My Dana 44

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/pts/309724254.html

Sorry guys! I beat you to it! Ducked out of work today just to pick it up. I had a few questions about it though. Will i be able to use grand disk brakes or will that upgrade only work with the 35/8.25? if it wont what is the cheapest disc conversion available at the junk yard?
1 more- Any one want to make a buck? i have no idea how to set this up with new ring and pinion gears, i would rather pay someone local on this site than pay some random shop- pictures of the build will follow.
thanks for all the help!

the rear disk swap will work with a little extra work / modification. it's been covered a lot. a quick search should answer all of your detailed questions about the swap. but for a quick answer - yes it will work

Gal dangit! I saw that yesterday. Its alright though I already bought a 8.8 from Meridian Auto wrecking for $200. They are retards though and pulled the front axle instead, so its going 2 be a couple days. Good find. Go to pirate 4x4 tech page, there is a step by step walkthrough of grand cherokee disk brakes for the xj d44.
-Patrickassgas:

Another option for the discs is crown vic rears. the flange bolt pattern is the same. You'll have to open up the hole in the mounting bracket with a dremel just a tad to get the bearing and seal to fit through, and also open up the inner diameter of the disc, the part that goes around the hub, just a tad too. Then you buy the retainer plate from a rubicon TJ get that thing on the shafts, and you're good to go.

Don't forget to put RTV on the outer part of the axle seal (where the seal meets the housing) because it doesn't fit quite tight enough and it will eventually leak out there.

Like stated above the best fit for an XJ 44 will be the Crown Vic disks... A little noteworthy thing is that the Rubi retainer while I believe the correct thickness will match the TJ 44 axle flange pattern and will need to be drilled to match the XJ flange.

The XJ44 and TJ44 axle flange have a different bolt patten.

The D35 disks match the TJ44 flange but not the XJ44. The big question is do the CV backing plates have the same thickness as the D35 backing plates. If they do... then the Rubi retainer will work like a charm (just redrilling).

I have not yet been out to the jy to take measurements myself.

It has been too cold and sloppy here in Michigan.

The offset on the rubi backing plates is perfect for the crown vic backing plates.

We made a jig to redrill the rubi plates. Took a piece of exhaust pipe, forget the OD, but it fit inside the XJ44 backing plate with some slack. Had cut the piece of exhaust pipe at 90 degrees on a chop saw. Had the backing plate flush with the bottom of the exhaust and opened up the exhaust pipe a bit until it was snug on the backing plate(used exhaust expander). And that is how you make a jig to redill the rubi plates.

correct about drilling the plates. the rubi/grand brakes will work. I am also pretty sure that explorer disks will also work with a little redrilling.