Grand Wagoneer axles into MY XJ

I've been doin alot research on dana 44's lately. It's about the last thing I need to replace now to be able to keep rolling with the club i'm in now(or for a better reason, because I want to go bigger and stop being restricted).

My pops has a Grand Wagoneer that he wants to sell. He knew the original owner very well and my pops has been a mechanic for nearly 35 years now. So I know that the entire vehicle is in good condition. I know that it has dana 44's front and rear. I don't know the year of the vehicle. The wag. has a vacumm accuated 4 wheel drive switch. Does this hook up to the axles or some were else like the transmission or the transfer case?

The main question is, would I be able to rebuild these to fit under m 98 Sport?

Also how hard is it to find the correct parts to rebuild it?

The following is list of items I would want to install
-ARB air locker front and rear
-Alloy shafts all around
-front locking hubs
-re-gear (not sure what gearing quite yet)
-35" tires (not sure if I need to change the rim, right now its the stock lug pattern)
-front and rear disk brakes
-Steering control arms with a high clearence
-DIff. cover guards
-control arm skids
-???front and rear trussed???


If I missed anything PLEASE ADD. :repair:

Do a search on or google for "waggy 44"
There's also 44 bible on Pirate IIRC.
Between those, you should have all the info you need.

The vacuum disco is in the axle, I would stay away from that. Having said that, it really depends on the year of the donor Jeep. Some Waggys used passenger drop axles and some used an offset rear dana 44 axle.

LP 44 = HP30, roughly.....

souske said:

LP 44 = HP30, roughly.....

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how you figure

souske said:

LP 44 = HP30, roughly.....

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I don't agree with that.

goblazers_6 said:

I don't agree with that.

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x2.

Seen plenty of LP44s survive where HP30s grenaded.

souske said:

LP 44 = HP30, roughly.....

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Dummy

Does it have the offset rear or the more centered one (still slightly offset but works from the 80s)? The rear is a direct bolt in minus shock mounts. It is not hard to find any of those parts for it but if it have the cad front do not bother with it.

souske said:

LP 44 = HP30, roughly.....

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I am no pro, but i have read several threads indicate to this as well, also just calling the guy a dummy doesn't help readers at all, i understand that their are other threads that i could search for to find info, but since the thread has already been started lets here some real info on why you stand where you stand.:dunno:

XJ=Fun said:

I am no pro, but i have read several threads indicate to this as well, also just calling the guy a dummy doesn't help readers at all, i understand that their are other threads that i could search for to find info, but since the thread has already been started lets here some real info on why you stand where you stand.:dunno:

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ive seen many hp 30's with destroyed gears and/or carriers but have yet to see a destroyed lp 44, read what ya want on this topic but alot of it is bullshit

Hey man dont pull the axles off a perfectly good Wagoneer! There are plenty in junkyards all over. Also, If your getting new shafts anyways, you can keep the 4 on 4.5 backspacing. That way you can just use a D44 out of an early XJ.

agreed, don't pull the axles off that waggy unless it's rotted out and in crap condition or you put even bigger ones in it next!

XJ=Fun said:

I am no pro, but i have read several threads indicate to this as well, also just calling the guy a dummy doesn't help readers at all, i understand that their are other threads that i could search for to find info, but since the thread has already been started lets here some real info on why you stand where you stand.:dunno:

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put the ring and pinions side by side and see if you still say a 30 is just as good...

billyjp2 said:

put the ring and pinions side by side and see if you still say a 30 is just as good...

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Pretty easy to tell which is which.

there is the argument that a low pinion in front is being driven on the coast side of the gears.

but in the real world its a pretty moot point.

ktm racer 419 said:

but in the real world its a pretty moot point.

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Agreed, since there are plenty of circumstances where you're loading/binding up the front and in reverse (where you are using the coast side of the gears in a HP front axle).

An even better picture: D30 on top, D44 middle, D60 bottom

MoparManiac said:

Agreed, since there are plenty of circumstances where you're loading/binding up the front and in reverse (where you are using the coast side of the gears in a HP front axle).

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true that. i can do wheelies in reverse because i trust my low pinion awesomeness in front.

i have seen slightly bound up hp30's grenade when put in reverse.


the fact that a d30 carrier is like a wet piece of ziti doesn't help with gear deflection either

The Grand Waggys with the vacuum switch had the selec-trac option, and had the NP228-229 transfer case. The transfer case allowed for full time 4wd operation when the vac switch was tripped. The models did not have a front axle disco. I had an 87 Grand wagoneer just like that... no disco on the front dana 44, I also have an 86 XJ waggy parts vehicle with this option that has no disco on its dana 30. Just FYI!