Dana 35 swap to Dana 44

Hey Everyone,

This is my first post and I wish I would have found this site before I bought my XJ. I just picked up a 01 Limited with towing package, heated leather, etc. from NJ. I didn't know that mine came with the weakest rear end. I am going to buy the 6.5" spring lift kit from Rustys and run 305/70/16's on it (basically 33"). Well after reading a bunch of info on here, I am wondering how hard it would be to put in a 44? I am not a huge wrencher and this is the first vehicle that I have even lifted. The dana 44 would be off of a 87 Cherokee, I believe. Is it just a bolt off, bolt on? What happens to the ABS, or anything else that is an issue? Also would the stock driveshaft work after I put in the lift or will it be to small. I also have to get the Tom Woods SYE and driveshaft but would I have to get a new driveshaft done if I did the lift now and eventually switched to a 44? Also what gears should I have in that rear end. With the setup I am thinking about going with? I will be going in mudd and trails nothing really extreme. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

D44 from an 87 XJ is bolt in. I did it recently, and added discs and a locker in the process. I strongly recommend doing the same. Search for the crown vic disc conversion on here.

For 33s, depending on the style of wheeling you do, and assuming you have an auto, you would want either 4.56 or 4.88. 4.88 would be more for rock crawling, and would be perfect for when you want to go with bigger tires. If you just do mud and such, then 4.56 would probably be better for you.

Swapping in the 44, if you aren't lifted, the driveshaft will be perfect size. On an 01 XJ, you're not going to get away with 6.5" of lift and no SYE, so you'll need an SYE and CV driveshaft either way. You may be able to run a stock front driveshaft in the rear....but I'm not sure with your 01 and 6.5" of lift, something to look into further. Also, you can get the SYE from PORC for 200 bux!!

ABS, screw that stuff, it's useless, get rid of it!!

If you can install a suspension lift, you can swap a rear axle.

Now, the 35 is weak, but if you're careful you could probably run it for a while without it blowing up on you...probably! That is if you aren't too heavy on the skinny pedal. My friend has a ZJ with front and rear lockers and he is really bad on the skinny pedal and has by the grace of god not yet broken his D35!! Mileage will vary.

Also a dana60 hd is a direct bolt in from a 77 dodge 3/4 ton 4 door pickup truck. Spring perches and all. Comes with 4.10 gears also. And the width is about stock width.

Yep just a bolt in Procedure, you'll need new U-bolts and might need new hardlines with fittings and a brake hose if there rusted, brake hose off a 95 dakota should work with 6.5" lift. As for the ABS, easiest way is to just turn it off (Pull a couple fuses). You'll also need to cut the wires going to the differential. You could get it to work but it would take fair bit of work, and some skill. I actually prefer it now without ABS. As for gears, 4.56 and 4.88 are good for 33's I run 4.88's and 33's and am very pleased with this combo.

caglezxj said:

Also a dana60 hd is a direct bolt in from a 77 dodge 3/4 ton 4 door pickup truck. Spring perches and all. Comes with 4.10 gears also. And the width is about stock width.

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why would you suggest something like that when he has little experience?
Thats opening up a whole other can of worms that he shouldnt need to do to run 33s.

klennop, welcome to . Id look at other kits before the Rustys ones. The search is your friend here.

Thanks for all the info so far! So mjma where or what is "PORC"? I know I will need a SYE and new drive shaft but for the Tom Woods one I have to measure a bunch of stuff I think after it is lifted, is that right or no?? I was also wondering if the stock one will still fit to at least get my truck home while I place an order with Tom Woods to get the custom driveshaft. I know it would probably shake bad but would that be ok for a handful of miles on the street? It seems that everyone has a kit for the 231 transfer case but for the 242 you have to measure and get a custom one made. I don't really understand why they just don't have a kit for the 242??

As for the Dana 35, I just don't want to have this thing break on me 100 miles from home so that is why I wanted to see how hard it was to install especially if I am doing a lift, I might as well do it all at once if I can find a 44. I wish someone made a kit for the swap because it can't be that uncommon.

The Dodge route, I don't think I would be able to find a 77 around here plus I would rather find something that was made for the jeep. I guess just because of my inexperience, thanks though.

What makes it so hard to put the ABS back on after swapping anyways? Why do all ABS XJ's have the dana 35??

The lift, what would you guys suggest? It seems like people like RE but then whenever there is a rusty's bash post someone is always there to stand up for them too. I am not a hard core off roader (yet??) and 1 of my friends have the rusty 4.5 and the other one has the 6.5. They seem to like it but they have only had it for a couple of months. The reason I am going with the 6.5 is because the quality and size compared to the 4.5 was nicer and I can run 33's without any cutting. Plus the price is decent also.

Thanks again everyone for making a newbie feel welcome!:wave1:

klennop said:

Thanks for all the info so far! So mjma where or what is "PORC"? I know I will need a SYE and new drive shaft but for the Tom Woods one I have to measure a bunch of stuff I think after it is lifted, is that right or no?? I was also wondering if the stock one will still fit to at least get my truck home while I place an order with Tom Woods to get the custom driveshaft. I know it would probably shake bad but would that be ok for a handful of miles on the street? It seems that everyone has a kit for the 231 transfer case but for the 242 you have to measure and get a custom one made. I don't really understand why they just don't have a kit for the 242??

As for the Dana 35, I just don't want to have this thing break on me 100 miles from home so that is why I wanted to see how hard it was to install especially if I am doing a lift, I might as well do it all at once if I can find a 44. I wish someone made a kit for the swap because it can't be that uncommon.

The Dodge route, I don't think I would be able to find a 77 around here plus I would rather find something that was made for the jeep. I guess just because of my inexperience, thanks though.

What makes it so hard to put the ABS back on after swapping anyways? Why do all ABS XJ's have the dana 35??

The lift, what would you guys suggest? It seems like people like RE but then whenever there is a rusty's bash post someone is always there to stand up for them too. I am not a hard core off roader (yet??) and 1 of my friends have the rusty 4.5 and the other one has the 6.5. They seem to like it but they have only had it for a couple of months. The reason I am going with the 6.5 is because the quality and size compared to the 4.5 was nicer and I can run 33's without any cutting. Plus the price is decent also.

Thanks again everyone for making a newbie feel welcome!:wave1:

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PORC is www.performanceoffroadcenter.com. There, you will find SYE kits. If you have the 242, you will have to go with a hack-n-tap style, sold by Rubicon Express, www.rubiconexpress.com

The D44 is going to be your best bet. There are no "kits" per se, because the thing is direct bolt in. I don't know much about ABS, but I think it has to do with extra resevoirs/pistons in the drum, so ABS can not just be transplanted.

With lift kits, you get what you pay for. Rubicon may not be the BEST, but they are known for the strength/durability/ease of install on their lifts, which is why many people like theirs. If height is what you want, go with a Rusty's, but if you want something that has been proven to last, go with RE. This is my two cents.

Any other helpful info from the questions I asked?

Also how much does a used Dana 44 go for?

Please yourself.
Wheel with what you got. If it breaks then replace with something else.

For a XJ D44 expect to pay $400-$500. They are sought after because they are bolt in. You can not fit the tone rings from the D35 to the D44 for your ABS. A few have done it but it takes a lot of fabrication/parts making. I just yank my entire system, but you don't have to. Just pull the fuses and cut the sensor wires for the rear. You don't have to change anything on your brake system, except you do want to modify your proportioning valve. Look it up on here, it only involves yanking a o-ring.

305/70/16s are 35" tires. 285/70/16s are 33". If you want 35" that's cool, if you meant 33s, you need 285s. 35s in mud with a lot of wheel speed may mean breakage on your front axle. Maybe not. The D30 is a good axle. The D44 will be fine. I'm just saying this because 35s are no joke. They take some consideration.

6.5" inches of lift is no joke either. If you have the money go RE. At that heigth you should consider long arms or drop brackets. Not to change up your plans. You could still do what you want, but you need to make an informed decision. This is not going to be cheap. By doing all this at once you will definatly save money. But only if you do it right the first time.

So you've done your research and you know about SYEs. The only thing you can do with your 242 is a hack and tap or a Tom Woods conversion. It will cost $500, but you get a short reslined output shaft and a drive shaft. In the position you are in, that would be a good way to go. I recomend you look into it.

Last, at 6.5" your steering is going to be horrible. You might not have to go all out with a custom set up, but it definatly needs to be addressed. Adjustable track bar and/or drop bracket, drop pitman arm, heavier duty tie rod. I needs to be addressed. You have more research to do. So far you are on the right track though.

Personally, to keep things simple I would score a D44 from an XJ. I would not do the disk brake swap to start. Just get it in and running. Then think about the disk swap. I have wheeled for years on my D44 and still haven't swapped over to disks even though I have them sitting in the garage. It works fine with the drums. By the way, the drums on the D44 are considerably larger and more powerful than the D35.

It seems that D44 run anywhere from $300 to $600 on the boards. If you can find one at a pull-n-save yard, you may score one for less than $100. They are fairly scarce in many parts of the country.

What if you kept abs on the dana 30 and not on the dana 44?

Would this cause any danger? (like on ice or snow)

klennop said:

Hey Everyone,

This is my first post and I wish I would have found this site before I bought my XJ. I just picked up a 01 Limited with towing package, heated leather, etc. from NJ. I didn't know that mine came with the weakest rear end.

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I thought all 01 XJs came with 8.25 rear axles?

j99xj said:

What if you kept abs on the dana 30 and not on the dana 44?

Would this cause any danger? (like on ice or snow)

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It doesn't work like that.

NHscrambler said:

I thought all 01 XJs came with 8.25 rear axles?

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All XJs with ABS came with D35s. If you have a 8.25, you don't have ABS.

Powerman said:

For a XJ D44 expect to pay $400-$500. They are sought after because they are bolt in. You can not fit the tone rings from the D35 to the D44 for your ABS. A few have done it but it takes a lot of fabrication/parts making. I just yank my entire system, but you don't have to. Just pull the fuses and cut the sensor wires for the rear. You don't have to change anything on your brake system, except you do want to modify your proportioning valve. Look it up on here, it only involves yanking a o-ring.

305/70/16s are 35" tires. 285/70/16s are 33". If you want 35" that's cool, if you meant 33s, you need 285s. 35s in mud with a lot of wheel speed may mean breakage on your front axle. Maybe not. The D30 is a good axle. The D44 will be fine. I'm just saying this because 35s are no joke. They take some consideration.

6.5" inches of lift is no joke either. If you have the money go RE. At that heigth you should consider long arms or drop brackets. Not to change up your plans. You could still do what you want, but you need to make an informed decision. This is not going to be cheap. By doing all this at once you will definatly save money. But only if you do it right the first time.

So you've done your research and you know about SYEs. The only thing you can do with your 242 is a hack and tap or a Tom Woods conversion. It will cost $500, but you get a short reslined output shaft and a drive shaft. In the position you are in, that would be a good way to go. I recomend you look into it.

Last, at 6.5" your steering is going to be horrible. You might not have to go all out with a custom set up, but it definatly needs to be addressed. Adjustable track bar and/or drop bracket, drop pitman arm, heavier duty tie rod. I needs to be addressed. You have more research to do. So far you are on the right track though.

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Actually the BFG mud terrain 285/75/16 and 305/70/16 are both 33.1" and the 315/75/16 is 34.8" The reason I would go for the 305's is because I put the 2 side by side and there is more tread depth on the 305's and the tread blocks are WAY larger compared to the 285. I couldn't believe it, it is worth comparing the 2, you will be blown away! I don't want 35's because that is even more stress on everything plus for me that would be a waste.

As for the lift RE doesn't make a 6.5" and thier 5.5" is $500 more. You know, I am not sure if I can justify that or not?? I was going to add the steering box brace and the steering stabilizer to Rusty's kit to address some of the issues. I will have to look into the other issues that you brought to my attention. See like I said I am not a huge wheeler but I like getting my trucks muddy and we sometimes get quite a bit of snow. With the lift I can go through more than a stock jeep can.

So far I am thinking that the stock drive shaft will not work at all after the lift. See that sucks because a friend of mine is helping me do it at his house and then it would be stuck there until I would get a new drive shaft made. See nobody has answered if I can measure for a new one before it is lifted, or is there a stock size that I could order from tom woods when using that rusty's kit. I just don't get how you can buy one ahead of time for the 231 transfer kit but not the 242.

Also what year Jeep Dana 44's will be a direct replacement? Would one from a 70's CJ work or does anyone know what years will and will not work as a dirct bolt up?

klennop said:

Actually the BFG mud terrain 285/75/16 and 305/70/16 are both 33.1" and the 315/75/16 is 34.8" The reason I would go for the 305's is because I put the 2 side by side and there is more tread depth on the 305's and the tread blocks are WAY larger compared to the 285. I couldn't believe it, it is worth comparing the 2, you will be blown away! I don't want 35's because that is even more stress on everything plus for me that would be a waste.

As for the lift RE doesn't make a 6.5" and thier 5.5" is $500 more. You know, I am not sure if I can justify that or not?? I was going to add the steering box brace and the steering stabilizer to Rusty's kit to address some of the issues. I will have to look into the other issues that you brought to my attention. See like I said I am not a huge wheeler but I like getting my trucks muddy and we sometimes get quite a bit of snow. With the lift I can go through more than a stock jeep can.

So far I am thinking that the stock drive shaft will not work at all after the lift. See that sucks because a friend of mine is helping me do it at his house and then it would be stuck there until I would get a new drive shaft made. See nobody has answered if I can measure for a new one before it is lifted, or is there a stock size that I could order from tom woods when using that rusty's kit. I just don't get how you can buy one ahead of time for the 231 transfer kit but not the 242.

Also what year Jeep Dana 44's will be a direct replacement? Would one from a 70's CJ work or does anyone know what years will and will not work as a dirct bolt up?

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As soon as you posted tire sizes I knew I was wrong. Ya, I went with 33/11.5s instead of 33/12.5s basically. But what through me is that you can't put a 305 on our rims. Tire recommendations say a 285 on a 7.5 is max. I assume you are staying with stock rims since you are staying with 16s. That was the other reason I didn't do that.

6^" is good. With RE it is always understated. You will get 6". Also that is kind of a threshold. You are maxing out everything else at that hight and need to do more stuff. But I do understand financial compromises.

The braces you mentioned will be good. What you need to look at is steering geometry. At 6" your angles will be bad. Your steering will suffer. You will have bump steer and as always will open yourself up for death wobble. So far I have been lucky to 4". Your trackbar and draglink will not be parallel. Look up steering geometry or set-ups and you will find what I'm talking about. I am not at 6" but that is where I will end up. I'm not an expert on the stuff, I'm just pointing you to the stuff I've read on this board.

Last, you really should call Tom Woods. I was not a fan of his offering for the late model 242, but now it is different and you should really consider going that route. I made my own SYE and I might get his now. He can help you with measurements. I'm sure he has a number already for your setup. Shaft lengths do not change drastically with lift believe it or not. Also you have to put $900 down. He will send you a new tail cone, output shaft, and drive shaft. You put his parts in send him back yours and you get $400 back. Or you can send him yours and wait for his. I don't like it either, but after dealing with this subject, it is a good setup, and you need a drive shaft. (you have to buy a DS with the SYE) He has a good rep on this board and from what I've read, he will be able to help you much more than me. Also, maybe you can ask in another thread, but I bet a stock DS will work with 6" JUST TO DRIVE ON THE PAVEMENT. At least that way you could measure to make yourself feel better and not make a mistake. I'm pretty sure I've heard of other doing it, but you would have to find out for sure. You could always leave your shaft off and just use front wheel drive. There is always that. Hope that helps.

Oh ya, 87-89 XJs only.

Thanks for all your help powerman, I really appreciate it!!!!!!!

I am actually going with aftermarket rims but the ones I want only come in 16X8 not in any 15" sizes. So I am going to be able to run the 305's on that rim.

Maybe I will suck it up and go with a RE lift then because that may be a safer bet. I am really undecided now, but that may be a good thing. I would rather do it right the first time!! I do wonder if I will have any rubbing issues with going with a 5.5 RE lift and my tire combo.

I will have to look into everything more and make up my mind. Thanks again for all your help!!

Powerman said:

It doesn't work like that.

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sure it does if you fool the system by connecting your rear lines to the front abs lines...walla front abs...i dont know how good it would be for the jeep

Something I didnt see mentioned yet,You have a LP D30.At that lift your going to have major driveline issues in the front.