I just put the Dana 44 with the new mini spool in (see spool or mini spool for discussion of pros and cons from forum members). Drove the XJ around town for a few hours. Mini spool is noticable but not a problem. I tend to take turns wider to minimize axle shaft wind up now, there is a bit of tire scuffing. Most noticable is that you have to treat the steering wheel like a tool, put it back where it belongs (straight ahead) after finishing a turn. It wont return to center under its own due to axle shaft wind up. Parallel parking is not a big deal and the XJ doesnt lean to one side or the other any noticable amount after parking. Cant wait for rain to see what nightmares await.
The install required pulling the differential out so the ring gear could be removed in order to slide out the spider gear cross shaft. Checked gear patterns after reassembly. As expected nothing changed. Only annoying part was the need to shorten the RHS (passenger) axle shaft on the spline end 3/16ths of an inch. Shaft bottomed on the block that locks the two sides together. Lots of cooling water and an air driven grinder shortened it in just a few minutes.
Easy job and for my XJ it was a great mod now that the saftey, recovery and sway bar disconnects are in.
John
The install required pulling the differential out so the ring gear could be removed in order to slide out the spider gear cross shaft. Checked gear patterns after reassembly. As expected nothing changed. Only annoying part was the need to shorten the RHS (passenger) axle shaft on the spline end 3/16ths of an inch. Shaft bottomed on the block that locks the two sides together. Lots of cooling water and an air driven grinder shortened it in just a few minutes.
Easy job and for my XJ it was a great mod now that the saftey, recovery and sway bar disconnects are in.
John