Upgrade to Aftermarket Axle (VERY large Budget)

[blubullett]

If you are set on 44's instead of 60's a set of longfield axles (RCV) are the best axles you can get. 44's with reid knuckles longfield axles and ARB's (or E-lockers if you don't want the hassel of the air compressor) would be awesome. And don't forget a big brake kit. For housings you can't beat the Dynatrac pro rock housings. Also everything I mentioned are options from Dynatrac. They will add anything to your axles you want if you ask them for a quote. If you have the money why build them yourself? Save the hassel.

 

[rockclimber]

I will say it again. Rockjock 60's with alum housings. No weight issues there. Run 40"s if you want.

 

[Goatman]

I will say it again. Rockjock 60's with alum housings. No weight issues there. Run 40"s if you want.

Except that they crack and Currie is now selling the IronJock. We've also cracked a couple of IronJock's, but I understand they had a problem with a batch of the earlier housings and the newer ones are OK. Currie has good products, and an IronJock would be just fine for this application, but if I was getting a HP60 rear end I would personally buy a different brand.

 

[zachandandy]

In response to the 44 center with 60 outers, the ford Dana 50 is basically just that. There is currently 1 in Fresno for $500. Why spend thousands of dollars building a custom axle that is already mass produced and dirt cheap? If your only running 35's stock shafts would hold up. Gears and a locker for under a grand? Just because you have the money doesn't mean you have to throw it away. 50 front and sterling rear(matching metric 8 lug) and buy a nice transfer case to go with it like an atlas or a stack. Just my 2 cents.

 

[MoparManiac]

Except D50s have the clearance/weight of D60s.

 

[Goatman]

And D50 is full width in a street driven XJ on 35's, has massive (heavy) brakes, 30 spline stock axles, 8 lug, and you can't get high steer. Same with a Sterling, lousy ground clearance, full width, 8 lug, heavy brakes. Do we keep forgetting that ground clearance and weight are very important to performance?

C'mon guys, custom diffs are a very good product. Very good ground clearance which is important, and smooth on the bottoms so they slide over trail obstacles easily, smaller and lighter brakes, and high steer.

This should really be brought up in a different thread, but it's been obvious for a long time. XJ's and newer XJ owners have replaced old Toyota pickups as the cheap assed way to go wheeling. That isn't a bad thing at all. However, whenever someone asks a legitimate question on an XJ forum about buying good quality aftermarket parts they get a ration of "do it yourself and save the money, buy junkyard stuff and save the money, etc, etc". A HUGE portion of the wheeling community spends good money for better aftermarket parts, and there's nothing wrong with doing that.

By the time you get a junkyard axle and get it close to what you get with an aftermarket axle the cost difference isn't that significant. Only way to be a lot cheaper is to run it virtually stock, and on a lot of vehicles that just plain sucks.

 

[DeftwillP]

You're obviously a poser who buys, not builds.

/sarcasm

I was arguing the same thing. The guy said he wanted to buy turnkey axles, not build.

 

[REVROK]

I have a JK HP44 housing that has a broken longside tube from an accident. Make you a good deal ($75) for the centersection have it re-tubed with heavier tubing/truss in your width choice, D60 outers, 35 spline ARB, your choice of gear ratios and RCVs. That was my plan, but the budget is way out of my reach, so I just finished a waggy 44 that someone else had just partially built off CL.

Then you just need to narrow a 9 inch housing and run a Tru-Hi9 (my preference) or a Currie HP9. Nice package up to 38's at least (40's?) lightweight... good ground clearance and plenty of parts availability. I think you could easily have one of our vendors or yourself build that for less or close to a set of D44 crate axles... Way better than they would be.

 

[98XJLongBuild]

I have a JK HP44 housing that has a broken longside tube from an accident. Make you a good deal ($75) for the centersection have it re-tubed with heavier tubing/truss in your width choice, D60 outers, 35 spline ARB, your choice of gear ratios and RCVs. That was my plan, but the budget is way out of my reach, so I just finished a waggy 44 that someone else had just partially built off CL.

Then you just need to narrow a 9 inch housing and run a Tru-Hi9 (my preference) or a Currie HP9. Nice package up to 38's at least (40's?) lightweight... good ground clearance and plenty of parts availability. I think you could easily have one of our vendors or yourself build that for less or close to a set of D44 crate axles... Way better than they would be.

Not a big fan of buying things that have been wrecked. Not saying I don't trust YOU, I just don't feel secured enough to trust my rig with something that has been damaged before even after I put in new tubes. But thanks for the offer. A broken tube means that there was alot of pressure put onto the Diff itself. It may have a fracture crack deep inside the metal were the bare eye can't see. Hat to think I got a good axle for cheap and find out the long way that its SH**.

I'm actually thinking know of selling my matching pair of Standard Pinion Waggy 44's and get HP for front and rear. Just need to decide on what HP I want to go with. I was actually starting to look at the stock JK axles and then build them up from there.

Still waiting on the check so in reality its all still a pipe dream. My FU** Human Resources guy is dragging his feet. The waiting game is still going.

 

[98XJLongBuild]

Okay I'm planning on building them up myself know. Just want to build up the proper set. I'll be seeling the Standard Pinion 44's. I'm looking for a High Pinion, Good Diff Clearence (Can shafe down if needed), Stronger than Dana 30 outers, Nice Thick Tubes (maybe bigger than the 44's that are 1/4" thick), light weight (or atleast to the point were a DD won't have any problems), Disc brakes all around.

I know that I have seen it just can't remember were. It was a graph / chart that showed the differences between all the axles. I had the pic below in my emails but looking for the spec. / diffrences between them all. This way I can make the accurate decision for my application.

 

[kastein]

If you want heavier than 1/4" tubes it sounds like you want to aim for a Ford HD44 axle (1/2" tubes, and a heavier, more solidly ribbed center casting.) IIRC they came out of late 70s (78-79) F250s and some special models of F150s as well. Are you looking to stay with a 5 lug pattern or willing to switch to 8 lug? 5 lug won't fit your 5x4.5 wheels but you can find 5x5 wheels and 5x5.5 wheels pretty cheap, 8 lug will have the heavier (3/4 ton or 1 ton, iirc) brakes on them.

 

[98XJLongBuild]

If you want heavier than 1/4" tubes it sounds like you want to aim for a Ford HD44 axle (1/2" tubes, and a heavier, more solidly ribbed center casting.) IIRC they came out of late 70s (78-79) F250s and some special models of F150s as well. Are you looking to stay with a 5 lug pattern or willing to switch to 8 lug? 5 lug won't fit your 5x4.5 wheels but you can find 5x5 wheels and 5x5.5 wheels pretty cheap, 8 lug will have the heavier (3/4 ton or 1 ton, iirc) brakes on them.

I plan on upgrading the rims to a set of pre-welded beadlock rock crawler style rims. So lug pattern won't really matter. I would like to have six lug or highier. I hav'nt gotten that detailed yet...

Are the 3/4 and 1 Ton brakes the heavier set that was being discussed early that will make it difficult to handle as a DD.

 

[kastein]

yeah, they are. Bigger always equals heavier

 

[98XJLongBuild]

but the samller brakes would stop a hell of alot better than the stock brakes that I have know. So I might just go with a 6 lug patter. They come with the smaller disk brakes write.

 

[MoparManiac]

Some F150 HP44s had 1/2" wall tubes as well, wasn't exclusive to 250s.

Also, half ton outers will bolt up to 3/4 ton knuckles and vice versa.

 

[Jes]

My '73 F100 axle has the 1/2" thick tubes.

 

[Goatman]

As far as I know, only the TJ and JK D44's have 1/4" tubes. The earlier ones have 1/2" tubes.


To the OP, that Waggy rear D44 is a good axle. You can put a Detroit in it with 33 spline axles or an ARB with 35 spline axles. Relatively good clearance, and relatively light weight, and reasonable cost.

Rear HP choices are custom D60 (good choice), or a Currie HP which is limited to 4.88 gears and is not recommended for tires over 35's (and I've seen them break on 37's), or a TrueHi9 which is a very good choice but it's expensive. I'd do the 35 spline D44.

There aren't any HP44 diffs from 70's models fords out there anymore, or at least there are extremely hard to find anymore. You'll very likely need to price aftermarket 44's.

 

[kastein]

Some F150 HP44s had 1/2" wall tubes as well, wasn't exclusive to 250s.

Also, half ton outers will bolt up to 3/4 ton knuckles and vice versa.

yeah, I mentioned those. On the latter, you're talking about half ton spindles / stuff going onto 3/4 ton knuckles, right? i.e. saying all 5-stud spindle ford 44 knuckles are the same? I'm still pretty 44-tarded.

As far as I know, only the TJ and JK D44's have 1/4" tubes. The earlier ones have 1/2" tubes.


To the OP, that Waggy rear D44 is a good axle. You can put a Detroit in it with 33 spline axles or an ARB with 35 spline axles. Relatively good clearance, and relatively light weight, and reasonable cost.

Rear HP choices are custom D60 (good choice), or a Currie HP which is limited to 4.88 gears and is not recommended for tires over 35's (and I've seen them break on 37's), or a TrueHi9 which is a very good choice but it's expensive. I'd do the 35 spline D44.

There aren't any HP44 diffs from 70's models fords out there anymore, or at least there are extremely hard to find anymore. You'll very likely need to price aftermarket 44's.

I just got a set (78 f250 hd44/rear 60) for 250 bucks out here. Pretty rusty and will need some new steering parts, obviously, but the main section of the housing is in perfectly fine condition.

 

[rockclimber]

Except that they crack and Currie is now selling the IronJock. We've also cracked a couple of IronJock's, but I understand they had a problem with a batch of the earlier housings and the newer ones are OK. Currie has good products, and an IronJock would be just fine for this application, but if I was getting a HP60 rear end I would personally buy a different brand.

this guy isn't racing KOH:laugh:

I've not heard of the alum housing rockjocks cracking... but I suppose if people can blowup a 14bolt...


the ironjock does look like a very cool rearend...but extremely overkill for any full- bodied jeep. buggy, not so much.

 

[REVROK]

Not a big fan of buying things that have been wrecked. Not saying I don't trust YOU, I just don't feel secured enough to trust my rig with something that has been damaged before even after I put in new tubes. But thanks for the offer. A broken tube means that there was alot of pressure put onto the Diff itself. It may have a fracture crack deep inside the metal were the bare eye can't see. Hat to think I got a good axle for cheap and find out the long way that its SH**.

I'm actually thinking know of selling my matching pair of Standard Pinion Waggy 44's and get HP for front and rear. Just need to decide on what HP I want to go with. I was actually starting to look at the stock JK axles and then build them up from there.

Still waiting on the check so in reality its all still a pipe dream. My FU** Human Resources guy is dragging his feet. The waiting game is still going.

No worries... centersection was untouched, from a buddy's four door 2009 Rubicon. He drove over a Honda. :nono: It does sound like you want a late 70's Ford HP44.