sitting in my shop. Full sheet metal housing, high pinion front, full float rear, 4 puston calipers, king pin outers, large barfields, good pumpkin offset, behind the diff tie-rod, and many came stock with electric lockers. D50 superduty axles are often overlooked too. Pretty easy to throw 35spline shafts into a 50 and they can be had for $250-$400 because no one runs them.
Click to expand...


FJ80 axles would be my choice too. They're just tough to find here in Canada because we never got the FJ/FZJ80's up here.
 
Re: Re: D44 Alternatives?

Some great options presented here, there's also a hybrid like a 509, but you'll be into it as much or more than a D60. I don't know about the FJ axles but I do know that all the FJ builds I've read have gone to one tone axles if they run 37s or bigger...

Mpeckham22 said:
other than just bumping to a d60 there is...
Click to expand...

I hear ya, but there's a reason you're gonna get that advice! I built up a Waggy D44, which has been handling my old-style 37" MTRs pretty well, but looking back on it the cost difference between that and building up a D60 is a few hundred bucks or so. And if you plan to rotate the inner C's (I did) then you're one chop-saw cut away from the amount of work it takes to narrow a D60... Sometimes I think about RCV shafts for my D44 but then the axle cost will well exceed what a D60 would have set me back. :(
 
a buddy of mine got a set of RCVs at a good price, and runs them in his 44. they have survived some serious abuse. he runs 35s on walker evans with 4.88s and a lunchbox.

hes been through a number of stock and alloy shafts, a mini spool, 19 spline lockouts, 30 spline lock outs, and even ripped a knuckle off. he now puts in 30 spline slugs for wheeling.
 
Mpeckham22 said:
Im looking to swap out my Front d30 for something that can handle the 37" hmmwv tires I just threw on. Im looking to find a front 44, however i was curious what other alternatives other than just bumping to a d60 there is... thanks!
-Peckham
Click to expand...

Dude, we're in New England. Just go buy a $200 HP60, toss some gears and stuff in it, maybe upgrade the outers, and run it.
 
Re: Re: D44 Alternatives?

^^ What he said.

XJLI said:
yeaaa...... same here. havent broken my 44 (yet).
Click to expand...

I busted a u-joint on Double Whammy in Moab last year, I was really getting after it though and I need to upgrade my rear shocks (I bounce a lot...) But I haven't broken a shaft yet.
 
Did you deposit your broken parts onto the parts shelf by the obstacle? :eeks1:

Hit it sideways to avoid the bouncies.

As a guy with a D44, I have to agree with the D60 crowd, especially with 37s. And lets face it...those will be bigger in a couple years. :D
 
Phil said:
9" housing, True Low 9 center, later model Dodge 2500/3500 knuckles is supposed to be a decent, budget-ish front axle. Pair with 8 lug rear axle of your choice.
Click to expand...

you want hi-9 for the front.

Action Fab said:
I'm not really sure why nonone ever looks into FJ80 axles and a D300 swap. I have a pair of 80 axles sitting in my shop. Full sheet metal housing, high pinion front, full float rear, 4 puston calipers, king pin outers, large barfields, good pumpkin offset, behind the diff tie-rod, and many came stock with electric lockers. D50 superduty axles are often overlooked too. Pretty easy to throw 35spline shafts into a 50 and they can be had for $250-$400 because no one runs them.
Click to expand...

because

1. yota shit sucks ;)
2. they break as easy as D44s...... my experience has been that the birfields break even easier than a good set of alloy shafts and CTMs.
3. passenger drop is considerably more work..doable, but not as simple as a driver drop swap.


(and I would not do a d44 swap either)
 
rockclimber said:
you want hi-9 for the front.







because



1. yota shit sucks ;)

2. they break as easy as D44s...... my experience has been that the birfields break even easier than a good set of alloy shafts and CTMs.

3. passenger drop is considerably more work..doable, but not as simple as a driver drop swap.





(and I would not do a d44 swap either)
Click to expand...


I don't want a 9" at all. :)

One concern I would have with oddball stuff like the Toyota axle, especially in a group of Jeeps, is nobody has your spares. 44 guys can share hubs, stubs, maybe inners depending on the build. Not a huge reason to go one way or the other.
 
foxwar71 said:
Dude, we're in New England. Just go buy a $200 HP60, toss some gears and stuff in it, maybe upgrade the outers, and run it.
Click to expand...

ross, if i was less than the current 750 miles from my jeep I would... but i cant seem to source the labor cheap enough to do so... trying to have it ready to drive to NC at my duty station by june, you dont happen to have more 60's cherokee ready do you? I would be very interested in working out a deal to get some sort of front end ready to install... still got my #?
 
Last edited:
banderso said:
Huh? Is that seriously the going rate for a front 60 in New England? Ford?
Click to expand...

There's almost a dozen of us in the NAC that have picked up 80's/90's HP60's for under $250. I've bought a few 78/79 HP60's for under $450, hell I got one and a smooth bottom 35 spline D70 for $300 one time. Hands down this is the best part of the country for buying axles and other junkyard parts.
 
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