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Converting a JK Dana 44 to run 5x4.5......

Z

zluster

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado Baby!
Here's the deal, I want to retain my stock Jeep wheels. It's a deal breaker for me. The JK axle is wide, spacers will make it even wider, on that note I soldier on ahead........

The XJ/MJ/TJ/WJ/ZJ knuckles WILL NOT bolt onto the JK inner C's. I hadn't heard anything probative on that, and now I know for sure. In addition to the knuckle being a little too "small" the taper on the bottom balljoint appears to be different.
MJ221.jpg


Now for the hub, as I suspected the hub will interchange between the two, so at the very lease the XJ hub will bolt into the JK knuckle for whatever good that will do me.
MJ222.jpg

Note the hub isn't fully installed or clocked correctly, I just wanted to show that it will in fact install into the XJ D30 knuckle.
MJ223.jpg

MJ224.jpg


And now the shaft, thicker and with more splines, so the JK shafts wont mate to the XJ D30 hubs.
MJ225.jpg

MJ226.jpg


So right now my two options are:
Find a U joint to mate between the XJ stub and the JK shaft(weaker).

Redrill the JK hub in some manner to make it 5x4.5.

Lug adapters really aren't an option for me unless I can find some that are only about .75 inches thick. The JK 44 is about 5 inches wider than a XJ D30, and by the time you throw on lug adapters(spidertrax for example would add about 3" to the overall width) thats alot of extra tire sticking out.

So time to consider some more options......................anyone know if any other hubs might bolt in that have the correct spline count? This unit bearing hub seems to be fairly common, see it on fords and such, I just wonder if any of them have the correct spline count and bolt pattern.
 
Get a JK 44 rear. Get new wheels.


Why take something strong, and make it as weak as what you already have?
 
cal said:
Get a JK 44 rear. Get new wheels.
Click to expand...

zluster said:
Here's the deal, I want to retain my stock Jeep wheels. It's a deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...
(A JK 44 rear is stupid expensive IMO)

If someone wanted rear adapters for a 8.8 and then run JK moabs that would be a good option.

I don't want JK moabs and I don't want to buy 17" tires. Thats a great option for most people but not for me.

If I can't figure out how to retain 5x4.5 wheels without making this axle wider then I will resell it.
 
Your only feasable option.


Cut the inner C's off. Shorten the housing, put XJ or WJ inner C's onto the tube. Run 30 spline dana 30 shafts with the JK third member, 760 u-joints, 30 spline XJ stubs and unit bearings like Alloy-USA sold.

You're going to a weaker u-joint, weaker balljoints, weaker hubs. The axles will be chromo at this point and not weaker. :)
 
cal said:
Your only feasable option.


Cut the inner C's off. Shorten the housing, put XJ or WJ inner C's onto the tube. Run 30 spline dana 30 shafts with the JK third member, 760 u-joints, 30 spline XJ stubs and unit bearings like Alloy-USA sold.

You're going to a weaker u-joint, weaker balljoints, weaker hubs. The axles will be chromo at this point and not weaker. :)
Click to expand...

Not worth it to narrow the axle. WAY too much work and money. Only reason I am playing around with this was the axle was cheap, I don't require the strength of this over my LP D30. (the added benefit to this axle is the electric locker)
 
zluster said:
Not worth it to narrow the axle. WAY too much work and money. Only reason I am playing around with this was the axle was cheap, I don't require the strength of this over my LP D30. (the added benefit to this axle is the electric locker)
Click to expand...



It costs nothing to narrow it, except the cost of buying shafts or having your current shafts re-splined (which is like $60 at most axle shops).
 
At a glance, it looked like they were the same diameter.

What diameter is the JK tube?
 
cal said:
At a glance, it looked like they were the same diameter.

What diameter is the JK tube?
Click to expand...

They appear to be nearly the same diameter by looking at the tube. I do get a slightly smaller reading on my caliper on the inside of the C than on the outside of the tube. It may very well be that they are the same diameter, and wouldn't need to be machined down then.

In any case, I'm not crazy about trying to narrow the axle. Never having done it before it sounds like more than I want to bite off.
 
Unit bearings do come apart IIRC. It's a b*tch, but I believe can be done. Only physical difference I can see it the ID is larger for the JK stub. Disassemble hubs, and do a swaparoo. Sounds too "easy", so it probably isn't...............:lecture:
 
Kittrell said:
Unit bearings do come apart IIRC. It's a b*tch, but I believe can be done. Only physical difference I can see it the ID is larger for the JK stub. Disassemble hubs, and do a swaparoo. Sounds too "easy", so it probably isn't...............:lecture:
Click to expand...

I thought about that as well, problem is the splined part of the unit hub is also the same part as what has the lugs on it......

Great minds think alike, even if it was a dumb idea.......
 
You could have the XJ hubs broached to 32 spline.. if you had the right shop.

Alloy-USA sold 30 spline stubs with 30 spline unit bearings. They were buying Spicer 27 spline unit bearings and having a machine shop machine them out.
 
Press out the studs and then take the uni-bearing to a machine shop and have it drilled for the 5x4.5 pattern. All they will need is a wheel to lay the holes out with. Then re-install the studs.

I have a 08 JK and I hate those friggan 18" wheels. I'm going to 15" and more BS when I wear out the OEM tires
 
cal said:
You could have the XJ hubs broached to 32 spline.. if you had the right shop.

Alloy-USA sold 30 spline stubs with 30 spline unit bearings. They were buying Spicer 27 spline unit bearings and having a machine shop machine them out.
Click to expand...

Kittrell said:
What Cal said, sorry, left that part out.........;)
Click to expand...

xjtrailrider said:
Press out the studs and then take the uni-bearing to a machine shop and have it drilled for the 5x4.5 pattern. All they will need is a wheel to lay the holes out with. Then re-install the studs.
Click to expand...

I'd like to hear more about both of these options. The machining part sounds pretty strait forward in that I would simply pay a competent shop to machine both rotors, and both unit bearings. What about reinstalling the lugs? will they still have splines for the lugs to be pressed into(as in can a machine shop add those)?

I'm not really following on making some custom unit bearings.......someone mind holding my hand and walking me through that?
 
Kittrell said:
Not really, I'd rather see you fail and see your axle end up under my MJ. Alright, last time, I promise...........:D

I'll check this next week when I get back into town. If no one has spoken up, I'll divulge the secrets.
Click to expand...

Probably be more at home under your Jeep, I just wanna run some 31"s around town. I don't intend to get my rims dirty off road yo
 
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