Dana 44 Drum problems! (Strange!)

Hello!

I have a '93 XJ. I recently found a Dana 44 from an '87 XJ in the junkyard, and i swapped that in a few weeks ago.

The '44 was drum-less at the junkyard, so i bought new drums and shoes from NAPA.

The problem i'm having is that the outside edge of the shoe is contacting the inside edge of the drum. It's almost as if the shoe is ~1/8" too wide! However, i've verified with two other sets of shoes that that's not the case.

So that pretty much leaves me with the drum itself. I've verified that the drum is for an '87 XJ (and a few years around there). This is happening on both sides so i'm sure it's not a bent axle or anything like that...

So my question: is there another year/model that this axle could have been swapped from, or did i get a bad set of drums?

Right now i have a washer on each stud between the drum and the axle face to make up the 1/8" difference, but i don't consider that a permanent solution! (Without the washer, the wheel locks up and the car is almost undriveable)


Anything? I'll take any thoughts, i'm at a loss here!

so the shoe is too wide basically?
the 44 drums are actually wider than the 35. i think like 1/2" wider. as well as the pads.
so did you make sure when they looked up 87 xj, they picked the 44 and not the 35 rear end? id go to napaauto.com and check part numbers for the 44 drums and see if they match the part numbers for your drums.
also, you could measure the inside of the drum and the shoe to see if it is too wide or whatever

yah you need the 10x2.5" shoes and the drums for them.
i was just on napa online

the drums for the 35 and 44 have different part numbers as well as the shoes i just checked on napaonline....


drum
w/ Spicer/Dana 44 Axle NB
4401238
51.99

shoes
Brake Shoes - Rear, Safety Stop

w/ 10" X 2 1/2" Brakes SS
SS481 $23.79
Core $6.50

Yeah, i actually looked over the NAPA guy's shoulder and made sure i had gotten the 44 drums and pads. He even compared some other ones on the shelf. I'm positive i have the "correct" drums for the 44. I've looked at Autozone's shoes and they're exactly the same.

I also tried the 1&3/4" shoes just for the heck of it, no way!

So basically i've come down to a casting/machining flaw from the company that makes the drums, or that the axles have somehow shifted inward or something weird like that....?

I have a D-44 stock 87 Wagoneer, and I ran into that same problem, but they had simply given me the wrong parts (for a D-35 I guess), I was still a newbie on Jeeps at the time so I did not know about the difference.

I am fighting the same issue right now. The casting numbers and part numbers specifically for a D44 but the Drum was machined for a D35 (non c-clip 10 inch)

I am having one hell of a time getting the right part locally.

Probably going to use www.rockauto.com and order them.

D35 Dimensions:
OD: 12.52"
Height: 4.020"
Drum Depth (Shoe Contact Surface) 3.060"

D44 Dimension:
OD: 12.59"
Height:4.330"
Drum Depth (Shoe Contact Surface) 3.6"

I measured mine and they are very much D35.