I have a rear dana 44 out of a waggy w/ an arb and 4.10's. I am running wheel spacers to increase the width to help it match my hp 44 in the front. Someone offered to straight up swap me for a mini 14 bolt rear that has an arb and same gears as mine currently does. All that it needs is some sort of brakes and spring perches. I am not super familiar with this axle other than it is a C-clip model that is still stronger than the 44. Is this a good axle/ trade and also what options do I have for brakes? I searched but couldn't find much info at all so if it's out there some links would also be appreciated!
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mini 14 bolt
- Thread starter thobson
- Start date
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
What's a mini 14 bolt that has c-clips? I'm not familiar with that, never heard of it. C-clips means it's semi-float, not full float like a 14 bolt. What wheel bolt pattern?
What size tires do you run?
What size tires do you run?
Yeah it is a semi float. I heard it being called a mini 14 bolt most likely due to the smaller ring gear I believe 9.5 instead of 10.5. I am running 33" but could easily in the future step up to 35's or 37's but wouldn't do that for a couple of years do you ask because I may be dragging it around on rocks? I am really just interested in getting rid of the wheel spacers and keeping the width and this allows me to do so for cheap if I can find a good brake set up.
fubar XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Bothell, WA
I'd guess it's a wider axle than what you have in there stock, making the wheel spacer/lug pattern adapter only increasing the width problem. Most guys swap in a Ford 8.8", XJ D44, or Chrysler 8.25" in place of the stock D35. Same lug pattern, and it can be a bolt-in with these axles depending on which one you get, or pretty simple to adapt the others.
- Location
- Foresthill, CA
The 9.5" 14 bolt is a fine axle. 33 spline shafts, large tubes, but C-clips. The cebter section is pretty large, I wouldn't want to run this unit on anything smaller than 37's.
256offroad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Huntsville Alabama
yeah it is offered in the 1500hd trucks or the 2500 trucks(2500hd have ff14bolt) it was also offered in some 1/2ton trucks in the 90s as well as the 3/4ton suburbans.
as mentioned before it is a heavy biotch, i would keep your 44.
not worth it in my opinion.
as mentioned before it is a heavy biotch, i would keep your 44.
not worth it in my opinion.
squirrel80
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Prescott Valley, AZ
Unless you are going full width and six lug I would stick to the Dana 44. I think it would be hard to match a front to that.
I have a full width hp dana 44 in the front 67" wide it is also a 6 bolt. This 14 semi is only about 3" shorter which I don't mind at all, it is still wider than the waggy dana 44 with spacers I currently have in the rear. I figured it was a bit stronger; larger axle shafts, big ring gear. But is anyone running these, I don't want to be dragging the center section through the rocks, if so what size tires do you have and issue with hang up? Like I said earlier I'm on 33's but can easily run 35's or 37 I'm on about 9-9.5" of lift but I don't really want to upgrade tires at the moment lots of $$$. Also does anyone know about a disk conversion kit for these?
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Some guys didn't read that you already have a full width front. 
Since you're already six lug I can see why it would be a tempting option. The big draw back is the size, it's really a rock anchor. You'd hate it on 33's, not like it on 35's, and wish you'd shaved it on 37's. Most guys who run regular 14 bolts shave them, even with 40's. Most guys who run 60's shave them, even with 37's.
Looks like the mini 14 bolt is like the rare semi-float D60's, both c-clip but the D60 is 35 spline and 8 lug.
Since you're already six lug I can see why it would be a tempting option. The big draw back is the size, it's really a rock anchor. You'd hate it on 33's, not like it on 35's, and wish you'd shaved it on 37's. Most guys who run regular 14 bolts shave them, even with 40's. Most guys who run 60's shave them, even with 37's.
Looks like the mini 14 bolt is like the rare semi-float D60's, both c-clip but the D60 is 35 spline and 8 lug.
Thanks for the input Goatman. Is there a Dana 44 rear option that could bring me closer to the full width size? The reason why I'd want to stay D44 at this point would be the brand new ARB in it. Maybe an international? Any other good options?
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x2elite
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Texarkana, AR/TX
Go with a chevy 10-bolt rear. About the same strenth as a 44, and was used in half ton chevys all through the 70s, 80s, and 90s. They are a dime a dozen. Alot of people talk bad about them, but really they are cheap, and fairly strong especially for something as light as an XJ. I had one in my suburban on 44's for almost a year before I swapped in my one ton axles. Beat on it ALOT, held up pretty well I would say.
- Location
- Foresthill, CA
The 10 bolt is not a good option when there are so many 44's about that he could swap his nearly new ARB into.
A wide track wagoneer rear will be about 63". A J-truck 44 will be slightly wider, in the 65" range.
256offroad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Huntsville Alabama
yossarian19
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Grass Valley, CA
Hijack!
Whats the problem with C-clips? I've done some wheeling with my 8.25, done the ZJ swap (meaning I've pulled the shafts & put them back in) and I've got ZERO beef with this axle - no breakage, no big problem working with it.
Why the hate for C-clips?
Whats the problem with C-clips? I've done some wheeling with my 8.25, done the ZJ swap (meaning I've pulled the shafts & put them back in) and I've got ZERO beef with this axle - no breakage, no big problem working with it.
Why the hate for C-clips?
fubar XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Bothell, WA
Because if (when) you break a shaft, it will "walk out" of the housing as soon as you move the vehicle. A flanged axle is retained by the 4 stud/nut flanges near the bearing housing. Neither way is good to roll a vehicle around on, but a flanged axle assembly will stay where it belongs. If a c-clip axle walks out and you step on the brakes, you blow your wheel cylinder and won't have brakes, or at least won't have brakes worth a crap.
had a buddy snap a shaft on a TJ D35 years ago, we ended up ratched strapping a 12" diameter felled log to the side of his rig so that it hung at center of axle and the pressure of it on the tire sidewall kept the assembly from walking out. It worked fine to get back to camp, looked like something out of The Flintstones.
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256offroad
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Huntsville Alabama
exactly! why worry that when you break a shaft(which you will with a gey 10bolt) about your axle coming out. i would rather beat on the jeep and break an axle and be able to drive back to camp.
x2elite
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Texarkana, AR/TX
how many chevy 10 bolts have you broken?
whitneyj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Mayville, WI
several and seen several lose shafts. Besides the C clip, the 10 bolt shaft has a significant taper before the splines. Chevy really wanted that to be the engineered weak point apparently.
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Like CRASH said, the J truck D44 is wide enough, but not very available. I saw one in a junk yard awhile back, and was real tempted to grab it, but didn't. I don't know how wide a Scout D44 would be, but that's something to check out.
