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XJ Info

MTNTECH

NAXJA Member #992
Location
Boise ID
I am considering trading from YJ ownership to XJ ownership and have a few questions. Were there any XJ's with factory D44 in the rear? Is there a difference in the D30 in my 1991YJ as compared to the front axle in the XJ or are they the same? Lot more questions so any suggestions as for a detailed XJ info site or book that would help me out would be appreciated.
 
I don't know about the rest of the questions you may have but I know there were XJs that had Dana 44s in the rear from the factory. As for the front Dana30 I am not sure if there is any difference in the width of the two axles. You can always modify the axles:)
 
D44's were used in 87......

Some say they were also in 88 and 89 but the Jeep Brochier I have does not mention the D44 in the 88 XJ. As for the front they are very similar. The xj's got 260 joints arond then unless it was a ABS equiped xj. The 297's were standard in the front around 96 or so. The front went low pinion in 00 I believe. The 8.25 rear was found in 91 and up XJ's and was perty standard after 95 or so. The best XJ info can be found here! And there aint NO Debating that FACT! There are guys here that have had Xj's since the early days of the xj. Plus I believe there are a few DC mech's, managerfs, and parts people, etc. that are on here. HTH. If you want to know try a search if that does not help ask here and you will get an answer! It may take some time sometimes though.
 
The Dana 44 was used primarily in the 1987 XJ and XJ Wagoneer with tow package. We hear rumors of some in '88s and '89s, but I've never seen one in anything other than an '87 (unless swapped in by a NAXJA member, of course).

In front, the YJ D30 axle is a high pinion and so were the XJ fronts until 2000. The YJ used a vacuum disconnect, and the XJs with the NP231 transfer case also used a disconnect until (I think) 1991. The XJs with the NP242 (Selec-Trac) transfer case did NOT have a disconnect.
 
D44s are also found in MJs w/ the metric ton/big ton payload package.
There are a few on JU that have 88/89 SWB MJs w/ D44 including someone with a SporTruck that actually has a 4.0L, 4x4, and a D44 and A/C(a fully loaded SporTruck is rather...unique).

My 88 and 89 Metric tons both had D44s.

My current 87 XJ waggy has one(funny it's the first Jeep I bought without even looking at the rear end, it was a good discovery!).

Girl I used to know has a D44 on her 89 or 90 XJ Wagoneer Limited. Can't remember which it was.

You CAN find D44s on 90-92 LWB 2WD MJs w/ factory tow package. Possibly on other LWB 2WD years, but I've only seen 'em myself on 90-92s and mostly 92s.

I've seen more D44s on 2WD LWB MJs than I have on XJs.

Last time I was at westwood auto parts they had a 91 LWB 2WD 4.0L w/ the rear axle missing...

In 1986 the MJ w/ tow package got the AMC20 rear...I've seen ONE, and that's the only 20 I've seen in an XJ or an MJ.
Supposedly 84-86 XJs could have the 20...

Teron
 
Teron --

Don't confuse the lad -- he's looking for an XJ, not an MJ. Although the MJ continued to offer the Dana 44, in the XJ it was essentially limited to 1987 (and possibly a very few in 1988).

And XJs are spring over axle while MJs are spring under axle, so it's not a direct bolt-in conversion.
 
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