D44 From Rubicon

[ryurabbit]

I was wonderin if anybody has swapped d44's front and rear from a RUBICON into an XJ?:bunny:

[Boz88xj]

you seein a lot of rubicons in your junkyard?

I know I havent... so no, I doubt if ANYONE has done this.

There are cheaper easier better swaps out there.

[Handlebars]

The Rubicon D44 front shares the same weakest link with the D30- the 297x u-joints. The D30 axles can be upgraded with Warn or Superior chrome moly stuff that will also use full circle clips on the u-joint caps, there isn't any such upgrade available for the Rubicon yet. The Rubicon also has a low pinion axle, why would you want to move your driveshaft closer to the rocks? Want a selectable locker? Put an ARB or OX in the D30 that you already have.

As for the rear D44, an XJ D44 would be an easier swap- you have to cut all of the control arm brackets off of the TJ D44 and weld on leaf spring perches.

[CRASH]

Not to mention one of the finest reasons for going to a real 44, the high steer option.

The TJ 44 shares the same knuckle design as a 30, which means swapping in a Tera or WJ knuckle. By the time you get through tacking all this stuff onto a $1600 axle, you could have built a real 44 with a high pinion diff.

My .02.

CRASH

[rockwerks]

Im in the process of buiding a HP 44 for my new MJ project....f150 hp 44..cut down to grand wagoneer size, will use grand wagoneer axles, hubs, lock outs, brakes and rotors with chevy flat top knuckles....deroit locker and 4.56 gearing..using factory ford f150 radius arms with heim joint on the frame end to assist in flex....entire package is costing right @ 1300.00 finished

[CRASH]

Mine cost about twice that, but I added Warn shafts and CTM's to the mix, as well as the additional cost of an ARB.

Still, I've got an axle that far surpasses a TJ 44 in strength, clearance, and steering.

CRASH

[ryurabbit]

I have access to a wrecked one that I can buy for a pretty good price from work and wanted to know if it was wurth it... guess not!
p.s. I know that there not alot in junkyards yet but some idiot rolled one 2 days after he bought it and it came back to my dealer.

[JnJ]

If you've got a D30/D35 combo with no money in to them yet, and you can get the 44s cheap, it would still be an upgrade. Lockers, 4.11 gears, etc. You can still upgrade the front shafts and u-joints just like all the cool kids have with their D44s here.

[dave]

if you have access to a wrecked rubi.. why are you only concerned with the axles? snag that tcase! its a definate upgrade for the 231 and if the price was right i'd do it for a 4:1 low range.

[Gary E]

if you can get them for cheap snag all three, t-case, and both axles, if you were wanting to resell you could probably get 1k out of the t-case and $1300 out of each axle, being fairly conservitive.

[Boz88xj]

Gary, i think you would have a hard time getting 1300 for those axles.


They say D44, but really, they arent that built.

[CRASH]

Are you kidding, the JU boyz would eat up Rubi 44's for $1300 a piec!

Especially if you sold 'em the "RUBICON" decals as well......

CRASH

[Kejtar]

welll the tcase and tranny would be worth quite a bit.. and probably the engine... so depending on the price and damage it might be a good investment...... ryurabbit... pm me how much it runs if you're gonna decide to pass on it, also what damage it had... I am getting very very tempted :)

[Gary E]

are you kidding me, :D bolt in rubi axles for the tj ju crowd, I have seen the optional tj rear 44 go for $1400 with stock gears and trash lock nevermind the rubis locker and 4.10s For the front I think that would be a pretty easy sell also. I have seen ARBed, 297 jointed, and geared d30s go for $1000, and thats a decent deal if you add it all up. an extra $300 for the prestige for running a dana 44 :D

Now I am certainly not saying I would pay that for them or go that route. but I would be a good setup to run 33s or maybe 35s on, particularily if they can be picked up cheap.

[ryurabbit]

well they want $11,000 for it and its been rolled! Insurance company says they will get at least that and the only reason they would let it go that cheap is because they dont have to move it or mess with that much paperwork. This is a BRAND NEW RUBICON with less than 500 miles on it. I checked it out and it would not be fixable without major overhaul. The insurance guy siad the guy driving it is still in the hospital a month later! Body shop says unless you can salvage the good components for the money dont bother. Keep in mind that this rig sells for $30,000 new!:bunny:

[Mike L]

Handlebars- FYI Superior has chrome moly axles for the Rubicon front as well.

[dave]

11 grand huh? well what is salvageable? that hood would get a nice price from a tj owner.. and i would buy the rearview mirror off ya if it wasnt damaged..

[dave]

also the softtop if it was folded down and the hard top was on , and the soft top and frame are intact could very easily fetch 1000 .. the sailcloth top aftermarket is 770.. a frame is also that much.. and the frame is the junky aftermarket one.. i figure a grand is a deal brand new ;D

[ryurabbit]

If you guys think I can get my money and then some on this maybe I should buy it!:bunny:

P.s. Never thought I would work in the salvage bussiness!