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Picked Up a Dana 44 for $500 today

d10shun

d10shun

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Az
I picked this axle up from Arizona 4x4 Recyclers in Phoenix Arizona. I paid $531 out the door. Yikes! I seriously looked into the 8.8 and found one with disks for $325. However I do not have the tools or skills (or patience) for this. Also the MORE weld on mounting kit and flange adapter would have brought the total close to what I paid.

http://d10shun0.tripod.com/cherokee/index.album?i=4&s=1
http://d10shun0.tripod.com/cherokee/index.album?i=6&s=1
http://d10shun0.tripod.com/cherokee/index.album?i=7&s=1

I have searched for a good website or write up on how to rebuild this axle. I need information on replacing axle seals, bearings and brakes. Also the guy at the shop said that the axle was leaking pretty bad and that it was probably the outer seals. To me though it looks like brake fluid dripping down. Axle lube would not flow upwards. The axle was still bolted to the jeep when he pulled it.

I would like to clean it up, fix the brakes then bolt it on. I will have a d35 4:56 Powertrax locker axle to sell soon - any takers?. I'll use that money (what, $50-60 :) towards locking and gearing.
 
Wow..500 bones???????

Around here, Axles(no matter WHAT kind) are 50-75 bucks at the yards.

Maybe I hsold start pulling them, and selling them for 10X cost?
 
yep xj 44's can be pretty valuable. how much for a 60/44 from a f250 shipped to 71115:D
 
if only i lived closer...well that wouldnt really matter, if only i had 400$...
 
Ramsey said:
if only i lived closer...well that wouldnt really matter, if only i had 400$...
Click to expand...
I know the feeling.

Want to hear something that will mke you REALLY sick?

I can get axles for .15/Lb. there is a GREAT scrapyard here in town...ANYTHING is 15/20C per Lb.
 
d10shun said:
I picked this axle up from Arizona 4x4 Recyclers in Phoenix Arizona. I paid $531 out the door. Yikes! I seriously looked into the 8.8 and found one with disks for $325. However I do not have the tools or skills (or patience) for this. Also the MORE weld on mounting kit and flange adapter would have brought the total close to what I paid.
I need information on replacing axle seals, bearings and brakes. Also the guy at the shop said that the axle was leaking pretty bad and that it was probably the outer seals. To me though it looks like brake fluid dripping down. Axle lube would not flow upwards. The axle was still bolted to the jeep when he pulled .
Click to expand...

too bad. (no offense) but that d44 is very much used and about worn out. an 8.8 conversion takes about 8 hours of fab work, one with disc brakes would have been used by a soccer mom, and still be basically new. not to mention that parts are abundant, dirt cheap, and simple. also, you can get a selectable locker for the 8.8 for 400 bucks. that's close to the price of a powertrax. it just doesn't make sense when you don't have much money to spend on it, you don't want to spend a lot of time working on it, but gotta rebuild the whole thing. from experience, dude. something like that sits in the junkyard for several years will need a complete overhaul. if you replace just seals, then a bearing or new seal will probably fail. the cycle repeats itself until all parts are new. so just rebuild the whole thing, do it once and right.
 
Storydude said:
I know the feeling.

Want to hear something that will mke you REALLY sick?

I can get axles for .15/Lb. there is a GREAT scrapyard here in town...ANYTHING is 15/20C per Lb.
Click to expand...
i just threw up a little
 
Dayumm...anyone else in the "California Invasion Area" (AZ, NV, CO, etc) thinking the same thing I am? Don't advertise the freakishly high prices!! Because if you do, the rest of the neighborhood is sure to do the same...
 
Any Arizona guys finding D44 anywhere? I looked - Payson, Gilbert, Phoenix. When I actually found one it was 5 Franklins. It sounds like they are a dime a dozen everywhere else. I am rebuilding the axle but to me the extra cost was worth the hassle of cutting off brackets, buying/making new ones, finding someone to weld it for me in the right locations and angles for the ford 8.8

I just finished scrubbing off the grime, prepping the surface, removing brakes and axles, and painting it today. The axles are getting new bearings and seals and will be ready to bolt when I get them back from NAPA.

Pictures so far. (Why won't they display on post when I click the "Insert image" button?)
http://d10shun0.tripod.com/cherokee/index.album?i=10&s=1
http://d10shun0.tripod.com/cherokee/index.album?i=11&s=1
http://d10shun0.tripod.com/cherokee/index.album?i=12&s=1
 
Last edited:
I only droped a c-note on my 8.8 and that was with disk brakes and the parts to convert it were only another 20.
 
too bad. (no offense) but that d44 is very much used and about worn out.
Click to expand...
How the heck do you figure that from the pix. Looks like a leaky brake cylinder or wheel cylinder, but worn out?????

There is absolutely no way to tell that without tearing it apart. Fixing the brakes = worn out??? Heck brakes are a normal maintenance item.
 
Well, I'm not exactly a soccer mom, my Cherokee has seen Paragon and the Mohawk Trail, and currently has almost 260,000 miles on it. Original Dana 35 rear axle, so I guess it must be worn out, too.

Problem is, it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. I have a Dana 44 to put in when the D35 throws in the towel, but it doesn't appear predisposed to do so for the foreseeable future.

About the only way I can think to "wear out" a D44 in a Cherokee would be to toss a bag of mason's sand in with the gear lube.
 
Storydude said:
I know the feeling.

Want to hear something that will mke you REALLY sick?

I can get axles for .15/Lb. there is a GREAT scrapyard here in town...ANYTHING is 15/20C per Lb.
Click to expand...

Damn, Buffalo isn't that far away. I have the 8.8 discs/30 combo now but would really like the 44/9 inch combo so I can change gears easily for a Moab run.
 
Grizzley said:
Damn, Buffalo isn't that far away. I have the 8.8 discs/30 combo now but would really like the 44/9 inch combo so I can change gears easily for a Moab run.
Click to expand...
so ya still tryin to get that 44 off of brandon?
 
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