Can I find out if I have a D44

I am the proud owner of a not-so-proud 87 Cherokee Laredo. My car has been in the family since a month after I was born (its 6 days older then me). When it was given to me a few years ago, I was also given the complete searvice history and window build sheet from when it was new. I don't know how, but I managed to loose the sheet, but I d remember that my Jeep came with the Trailor towing package and ??3.73?? gears, somthing like that. Any way, is there any way that I could use my VIN or just tell by looking, to find out if I have a Dana 44 rear diff. My Jeep has a 4.0 with an automatic transmission and Command-Trac part time 4wd.

Thanks in advance

Welcome to the board.

Hope this helps.

Dana 44




Dana 35

Thanks, that's a big help, I'll take a look the next time I'm under the truck.

heres a link to help with identification..

mike

http://www.highriders.ca/documents/axle_spotter_guide.htm

Ok, I've been looking at my diff, and I'm about 99% positive that I have a Dana 44, it looks like the 44 from the pictures, but, here's the thing, I don't have Posi. I turn one wheel one way, and the other wheel turns the other. I'm not positive, but I thought that the Dana 44 was Posi-only. Any help here would be great. I have a pretty crappy didgital camera that I could use to take a picture of my diff, just to make sure. It really does look like a D44.

The factory XJ/MJ 44's were not only limited slip or tracklock they were also open . HTH

Well then I'd say I have one. How hard would it be to make my differential into a limited slip. I'm assuming that I can keep the same carrier. Does any one have any idea on the number of Cherokees that had Dana 44 Differentials.

It may have come limited slip but just died of old age...My Tracklok worked great up to about four months ago, since then it's jsut like an open axle.

not sure how many came with a track-loc but i've had 2 D44s and 1 was limited slip and the other open... the limited slip vehicle had a sticker in the glove box with the standard saftey warning about different handling , etc.... if it is a track-loc thats just worn it would just need a rebuild.. a lil labor intensive.. not a job i'd tackle if i didnt know gears and axle tech (which i don't) if it is not a track-loc it CANNOT be converted to a limited slip.. however there are small "lunch box" lockers like the lock-right and power-trax that are designed to go inside a stock carrier after removing the spider gears... the only other choice would be to replace the entire carrier with a limited slip or locker.... and along with that you should install new gears while you are at it.. i'd say do a lock-right if you need it... otherwise the $$$ can snowball big time....

mike

sidriptide said:

... i'd say do a lock-right if you need it... otherwise the $$$ can snowball big time....

Click to expand...

He needs to determine if it's an open carrier or a dead Trac-Lok. There isn't a Lock-right for the Trac-Lok carrier. Even if there were, it would have a different part number than the one for an open carrier.

Well, I'm thinking, because I'm pretty sure that I don't have a sticker in the Glovebox, that i just have a regular open diff 44. What are the pros and cons of a "lunch box" conversion as compared to swapping the whole carrier?

Pros:

* Unit is cheaper
* Labor is cheaper because the gears don't have to be reset

Cons:

* OEM carrier is not as strong as aftermarket locker