lostcreek21 said:
I haven't seen it yet but the guy says that it came out of a GC and the detroit is in the back. I don't have the money to upgrade my 44 right now and I'm getting both of these axles for 300$. How can I see if the axle is aluminum since you say that it is not the stock axle?
I don't think anyone said it isn't a stock axle. I think people are telling you that this "deal" comes with a LOT of red flags.
The ZJ and WJ "Dana 44s" both have aluminum center sections, and do not accept standard internal parts. They also bend and warp. At one time, Chrysler rejected a huge shipment of new axles because the weight of the center sections caused them to sag and bend during shipping from Dana. The last I knew (which was ahile ago), Tractech had said they would not offer a Detroit Locker for the aluminum D44 because they didn't think the housing was strong enough to handle the loads that would be put on it. The FSM for the '99 WJ specifically says NOT to jack up the back end with a floor jack under the differential because it'll bend the axle tubes (actually the housing where the tubes fit in). Does that give you some idea how strong it isn't?
I had one in a WJ. It whined something awful, starting at about 4000 miles. Dealership reset it, and it started whining again soon after. Factory sent in a special technician to work on my WJ (it had other problems, too). He spent a full week doing nothing but my WJ. The rear axle made more noise after he "fixed" it than it did before he touched it.
Forget the price. You are not getting a "deal" here. That axle isn't worth anything, so if it's a factory what you're really looking at here is a $300 Dana 30. If that's a good deal to you, go for it. Otherwise, walk away. Quickly.
The fact that it is described as a factory axle with a Detroit suggests that he either doesn't know what he has; he's not being truthful; or Tractech is offering a Detroit for the aluminum D44. I don't know how to tell the difference visually, especially from photos. Up close and personal, I'd just slap a magnet on the housing and see if it stuck but I assume that's not an option for you.