Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: bubba on August 17, 2006, 09:47:45 PM

Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: bubba on August 17, 2006, 09:47:45 PM
I bought 2 dana 44s to replance my stock axles on my 88 YJ-now I am wondering what mods need to be done-new d/shafts?, steering mods, etc?

I know I hafta change the rims-but they are included in the deal. Also I am wondering how hard is it to da a soa conversion?

Any help would be awsome....thx
Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: Gearhead on August 17, 2006, 10:45:04 PM
There's a bunch of reading on this here's one...........

http://www.jeeps-offroad.com/articles/waggyswap.php

Many more , I no longer have link's for

Some searching should produce results.


My 88 has Wagoneer diffs , Dana 44's out of an 87 Grand wagoneer , installed last year . Gearing will need to be looked at , mine had 3.31's , I used 4.56's when I rebuilt / prepared the axles. Spring perches will need to be relocated , I bought some at standens  for the rear , the front was dealt with by removing the right side , re positioning it 1/2" inboard , the left side was re-worked with a welder , drill and grinder , again by moving the location on the spring center pin hole 1/2" inboard and removing some of the casting with an angle grinder to get the spring in 1/2" . It  is still spring under.

Spring over is harder to do , there are spring perch kits available , again , my links are gone , due to a fubared computer
Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: bubba on August 19, 2006, 08:08:57 AM
thx gearhead-the rear is from a Scout and the front from an older cherokee-I actually have three diffs-2 from the scout and then the front cherokee-doing a swap of gears from the front scout-since it wont fit to the cherokee one-thx for the link-will also look for more.....anyways thx for the reply
Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: Gearhead on August 20, 2006, 07:58:55 PM
Some further info , .......

When preparing to weld the spring perches on the rear axle tubes , consider it to be an opportunty to adjust the driveline angles. Additionally if you have a bolt in lift kit , the spacers , used to lower the transfer case can be removed to gain back lost ground clearance . All of this is best done by using a slip yoke eliminator kit on your transfer case and having a double cardon driveshaft built. Excellent driveline angles can be achieved this way , rotating the axle up to point at the TC output yoke , a few degrees lower as a matter of fact , to allow for pinion angle variance / axle wrap.

On mine , I had D.S.I. build two new driveshafts for me , my front needed to be shortened , while writing up the work order at the front counter , it was discovered that my front driveshaft had a slight twist in it , I had them go ahead and build a new one , using heavier tubing. Due to the length of the front shaft and the driveline angles being acceptable , it wasn't necessary to use a double cardon driveshaft in the front.

If you are going spring over , consider using an anti axle wrap bar. Here's one I built.............

It's on the third page , the whole thread is of interest , having bought a seriously messed up 94 YJ and pretty much having to rebuild it end to end , all mechanical repair little to no cosmetic work.

http://www.whiteknight.ca/FORUMS/index.php?showtopic=2784&hl=Ghetto+YJ
Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: bubba on August 21, 2006, 03:21:25 AM
I am thinking I am gunna do just the axle swap for now.....want to have some fun with it this year..havent been out yet just got it and with the axle noise I dont want to risk it getting more fubard than it is-maybe over the winter do a lift kit...maybe 4"...but thx for the link-looks like you had some issues. My Yj looks like it was repaired by a moron aswell
Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: Gearhead on August 21, 2006, 09:40:37 PM
Here's another one  ,  this guy went spring over.

http://www.rockfrogs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=142
Title: dana 44 swap
Post by: Gearhead on August 21, 2006, 09:58:27 PM
Another one ........

http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/d44swap.html