• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

LookyLooky: D44 came in. Have some ?'s about welding it on

selarep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Central CA
2007_0612Image0003.JPG


2007_0612Image0004.JPG


Dana 44 from a '94 Rodeo with 4.10 gearing complete

I called my local 4wd shop and they quoted me between $150-$180 to have it complete and ready to bolt in with new spring perches and shock mounts, is that a good price?

I have access to a welder but I'm not that good at weling big items like this.

if so, the total cost of this project would be about $500...
 
If you're not comfortable with doing it yourself, and that price includes spring pads and shock mounts, I don't think thats a bad deal... Make sure you get the pinion angle set where you want it. Also, Spring pads at XJ width are TIGHT to the caliper brackets. I just managed to squeeze mine on, but IIRC53guy on this board did a pretty slick job using TnT "u-bolt eliminators" -- you might want to search for some pics of that...
 
xj-grin said:
If you're not comfortable with doing it yourself, and that price includes spring pads and shock mounts, I don't think thats a bad deal... Make sure you get the pinion angle set where you want it. Also, Spring pads at XJ width are TIGHT to the caliper brackets. I just managed to squeeze mine on, but IIRC53guy on this board did a pretty slick job using TnT "u-bolt eliminators" -- you might want to search for some pics of that...

do you have any pics of your set up?
 
$500 sounds like a awesome deal on a Rodeo 44 with 4.10 gears and disc brakes ready to bolt in. Maybe a little bit much at $180 to weld on the perches, but $500 isn't bad at all. You will love the gearing. I want to meet you, but ended up moving back to Illinois and now am getting Rubi axles for my 98' 2 dr daily driver with 33's and 3-5" lift. Like you I don't like the 3.07 gearing, way to high of a gear for anything even with stock donut tires I'd rather have at least 4.10s. You got a great deal on that axle especially being in Cali!!! :cheers:

Does it have 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern? You can just get a 2.5L 5 speed TJ dana 30, but that is not going to be HP for a cheap 4.10 gear match in the front, then just get a 5 on 4.5 to 5 on 5.5 adapter to match the rear bolt pattern, a pair will run about $60-70...also you can run your stock wheels or ones without a lot of offset and hopefully not rub the tires on your LCAs.

You could also just see what someone would charge to put in 4.10 gears. There are a # of NAXJA people who could set up gears and lockers for you. If you do bring the axles, remember it's cheaper to bring the axles seperate from the vehicle so keep that in mind too.

I'd get the TJ axle, then you have spare stuff like nice Spicer 297/760 non disco shafts, extra disc brakes, etc. The HP isn't that big of a deal if you don't lift your XJ much. I'm trying to keep my dd low and will sacrifice cutting the fenders a lot and running TJ or Bushwacker flares which I have lines on already. Good luck bro!

Troy
 
Last edited:
selarep said:
do you have any pics of your set up?

I don't, but they wouldnt be that exciting anyways - I just used off the shelf 2.5" spring pads from 4WP, set them on the axle, put it under the jeep, rotated the pinion to the desired angle, tacked em, and then we cooked them up... The tricky thing with mine is getting the u-bolts past the bearing plate retainer bolts - they JUST fit...
 
Big Red said:
$500 sounds like a awesome deal on a Rodeo 44 with 4.10 gears and disc brakes ready to bolt in. Maybe a little bit much at $180 to weld on the perches, but $500 isn't bad at all. You will love the gearing. I want to meet you, but ended up moving back to Illinois and now am getting Rubi axles for my 98' 2 dr daily driver with 33's and 3-5" lift. Like you I don't like the 3.07 gearing, way to high of a gear for anything even with stock donut tires I'd rather have at least 4.10s. You got a great deal on that axle especially being in Cali!!! :cheers:

Does it have 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern? You can just get a 2.5L 5 speed TJ dana 30, but that is not going to be HP for a cheap 4.10 gear match in the front, then just get a 5 on 4.5 to 5 on 5.5 adapter to match the rear bolt pattern, a pair will run about $60-70...also you can run your stock wheels or ones without a lot of offset and hopefully not rub the tires on your LCAs.

You could also just see what someone would charge to put in 4.10 gears. There are a # of NAXJA people who could set up gears and lockers for you. If you do bring the axles, remember it's cheaper to bring the axles seperate from the vehicle so keep that in mind too.

I'd get the TJ axle, then you have spare stuff like nice Spicer 297/760 non disco shafts, extra disc brakes, etc. The HP isn't that big of a deal if you don't lift your XJ much. I'm trying to keep my dd low and will sacrifice cutting the fenders a lot and running TJ or Bushwacker flares which I have lines on already. Good luck bro!

Troy

Hey Troy

The front is still my stock HP D30 w/3.07's but I found another HP D30 w/4.10 for about $150 locally so I'm just saving my pennies.

The bolt pattern is 6 lug on the new axel so I'll have to for sure get adaptors or I could redrill the axel... and rotors.... HMmm......
And I don't have any spare parts, so I'm going with what I have for now. I'm gonna sell the 8.25 $ D30 for cheap to try and recoupe from the total cost.

I'm just curious about the welding up from another shop...
 
selarep said:
Hey Troy

The front is still my stock HP D30 w/3.07's but I found another HP D30 w/4.10 for about $150 locally so I'm just saving my pennies.

The bolt pattern is 6 lug on the new axel so I'll have to for sure get adaptors or I could redrill the axel... and rotors.... HMmm......
And I don't have any spare parts, so I'm going with what I have for now. I'm gonna sell the 8.25 $ D30 for cheap to try and recoupe from the total cost.

I'm just curious about the welding up from another shop...

Wow I'm not a good bean counter :gee: I remember now that the Rodeo axle has a 6 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Good finds to keep the price down on the mods!
 
selarep said:
Hey Troy

The front is still my stock HP D30 w/3.07's but I found another HP D30 w/4.10 for about $150 locally so I'm just saving my pennies.

The bolt pattern is 6 lug on the new axel so I'll have to for sure get adaptors or I could redrill the axel... and rYotors.... HMmm......
And I don't have any spare parts, so I'm going with what I have for now. I'm gonna sell the 8.25 $ D30 for cheap to try and recoupe from the total cost.

I'm just curious about the welding up from another shop...

Wow I'm not a good bean counter :gee: I remember now that the Rodeo axle has a 6 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Good finds to keep the price down on the mods!

I'd suggest talking to Scrappy, he is a knowledgable XJer in your area. Also Farmer Matt is having a big party around the 4th of July and they like to line up work projects. Watch out they don't talk you into cutting out your roof and making a buggy out of the XJ OK!!! :laugh3:

You could get a Waggy 44 for the front, but that would of course cost more and you said you had your front 30 with 4.10 hook up already.

While 3.07 gears are crappy you have nice late model 30/8.25 axles so those are good starts on a not to shabby builder set up. I'm going to be selling mine as well. I'd shot for $400-500 for your 2 stocker axles. Think of it as TJ guys would like a HP 30 over their LP 30 if they don't want a 44 that is. Also a set of non disco 30 shafts with hubs for about $125-150 or so for the complete set of shafts and uni-hubs.
The 29 spline 8.25 is also in the neighborhood of a dana 44 and with the new 33 spline Superior upgrade as well as stock 29 spline alloy options, that's a viable option for people wanting to build up their stock axles. Just some thoughts, good luck bud!

Troy
 
Last edited:
Back
Top