How do you identify a D44?

GAdawg · Apr 29, 2004

The Dana 35 on my 89XJ is starting to sound pretty tired after 258,000 miles. I have lots of self serve junk yards nearby with 87 and 88 Cherokees. I would like to replace my 35 with a 44 if I can find one. Does anyone know of a way to identify an axle as a Dana 44 without getting the VIN and calling a Jeep dealership?

Thanks!

red91 · Apr 29, 2004

Vin # won't tell you squat. use the search feature and type in dana 44. look trough the threads. this comes up all of the time!!

Spectre006 · Apr 29, 2004

http://www.jeeptech.com/axle/d44.html

Try this.

GAdawg · Apr 29, 2004

Thanks for the help guys, the resources you identified pointed me where I need to go.

NotMatt · Apr 29, 2004

This is a D44 in an 87 XJ with the offroad package. You can tell the D44 from the D35 because the D44 has a more angled diff cover, the D35 is oval shaped. The original purchaser tells me that he never ordered the towing package, but did add the hitch later, which seems kind of wierd since I thought the D44's only came on the towing package. *shrug*

Anyway, good luck finding one man. They're hard to come by, I've searched for some axles with lower gears than mine (3.07's with a 5 speed, ugh) and I haven't been successful so far in any of the junkyards and pick-a-part places... lots of D35's, a few 8.25's, and no D44's.

RINGKONG · Apr 29, 2004

hmm.. maybe I should just sell my d44 instead of swaping it...

Majo · Apr 29, 2004

I'd go toyota rear and waggy front if I had to do it again.

No great benefit of the XJ44.

I mean yeah it's an upgrade over the 35, and arguments erupt if i say anything about the 29 spline 8.25.

Honestly I'd nab a Waggy 44 front and then a Toy rear. I think someone on hear had sambe combo in his MJ before it burned, Phil maybe?

That setup there is good for hammering on them with a larger tire and you can get both reallllly cheap. Some toy 8's have e lockers from factory too.

rumblebelly · Apr 29, 2004

Here's some nice pics:

http://www.michiganjeepers.com/foru...8090/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

Phil · Apr 30, 2004

Majo said:
Honestly I'd nab a Waggy 44 front and then a Toy rear. I think someone on hear had sambe combo in his MJ before it burned, Phil maybe?

Nope, my MJ had a D30 front and MJ D44 rear - I believe that it was originally out of an 87.
The Waggy 44/ Toy 8" combo belongs to madmaXJ. He's got it under a shorty MJ, with leaves up front. But that's a whole nother story. And he didn't burn his.

GAdawg · Apr 30, 2004

Thanks guys, the pictures really help. I am going for the D44 for a quick and cheap swap in. Guess I am in for a wild goose chase in the salvage yard though!

Yucca-Man · Apr 30, 2004

Keep a close eye on the For Sale forum in here too, they sometimes pop up and it seems to me I see too many of them back east or down south. Do not, I repeat, do NOT find a D44 under a ZJ Grand Cherokee and think you can use that...they have an aluminum center section and no aftermarket support. Throw a magnet on it if you think it's been swapped in.

How do you identify a D44?

GAdawg

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red91

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Spectre006

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GAdawg

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NotMatt

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RINGKONG

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Majo

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rumblebelly

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Phil

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GAdawg

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Yucca-Man

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