rear axles...44, 60s???

hey everybody

well right now this is my jeep..its got about 6 inches of lift, 35s, and a few other doo-dads.
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4348600
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4348601

the front dana 30 is aussie locked, and ive been thinking about locking the 8.25 rear. but im pretty sure this summer im going to be getting a DD, so the jeep will have plenty of time for projects, and id really like to have 1 good summer project that i can work on before i go off to college. i really wouldn't mind making that a dana 44/60 rear, and a dana 44 front. when its not my DD, i think im really going to want to hammer it pretty good to get it to go where i want, so im thinking ill want to just go straight to the 60 rear

another thing i like about the 60 is they seem easier to find. i just did a quick ebay search, and although im not sure exactly what im looking for what, i found like 5 dana 60s, to 1 dana 44. theyre also cheaper, because i think theyre in less demand by jeepers. so if i can go to a junk yard soon and find a XJ dana 44, ill probably just swap that in. but if i can do some research and get a dana 60 outback id love that. but basically i have no clue what i should be looking for when it comes to dana 60s. i know itll need spring perches welded on...not a big deal for me, but is there any major fabrication id need to have done. what about things like brakes, width, driveshaft. anything i need to know, no matter how simple or complex, throw it at me..thanks:thumbup:

can you weld?

front axle swaps require a good deal of fab work, and end up costing alot more than you expect.

as far as a rear axle you will want a 44 for 35's.

you can find a 44 randomly under xj's from 87-89.

another good option would be a ford 8.8 out of a late 90's explorer.

some lesser known swaps would be the grand waggy 44, izuzu 44, etc

all those axles are similar width to a stock xj axle and the xj44 and 8.8 will have the same bolt pattern.


If you want to build up 2 beefy axles, then i would get a matching set out of a donor truck. Do you want to go fullwidth? do you want to stay near stock?

for a fullwidth build a late 70's ford with a hi pinion 44/ 9 inch combo is a nice setup.

Another option would be a jeep j-truck, with 44 front and rear

or a wagoneer, if you want to stay close to stock width.

lots of variables.

click on the axle sticky's at the top of this page and read all the way through them, then give some thought on what you want to run.

Honestly think about how extrme you would like to go. And then think of how much money you want to spend. A 60 for the front would be the best way to go, but if you stay under 36" tires with a stock 44 you should be ok. I have a built dana 44 in the front, chromo axles inner and outer, with ctm's. And a dana 60hd in the rear. Front is locked with a detroit, and rear has a lock right. However if you are going with a 44 up front you will want to truss it good. This will save you a little. You can find a 14 bolt for 150 and a rear 60 for 250-350 . A front 44 for 250-650. You will want the 44 front from a 79 f250 era. Possibly find a ford f250 that has both front and rear axles and buy matching sets and regear them. I am putting 1 tons in my buddies TJ now. You are looking at 1,000 to 1500.00 easy in each front and rear axle. But again it depends what you go with. You will need the high steer kit for a front dana 44. about 180.00 Hope this helps you some.

I run 39.5 Iroks on my rig and my 44 holds up fine right now. I found a 60 front at a good price and will be using that in my next rig. It is a trail only rig and it takes a beating. I have 1500.00 in my front dana 44. But I bought it from a fellow wheeler and it was complete with spare chromo shafts and ctm joints, and also 4 extra warn premium hubs.

good Luck

caglezxj said:

You can find a 14 bolt for 150 and a rear 60 for 250-350 . A front 44 for 250-650. You will want the 44 front from a 79 f250 era. Possibly find a ford f250 that has both front and rear axles and buy matching sets and regear them. You are looking at 1,000 to 1500.00 easy in each front and rear axle.

good Luck

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man those prices are steep i went to the junkyard and alot of those axles you named were well under 240

I'm sure he means that he has $1000-$1500 in them after the chromo shafts. CTM's, R&P's and other upgrades....


or at least I hope that is what he meant.

steelmen said:

man those prices are steep i went to the junkyard and alot of those axles you named were well under 240

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I think once you factor in gears and msc. replacement/rebuild parts you are probably looking at $1000 pritty easy without any upgrades. Even if you get the rear for $150, and the front for $250 it is still another $4 - 500 for gears and install kits and then you have to install it or pay for install.

oh yay time to tally up my axles

matching j-truck 44's -$150
ox locker for front- $500 (ebay)
detroit for rear -$500
yukon gears and master install kits- $400
warn locking hubs- $100
brackets/perches- $100
gear/locker installation- $450
alloy shafts all around- gonna be about $600-$800 (cant afford to order them yet)
new brakes for both axles(calipers/wheel cylinders/pads, etc- maybe around $100 or higher

So I'm looking at about 3 grand maybe a little less for this project

steelmen said:

man those prices are steep i went to the junkyard and alot of those axles you named were well under 240

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You quoted rear axles, I quoted front and rear. A front 44 around here sells for 500-650 at offroad shops, if you search long and hard a junk yard might have one, but they are almost as rare as a 60. Rears are easy to come by. And 200 up on the price. But once you build it, you are looking at some money. I got my rear 60 for 200 plus taxes. Once you add the good stuff, like diff cover disk brakes, gears and a locker it is close to 1500.00 that is without chromo shafts. If you go 44 you better put chromo shafts in it. and truss it good. Price depends on what you want.

ktm racer 419 said:

oh yay time to tally up my axles

matching j-truck 44's -$150
ox locker for front- $500 (ebay)
detroit for rear -$500
yukon gears and master install kits- $400
warn locking hubs- $100
brackets/perches- $100
gear/locker installation- $450
alloy shafts all around- gonna be about $600-$800 (cant afford to order them yet)
new brakes for both axles(calipers/wheel cylinders/pads, etc- maybe around $100 or higher

So I'm looking at about 3 grand maybe a little less for this project

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Are you going to run the full width or cut the truck axles down? I have a matching set of 44's from a j10 and 44/60 set from j20. problem with the j10 is the 44 rear is offset. Seems like I would run into major problems with that set up. Therefore I would put the 44/60 set in.. I have read all the tech from Crash and others, and there is a lot of great info here. I didn't really expect the cost to be so high on the rebuild though. Just figured I could weld on the brackets, buy some new control arms and be done...

Don't really think I need all the extras i.e. locker and gears. Running 32's now and would like to go up to 35's. Disc brakes in the rear would be nice. Couldn't someone get the axle and cut them down if need be, weld on some brackets and be done?

don't forget about the 9" as a good rear end...

It can be had cheap and built to be a bullet proof axle.

If I was going to replace my rear I would do a ford 9". Of course I have dreams of a 609 front and 9 rear both made from Spidertrax and Hi9 parts but my bank account says no