Upgrading to a d44 rear build thread

[lapisxj]

Well I'm at home today taking care of my sick wife uke: so I was able to get another couple of iterations down. I'm pretty sure I've got the right combo so after these I can quit boring everyone with pattern picts and get back to some of the good stuff.

Here's the fifth setup.
RG: .042
NRG: .055
Pinion: .054
BL: .015

That gets the pinion where I want it but the BL is still too loose.

 

[lapisxj]

Man do I love having setup bearings. For the 10 min it takes to make em it sure saves HOURS in the long run...

Sixth (and the last of the experimentation) setups.

RG: .048
NRG: .045
Pinion: .054
BL: .008

BL is within the 6-10 thou spec. The pattern is about as good as I'm gonna get. Now I have to pull it all back apart, set the pinion preload shims, and do final assembly. Then it'll be on to brakes, truss, and paint.

 

[lapisxj]

Update #1 got the fishmouth cuts made on the truss tube so that the tube was about 1/2" from the top of the housing (although it doesn't look like it from the picts cause the pinion is rotated up and the tube is vertical).

 

[lapisxj]

Update#2
Over the past few weeks I got the brake backing plates cleaned up and modified to go on the XJ44 housing.

Before pressure washing...

This is where the center hole gets sanded out slightly. I spent probably 5-10 min each with a sanding drum to get them to the size that the seal would slide through.

I used an old axle bearing outter race to help align the axle tube to the brake backing plate, clamped everything in place, then used a center punch to mark the 2 lower holes. Before I unclamped I took my die grinder to the top holes to make them align up.

The back...

Here is the hole pattern after all was done. The top 2 holes get ovaled out to one side and the bottom holes get new holes drilled. There was still a little bit of meat between the old and new holes but not much.

I still need to mod the Rubicon d44 axle retainer plates to match the XJ44 housing. Another night...

 

[VegasAnthony]

any updates on this???????????

 

[lapisxj]

Not really, the next step is to get the truss welded on and some holes in the axle tubes filled in. Maybe this weekend.

 

[tkjeeper]

Hey bro, watching this anxiously, keep the updates coming!

 

[lapisxj]

Not much to update on. This past weekend I bought a lathe so that took up a good bit of my time to get it moved into the garage.

I have the large piece of steel to clamp the axle to so that I can weld the truss on. I moved that into the garage the other night but that's about as much time as I've spent lately. The tube is 10"x10" box tube 1/4" thick and about 10' long. Let me tell you it's heavy! Should keep everything in check.

 

[jmsull]

put discs on. If you use all the parts from a zj, you just have to put a spacer on the shafts, between the retaining plate and seal. I did it when I put my 44 in and the increased braking is my favorite thing about the axel.

 

[lapisxj]

put discs on. If you use all the parts from a zj, you just have to put a spacer on the shafts, between the retaining plate and seal. I did it when I put my 44 in and the increased braking is my favorite thing about the axel.

I plan to put discs on... :read:

Difference is I'm using rubicon axle backing plates drilled for the XJ 44 tube pattern.

 

[slcpunk74]

he has pics of rubicon backing plates I believe but anyway you have a sick project on your hands. I wish I had a truss on my 44. Maybe someday

 

[VegasAnthony]

Not much to update on. This past weekend I bought a lathe so that took up a good bit of my time to get it moved into the garage.

I have the large piece of steel to clamp the axle to so that I can weld the truss on. I moved that into the garage the other night but that's about as much time as I've spent lately. The tube is 10"x10" box tube 1/4" thick and about 10' long. Let me tell you it's heavy! Should keep everything in check.

swwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttttttttt

 

[lapisxj]

WOW, I hadn't realized that it's been so long since I updated this thread. I know I have more picts and I'll try and get those uploaded today...

 

[lapisxj]

Ok, I got the truss welded on, the holes in the axle tubes welded in and sanded smooth. The holes are all drilled in the brake backing plates and axle retainer plates.

I pressed the new bearings on the carrier and pinion and had a couple iterations to tweak the final setup numbers. Bottom line is about 8.5 thou of backlash and 14"# of pinion preload. The chunk is all buttoned up, lock-tited, and torqued down with the U-bolt yoke.

The axle shafts are cleaned up. Got all the rust off them and sprayed them with some primer. Got the wheel studs pressed in but haven't gotten to pressing the bearings on yet.

Lately, I've been working more on brakes. I got the calipers and rotors painted with Hi-temp paint, the soft line tabs welded on, and started bending hard lines.

Some of these will be out of order but oh well...

The socket head cap screws for the brake backing plates. Had to sand down a flat so that they would sit right on the tube flange...

The truss before welding...

The support bars on the truss. Axle straps will fit between the end of the truss and the support bars. Drilled and tap'd the axle tube for 1/4" NPT for the breather line. It's just on here now to keep junk out of the hole.

Here's the axle retainer plates with the new holes drilled. These are the rubicon plates modified.

 

[lapisxj]

The brake backing plate bolted on. I also got the diff cover sandblasted and primer'd with aircraft grade yellow primer.

The bolts holding the backing plate on. Here you can see one of the ideas for re-located shock mounts. I didn't like it so I'm still on the hunt for the better solution.

The cleaned up shafts...

 

[lapisxj]

The whole axle in primer...

The soft line tab. I used a pre-fab'd tab with a 1/2" hole and then pressed a 5/16" nut into the hole.

The brake parts in hi-temp engine black. The pad surfaces will be cleaned before assembly.

And now I'm mocking up brake lines. I ended up buying a double flare tool and bender with new 3/16" lines and junction block. It's taking a while for me to get it right and I'm still not totally happy.

 

[lapisxj]

Got a lot done last night since my MIL is in town and helped watch the baby. Garage time got really sporatic once the little boy showed up so I'll take it when I can get it.

Got the wheel studs straightened out. I had pressed them in with my shop press a month ago but they didn't get totally straight or flush. After that was fixed I got the backing plates, seals, and bearings pressed on the shafts and marine grease packed behind the seal.

Started welding the brake line clips to the axle truss.

Decided it was about time to pull out the old axle. Took about 30 min to get it out. I noticed that the leaf spring bushings on the front eyes needed replacing since they were still rubber (I'd replaced the rear eye bushings when I changed shackles). Pulled the leaf packs out, cut out the rubber/steel sleeve and got the new bushings in. I also noticed that the front bolt holes are oval'd out on the front so I'll need to address that too.

Cleaned up and took notes of what I need to do next. The bumpstops are shot and one is completly gone so I need to order some replacements today.

 

[xcm]

nice brakeline tabs! i just used a self tapper screw into the truss, so looking at yours, its much nicer!
let us know how your disc rotors hold up with the hi-temp, i want it to work! as my disc rotors look like absolute garbage after only 10months on the jeep.

 

[lickenbarb]

looks good.. i just relocated my shock brackets to the back of the axle.. i went with a detroit locker eventho its a lil loud, i love it. i wouldnt go anything but a no slip in teh rear ever again.

 

[lapisxj]

Thanks. I didn't want to drill any holes into the truss tube cause I was afraid it would leak and they would get water in them. I'm not getting my lines tucked as tightly as I had hoped but I dont' have many options. There are just too many things going on at the end of the axle.

I may upgrade to a full detroit later on but for now this will work.

As for just putting both shocks on the back of the axle, I would do that but the stock upper mounts are offset for one front and one rear and I'm trying to put the axle mounts on without bound up bushings. Do you have any picts of your shock mounts?