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rear axle opinions

C

chilybil26

NAXJA Forum User
Location
asheville, nc
just need some opinions on what axle i should look into as a replacement for the stock 35 i have now. i am open to any suggestions. i will be running 33's with about 5-6 inches of lift
 
A dana 44 would be a great way to go. Cherokees had D44 roughly '87 as part of the trailer package. It would be a direct swap. Check the boards and the bone yards, they surface quite regularly. Lots of inexpensive disk conversions also.
 
The easiest, and arguably the best, swap is an XJ D44. It's totally bolt in and virtually unbreakable with 33's. It also has bigger brakes than the D35, still 10" but 2.5" wide rather than 1.75" on the D35, so you do get a decent brake upgrade.

The Ford 8.8 out of an Explorer is also a good choice, but it's more work to install. It has very slightly stronger axles, but a weaker housing, and comes with disc brakes.
 
XJZ said:
A dana 44 would be a great way to go. Cherokees had D44 roughly '87 as part of the trailer package. It would be a direct swap. Check the boards and the bone yards, they surface quite regularly. Lots of inexpensive disk conversions also.
Click to expand...

I recently found one in a junkyard, but that doesn't matter much. I have asked about this several times on NAXJA. Seems the Dana 44 were under 87-89 models.

I don't think it matters if it's a tow or not, really. I may have missed one because I kept thinking only towpackage models had them.

I'm almost certain the one i got wasn't a tow packeage, and it was a 2x4.

I think as long as it 87-89 it could have the D44, 87 the most common.
 
Kejtar said:
From what I remember the Isuzu 44 was some sort of a wierd custom thing builkt for them. Also your bolt pattern would be different.
Click to expand...


Not sure what you were thinking about, but it's not the Zuzu axle. It is a metric 44 and uses a thick ring gear like Rubicons and Corvettes. However standard d44 components swap right it. '95 and newer will be around 59" wide, disc brakes, parking brake, prolly 3.30 gears, 1.5" shafts. I think it is a great axle and something I would choose over the XJ 44. Sure it's not bolt in, but how hard is it to get some spring perches and shock mounts put on??????

It will have a 6 lug pattern, but you could get some alloys made. Then if you ever put a 44 up front, run chevy 6 lug stuff and throw the stock shafts back in................. :lecture:
 
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The 8.8 and the XJ D44 have the needed 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern. The Isuzu D44 and the Toy axle do not, so the axle shafts would have to be changed. If you're willing to cut off all the factory brackets and change axle shafts, then anything made will fit in there.

Oh, another benefit of the XJ D44 is that the pinion is 1" longer so the stock driveshaft works fine with a lift. It seems like '87 is the magic year......I know it varies in different areas, but here in central CA I've never seen an '87 XJ that didn't have a D44.
 
91 Jeep Project said:
Not sure what you were thinking about, but it's not the Zuzu axle. It is a metric 44 and uses a thick ring gear like Rubicons and Corvettes. However standard d44 components swap right it. '95 and newer will be around 59" wide, disc brakes, parking brake, prolly 3.30 gears, 1.5" shafts. I think it is a great axle and something I would choose over the XJ 44. Sure it's not bolt in, but how hard is it to get some spring perches and shock mounts put on??????

It will have a 6 lug pattern, but you could get some alloys made. Then if you ever put a 44 up front, run chevy 6 lug stuff and throw the stock shafts back in................. :lecture:
Click to expand...

Hmm, could it be that before the Rubicon(a few years back) the gears were harder to get? I'm thinking that a while back this axle was described as a bad idea for the swap (but then again, I might just remember wrong).
 
91 Jeep Project said:
I think it is a great axle and something I would choose over the XJ 44.
:lecture:
Click to expand...


Why?? :dunno:

Let's see.....axle that will bolt in verses axle that has to have new axles bought and installed and brackets cut off and new ones welded on, and when it's all done you have the same thing. Yep, sounds a lot better to me. :lecture:

:gag:


:D
 
Goatman said:
Why?? :dunno:

Let's see.....axle that will bolt in verses axle that has to have new axles bought and installed and brackets cut off and new ones welded on, and when it's all done you have the same thing. Yep, sounds a lot better to me. :lecture:

:gag:


:D
Click to expand...
Why? People that have an XJ 44, and know what they have, like to charge outrageous amounts for the axles. When you can buy an Isuzu 44 or even a Taco, for much less than a stock XJ 44 housing, and have them built to what you want for less than it will cost to have the XJ 44 built, then they are a great option.

Fergie
 
XJ D44:
$350 for axle
$112 for gears
$75 for set-up kit
$600 for an ARB
Total, with misc stuff, not including labor costs of your own: $1300

Taco:
$100 for axle
$112 for gears
$75 for set-up kit
$600 for an ARB
Total, with misc stuff, not including labor costs of your own: $1050

Now, my time is worth something too, but I do things in my free time, so I really don't consider my labor as a chargeable item, and I have already invested in fabrication stuff. Also, knowing that someone else didn't get $350 of my money for an axle that isnt worth that much, is also pretty sweet to me, and also the fact that I built the axle myself is worth it too.

Just some more thoughts.

Fergie
 
2 1/2 ton Rockwell... Hasta


look for the cheapest axle, then decide how you want to build it.
I got this in the works..
Scout II D44 = $100
Gears = $125
Install kit = $92
Spool = $150
New Axles = $250
Spacers = $100

$817

Do a search on D44, Toyota Tacoma (2wd v-6 correct lug pattern i think), D60, D70
 
IF you're gonna be swapping bolt patterns anyway, it's probably a wash. But if you plan on keeping the 5 on 4.5, an XJ axle IS cheaper. For the others (zuzu) you'd need custom axle shafts made. (unless you want to run 2 different bolt patterns) This WILL add to the cost considerably. I can't say on a Taco, as I don't know the pattern they come with.
With the XJ 44, you get proven reliability, WIDE parts availability, and a much easier swap.
If XJ44s weren't so requested, they wouldn't be so spendy. It's really the ideal upgrade for the least amount of work for most people.
 
let see. My tally

XJ 44 housing- $75
Shafts off ebay-$150 for the pair
Drums/shoes-$60
R&P-$124
Master install-$75
Detroit-$475

total $959.

could have spent $150 more and had alloys.
 
i nuked my d35 running 33s on monday, ill be picking up a 8.8 in the near future to swap in, already found one for a good price, now i just need some more $$$.

kolby
 
I've been searching for Tacoma axles for a while and down here the cheapest you can get them with 4.10's is $650 (on www.car-part.com anyways) without the E-locker. The cheapest I've found one with the E-locker is $850. The 5x4.5 stock bolt pattern sucks for the FRONT if you ever want to upgrade because you can't keep it. So if you're going to keep your D30 then stick with the 5x4.5 and get an 8.8 or an XJ 44. If you want to upgrade the front then a different bolt pattern is beneficial because it gives you a lot more options on the front. The Toyota 6x5.5 is the same as the Wagoneer 44's use so that's a good combo if you're going to upgrade both axles.
 
chilybil26 said:
just need some opinions on what axle i should look into as a replacement for the stock 35 i have now. i am open to any suggestions. i will be running 33's with about 5-6 inches of lift
Click to expand...


If you are keeping the 5x4.5 bolt pattern, look for a 29 spline 8.25 out of another XJ.

Advantages:

Cheap
Plentiful, not scarce and overpriced like XJ D44
100% Bolt in
Strong enough for 33s in stock form
Very easy disc conversion with ZJ D35 parts
Upgraded axles available from Dutchman
Exactly the right width, unlike the 8.8

Disadvantages:

Limited R&P ratios - 4.56 is lowest
Fairly limited on lockers, but not horrible
C-clips
A little harder to set up gears than other axles
Pinion is a little low according to some people
Web wheelers don't think it's a "cool" axle because it doesn't say Dana on it

If you are considering going to a different bolt pattern, then the Toyota Tacoma 4x4 and 57-72 F100 9" become the two axles I would think about (in that order).
 
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