Super 44

Does anyone know if there is a kit for the XJ Dana 44 like the one that the TJs have? Is it the same thing? Im going to be adding new gears and a detroit in the rear of my '89 with the 44 rear, and I was wondering if this was even worth it. I have not broken a shaft yet, but Im worried that Im going to want to upgrade after I install everything.

i asked a similar ques. last feb.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19436&highlight=super+44

-g

Yes, they'll work in the XJ D44. If you're starting from scratch, I'd do it. I've seen alloy D44 shafts break when they got wedged hard, so it's nice to have something stronger than a stock D44 shaft if you can. Besides being 33 splines, the Superior shafts are the strongest shafts out there.

Starboard M said:

Does anyone know if there is a kit for the XJ Dana 44 like the one that the TJs have? Is it the same thing? Im going to be adding new gears and a detroit in the rear of my '89 with the 44 rear, and I was wondering if this was even worth it. I have not broken a shaft yet, but Im worried that Im going to want to upgrade after I install everything.

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Rear ends are cheep, a 14bolt with 1.5in shafts are like $250 with 4.10 gears stock... I like having non custom strong parts.

Id say run the stock shafts, if they brake start carying spares, if your tired of changing spare you need to upgrade, why upgrade just the shafts, a 14bolt or 70 would upgrade EVERYTHING. If your not braking stuff you dont need it.

ashmanjeepxj said:

Rear ends are cheep, a 14bolt with 1.5in shafts are like $250 with 4.10 gears stock... I like having non custom strong parts.

Id say run the stock shafts, if they brake start carying spares, if your tired of changing spare you need to upgrade, why upgrade just the shafts, a 14bolt or 70 would upgrade EVERYTHING. If your not braking stuff you dont need it.

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i also like junkyard availability, but he didn't say what tire size he's running. I would never run a 14b or D70 on less than 38" tires. for less than 38" tires (and no crazy HP or gearing) I am a BIG fan of the Toyota axles; stronger than a D44 and better clearance than a D35

BrettM said:

i also like junkyard availability, but he didn't say what tire size he's running. I would never run a 14b or D70 on less than 38" tires. for less than 38" tires (and no crazy HP or gearing) I am a BIG fan of the Toyota axles; stronger than a D44 and better clearance than a D35

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Right now Im on 32'' MTRs. However, Im going up to 35s adventually. Theres no way a 14 bolt would work for me, as its way, way to big. The reason I asked was Im going to put in a new carrier, 4.88 gears and a detriot locker. I was wondering if it was really worth it.

guess I will answer this since i have installed a few of em... yes the super 44 will bolt right in as goatman said. you shouldn't have to worry about spares with a super 44 and 35"s. guys are running thes things in competition with 37" tires if that says anything. if you want to see the difference between stock 30 spline shafts and super 44, 33 spline shafts then I can snap a pick. I have both sitting side by side. the super measures about 1/8" larger in diameter.

I personally am going to stick with the 30 spliners, so spares are easier accessible...

You can get dutchman alloy shafts for 300$...

Another option is a 9", fairly cheap alternative to teh super 44 kit IMO

I think that if I ever find one for cheap I'll buy it but for now I'll keep my 30spline shafts.

Keeping stock shafts, or getting alloy 30 spline shafts, is fine......but, if you're going to get gears and a locker, and will end up with 35's, and are likely to/willing to get alloy shafts, there's no reason to not get the 33 spline Superior shafts. IMHO

Once you have the 30 spline locker, you can't go get 33 spline shafts later. I can tell you from experience, it's nice to have the piece of mind of having big rear axle shafts. I've seen alloy 30 spline D44 shafts break with 35's, and I've seen alloy 31 spline 9" shafts break with 35's.

No question a 14 bolt is strong, but it's also big and heavy, and low and wide. It's just not a viable option for someone who plans to run 35's.

Why is it that you can't have a thread about rear axles or axle shafts without someone saying "just get a 9 in". Yes, light weight, and strong, but the lowest pinion out there by far, and that is a definite negative. Plus, if I was getting a 9", and was doing gears and a locker, I'd go with 35 spline shafts at the same time..........just like going with 33 spline shafts if you're starting to build a rear D44.

Goatman said:

Why is it that you can't have a thread about rear axles or axle shafts without someone saying "just get a 9 in".

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It's the carbed Chevy 350 of the axle world, and belongs in all ultimate XJs, along with leaf springs and Dana 300s.

Phil Weeks said:

It's the carbed Chevy 350 of the axle world, and belongs in all ultimate XJs, along with leaf springs and Dana 300s.

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:thumbup:

Goatman said:

Keeping stock shafts, or getting alloy 30 spline shafts, is fine......but, if you're going to get gears and a locker, and will end up with 35's, and are likely to/willing to get alloy shafts, there's no reason to not get the 33 spline Superior shafts. IMHO

Once you have the 30 spline locker, you can't go get 33 spline shafts later. I can tell you from experience, it's nice to have the piece of mind of having big rear axle shafts. I've seen alloy 30 spline D44 shafts break with 35's, and I've seen alloy 31 spline 9" shafts break with 35's.

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Richard-
Is a stock XJ 44 "marginal" w/35s on a stock engine? How much hammering did the guys do when then broke stock 44s?

here is the super 44 next to regular 44

I like my D44 with stock axles and lock-right. I like the ability to get junkyard shafts, carriers, spiders (incase locker breaks), and side gears if needed. With the super 44, you have to order the replacement shafts and wait for them in the mail if you break. If the detroit locker breaks, your screwed altogether. Now you can't run the factory carrier, spider gears, and side gears to get you home because you have the custom shafts. Keep in mind, if you do the super 44 kit, this is a custom aftermarket setup and NONE of it will interchange with stock stuff.....

XJBill said:

I like my D44 with stock axles and lock-right. I like the ability to get junkyard shafts, carriers, spiders (incase locker breaks), and side gears if needed. With the super 44, you have to order the replacement shafts and wait for them in the mail if you break. If the detroit locker breaks, your screwed altogether. Now you can't run the factory carrier, spider gears, and side gears to get you home because you have the custom shafts. Keep in mind, if you do the super 44 kit, this is a custom aftermarket setup and NONE of it will interchange with stock stuff.....

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You make a very good point.

But.

Same goes for some custom built rear from any one of the big guns. Currie, Dynatrack, etc.

The Super 44 kit is a good financial alternative for someone who was considering a custom narrowed 60 or custom built assembly.

Also, if you take a look at what some of the pro guys are doing to the Super44 kits with 37" rubber on them, i wouldn't be too concerned about breakage for the average wheeler.

Is it a good choice for someone with a built V-8 and 40' rubber? No

But i'd venture to say that it would be nearly impossible to break on a stock I-6 with 35" rubber in the hands of a weekend wheeler.

jason from www.jeepin.com is running the super 44 kit in his 44... you might wanna ask him what he thinks.. also they have the super 44 kit available with a arb air locker now..

BillR said:

Richard-
Is a stock XJ 44 "marginal" w/35s on a stock engine? How much hammering did the guys do when then broke stock 44s?

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A stock D44 is fine with 35's........until you break it. Most will never break a D44 with 35's, but there is always that one time that you get it in a bind. There is also the cumulative effect of metal fatigue that can play a part over time, if you wheel regularly. Many who run hard trails with a D44 and 33/35's also run alloy shafts. If you're going to run alloy shafts, which is a good idea, then it's silly to not get the Super 44 from the start.

The cases I mentioned got the tires in a wedgie, which is when they get squeezed against rocks and can't spin. They were running alloy shafts. Squeezing between tight rocks, or having to climb a slight undercut, is going to happen, and it just takes one unlucky time and......snap!!!

I ran a D44 with Dutchman shafts. Now I run a D60 with Superior shafts, and like I said before, it's very nice having that piece of mind knowing that you can be a little more agressive if you want to. I happen to have broken a D44 ring and pinion with 33's.

XJBill said:

I like my D44 with stock axles and lock-right. I like the ability to get junkyard shafts, carriers, spiders (incase locker breaks), and side gears if needed. With the super 44, you have to order the replacement shafts and wait for them in the mail if you break. If the detroit locker breaks, your screwed altogether. Now you can't run the factory carrier, spider gears, and side gears to get you home because you have the custom shafts. Keep in mind, if you do the super 44 kit, this is a custom aftermarket setup and NONE of it will interchange with stock stuff.....

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Your point is OK........but it's much better to not worry about breaking at all. Detroit Lockers or ARB's virtually never break, and you'd have a heck of a time breaking a Superior chromemoly 1.40" diameter 33 spline axle shaft.

Just different ways of doing it.........I don't build to be easy to repair, I build to not break it in the first place.

sorry Richard, not quite 1.40" diameter. The super 44 shafts measure out to 1.375" diameter while stock shafts are measuring 2.25" diameter. anyone want to do the math on that? while it doesn't seem like much, its actually pretty huge.

Now for another correction...
Alloy steel and Chromolly are two different metals. I see the word Alloy being tossed around a bit and it should be understood.
OEM manufaturers typically use 1040 or 1050 steel. 1040 alloy is the least desirable with a tensile strength just over 80,000...
1050 has more carbon than 1040 which makes it about 18% stronger and 16% harder. with tensile strength just under 100,000. 1050 is the most common in aftermarket shafts.
1541h adds more manganese and provides 20-25% more strength over 1040. when you order a set of rear shafts from dutchman, this is the alloy that you get with a tensile strength just under 110,000.
Thats your choices for a rear SF shaft that can see stress from bending and rotation.
In a FF application such as our beloved D30's where the axle does not hold any of the weight of the vehicle, you can use CrMo. there is both 4140 and 4340. 4140 is only slightly stronger than the 1541h. but for this discussion we will use 4340 CrMo. plus that all thats ever used for FF shafts.
again CrMo is only strong where twisting stress is high but bending stress is low. 4340 is about 39% stronger than 1040 alloy.

so you guys can understand my cringing when I see the words alloy and CrMo used to describe each other. the deffinition of alloy:
"a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten; "brass is an alloy of zinc and copper"

Chromolly is an alloy but an alloy might not necesarily be CrMo.

no where in the superior catalog do they specify that the super axle kits are CrMo. only in the front shafts do you see that.

now back to the super 44 kit. not having ran the kit myself, I have wheeled with a customer that I would consider phsycotic on the trail. its a TJ on 35's. most everyone I install a super 44 kit for have a good way to rationalize the extra $$$ for the super kit... they just prefer to not break in the first place than to have to deal with changing a shaft. in fact I just got done buuilding another on tonight...
anyone seen a broken super 44 shaft? how about a broken super 35 shaft?