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Full width HP44/9" swap

Broke a rear axle shaft this weekend at winterfest. I was able to drive it back to the trailer on the broken shaft. The carrier bearing on that side was damaged from the loose end of the shaft flopping around in the axle tube. Going to upgrade to alloy shafts. Bronco Graveyard has them for $90, should have put them in to begin with.

The 9" pinion is really low, and definately needs a skid. I put an anodized aluminum daytona pinion support on it only to drag it on the rocks and beat the crap out of it. Looking at the James Duff skid because it is the only one that I've been able to find that protects the pinion, 3rd member, and housing.

The drum brakes have been working fine. Even though I have all of the parts to add discs, I think I'm going to wait a bit. Even after driving through quite a bit of mud and water, they are still pretty clean inside. I'll keep an eye on them and clean them out as needed.

I bent a set of sway bar brackets on the d44 trying to wheel with the sway bar attached. A few hits with a hammer and they are fine now.

The front axle has been great, I love the new steering, brakes, and having locking hubs. The tru-track has been working pretty well so far, but I'm still undecided on how much I like it.

I was driving it as a DD for a few months, and putting quite a few highway miles on it. It handles great at 75mph.

It is extremely stable on the trails. Moments where it feels like it is going to tip are now few and far between. I don't have as many options when it comes to choosing a line. The tires sticking out so far have helped by hitting trees before my body does.
 
that sucks...

this means i need to spend more money on my axles... :bawl:

im still running stocker shafts :anon:
 
lets see that hood all painted up :)
 
Best I have of the hood. I'm sure Trav has better ones.

100_4422.jpg


100_4428.jpg
 
Pulled the 9" apart tonight. The Detroit is toast. I'm really wishing I would just have went with alloys to begin with. The spanner nut on that side was thrashed as well.

Gears are still in good shape and the housing didn't suffer any damage.

I am re-thinking rear locker options. The XJ is being retired from trail use, and going to be used as an expedition rig from now on, so I don't need anything quite so aggressive. I was really unhappy with how unstable the detroit was on muddy side slopes. I'm thinking maybe another tru-track or an ARB for the rear now.
 
I hear you on the Detriot being squirrely on side slopes. Mine seemed to have a lot of slack in it from time to time at WF. You must have tweaked that shaft somewhere before hitting the steps, you weren't really working it that hard.

Now I'm hoping my 8.8 shafts hold up!
 
Powder coated the third member.

100_2271.jpg


Ordered everything I need to put it back together today, along with a set of Yukon axle shafts. Hopefully they will last a bit longer than the last set.
 
I like your build, it looks nice. What did you end up doing for a swaybar? I'm almost to that point, and haven't really found anyone else's ideas out there. Without actually having it bolted in place, it looks like I can shorten the links and make axle mounts that end up above the steering to clear it.

-Jim C
 
JimsXJ said:
I like your build, it looks nice. What did you end up doing for a swaybar? I'm almost to that point, and haven't really found anyone else's ideas out there. Without actually having it bolted in place, it looks like I can shorten the links and make axle mounts that end up above the steering to clear it.

-Jim C
Click to expand...

I ended up using the Rubicon Express sway bar mounts, and cut a notch in them to clear the steering. They work pretty good, as long as I don't wheel with them connected. They hold up on the street just fine.

The only pics I can find of them are some ones Haleyes took of them when I bent them.

100_4051.jpg


100_4052.jpg
 
Gravesdiggerxj said:
Looks good! Have you thought of building a pinion skid? I'm thinking it would be pretty easy to copy the BTF one they sell for the high pinion thirds
Click to expand...

Thinking about giving the one James Duff makes a try. It protects the third-mamber and the housing. I've hit my housing pretty hard more than a few times. I figure I can always modify it later if I trim my housing for better clearance.

5762.jpg
 
Put the jeep on a 30 degree RTI ramp yesterday.

Traveled 60" up the ramp, 30" high, for a score of 594. That would equal a score of 869 on a 20 degree ramp.

I was kind of disappointed, but it isn't too bad for short arms. I used to score 900+ on a 20 degree ramp when I was running the stock axles with 33" tires. I've still got some adjusting to do as I still had an inch of travel left in all of my shocks and plenty of room left for the tires to stuff.

My driver's side upper control arm was getting pretty close to the pinion yoke of the front axle, so I am going to have to keep an eye on it. If I had a little less pinion angle it wouldn't be an issue, but this thing gets driven on ice and snow quite a bit so being able to drive with the hubs locked in at 70 mph with no vibes is pretty important to me.
 
I didn't trust the ford spindle lock nuts. After taking them apart a few times I found they could back off without depressing the inner tabs. I ended up switching to the Stage8 X-locks. They are very easy to install and will never back off.
 
Gravesdiggerxj said:
did you shorten your trackbar or buy one. I like the idea of the JKS trackbar mount and shortening my RE one.

edit: I just reread your first post. how did you shorten it? Sleave it, or butt weld it with a piece inside that has an O.D. that is the same as the I.D. or the RE trackbar?? (I can't remember the terminology)?
Click to expand...

For those that have been asking, the trackbar measures 29" from Center to Center. I'm running the JKS trackbar mount axle side mount and the RE HD body side mount.
 
Update, and next part of build:

It has been a few years and the axles have been holding up well.

Broke one u-joint due to it spitting out a cap, new ones are welded on.

Added some HD Offroad frame stiffeners and a JCR skid plate to stiffen things up underneath a bit.

100_2630.jpg
 
Been looking at the new ballistic pinion skid, it is probably going to be the next addition.

The rear axle has been a pain to check and change fluid in, so I am planning on plating the housing and adding a drain plug.

Need to relocate the vent tube up higher as well.
 
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