XJ Dana 44 or TJ?

So I bought this 44 with the impression that it is from an XJ. Installed it and everything bolted up perfectly just like the 35 it replaced, spring perches, shock mounts all look like they are original and are in the same places as the D35. Well I started surfing the net finding info on how to replace an axle shaft, as it turns out, the driver side one is bent. I come across several sites that say the XJ D44 is supposed to have a larger diameter axle tube than the D35 and it is the TJ D44 that has the axle tubes about the size of the D35. I didn't take any measurements before I sold the 35 and I haven't measured the D44 but I re-used the old U-bolts from the 35 on the 44 temporarily and they fit perfectly. I got under there and tried to find grind marks on the axle to see if perches or shock mounts had been relocated if it was a TJ axle but there are none. Without looking up axle id numbers, is there a way I can tell for sure what the axle came off of? Is there a difference in axle shafts between the old XJ 44 and the TJ 44? Where is the best place to get a stock D44 driver side axle shaft?
Thanks all.

If i remember correctly, which i probably dont, the xj D44 axle tube is around 2.75 in dia. and the 35 was somwhere around 2.62

though when i did my axle swap, the new ubolts i bought for the d44 turned out to be the same size as the old ones.

i was puzzled, but didnt think to much of it.

im about to come across this myself can i reuse my u bolts on my 35 to 44 upgrade

theres some on ebay right now, or upgrade through some aftermarket shafts

im about to come across this myself can i reuse my u bolts on my 35 to 44 upgrade

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even if they do fit it isnt a good idea to reuse U-bolts

your right but will it work

there is no difference between TJ shafts and XJ shafts. the tube dia is just as NCSU stated, only about .125" difference. if the 44 you got matched pinion angle and everything then you got an XJ D44. YJ and MJ D44's are spring under while TJ D44's have all the bracketry for the 4 link rear.

massxj said:

im about to come across this myself can i reuse my u bolts on my 35 to 44 upgrade

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That's going to depend what cme with it. There are u-bolts that are tight enough to scrape the paint off a D35 while I've seen other 'D35' u-bolts that will fit a 44. I think I've got one or two in my garage somewhere...take a look at your existing D35 ones. If they are TIGHT on there right now they won't fit the D44.

NCSUcherokee was right - 2.62" axletubes on the D35; 2.75" on the D44 (XJ, MJ, TJ, etc); 3" on the Chrysler 8.25"

Good info, thanks all.

Rawbrown said:

there is no difference between TJ shafts and XJ shafts.

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So you can get the Superior 33 spline upgrade for the xj dana 44 if you want or just use tj dana 44 shafts for your xj dana 44? Just order it based on the tj dana 44? If so, cool. As everyone knows, the xj dana 44 isn't all the plentiful.

There were three different tube diameters/thicknesses used on the XJ. It seems that Jeep mixed and matched, depending on what they had available at the moment. In other words, you will have to measure it. Even a build list won't tell the whole story or necessarily the truth. A set of U-bolts from Checker run around $10.

old_man said:

There were three different tube diameters/thicknesses used on the XJ. It seems that Jeep mixed and matched, depending on what they had available at the moment.

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Tom, are you saying that even the same type axles might have different tube widths? I already posted three different widths for the D35, D44 and 8.25 but you make it sound as though one specific axle-type might get different tubes.

get the Bill of Materials number off the passenger side axle tube, facing to the rear. I'll look it up and tell you exactly what it is/came out of.


Dan

Dan Turner said:

get the Bill of Materials number off the passenger side axle tube, facing to the rear. I'll look it up and tell you exactly what it is/came out of.


Dan

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Cool. I'll try and get it tonight and will post in the morning.

absolutly. I just put one in a rubicon housing for a TJ last week and I have another one waiting to go into a buddies XJ. and sure they are plentyful... you just gotta know where to look.

Big Red said:

So you can get the Superior 33 spline upgrade for the xj dana 44 if you want or just use tj dana 44 shafts for your xj dana 44? Just order it based on the tj dana 44? If so, cool. As everyone knows, the xj dana 44 isn't all the plentiful.

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Rawbrown said:

absolutly. I just put one in a rubicon housing for a TJ last week and I have another one waiting to go into a buddies XJ. and sure they are plentyful... you just gotta know where to look.

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Where do you look? Also are both axles shafts, the driver & passenger side the same length so you just have to carry 1 spare dana 44 shaft to replace either 1 if it should go bad? I'm hunting for some spare xj rear dana 44 axle shaft(s) for a spare.
Troy

there is 1/2" of difference between the right side and left side.
MR. Naxja Pres. Woody wants to put together a group buy on MJ/XJ D44 housings, new old stock.

Big Red said:

Where do you look? Also are both axles shafts, the driver & passenger side the same length so you just have to carry 1 spare dana 44 shaft to replace either 1 if it should go bad? I'm hunting for some spare xj rear dana 44 axle shaft(s) for a spare.
Troy

Click to expand...

Rawbrown said:

there is 1/2" of difference between the right side and left side.
MR. Naxja Pres. Woody wants to put together a group buy on MJ/XJ D44 housings, new old stock.

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How would the group buy work? I just need some spare xj/tj dana 44 axle shafts.