Dana 44 swap zj

[cLAY]

I'm not sure I'd bother replacing one with the other either way. Not enough advantage of one over the other to justify it. Either one can wheel a 33" tire and past that you should be looking for something better anyway.

Like a  D60! 

[Rubi03 jef]

im looking for D60's     but no luck so far in my price range   (case of beer)   lol    and for a 12 pack they need to be geared and locked 

[cLAY]

Rear D60s are a dime a dozen. The one in the back of my ZJ came from a '80s Dodge 3/4ton. Lots of them a PYP. Of course its had a fair bit of mods to it since I got it. 

[AV.NINE]

3 words is all you need!

Front, Rear, Nines.

[Rubi03 jef]

nices are nice but     60's sound so much MEANER  hahah

at least to me .

[AV.NINE]

9" center 14bolt outters, 9" center 60 outters.... Best of both worlds!

[raf2379]

so something like http://www.spidertrax.com/Spider9-Housing-65C35  
and like this http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Full-Float-Spindles-Billet-4130-CrMo_p_1697.html
and then a removable carrier from junk yard, regear it, buy 35sline shafts. save money for a true hi9 carrier
and off the shelf 14 bolt hubs and you have your self a nice rear axle. 4.86 is the lowest you can go on a 9" right?
I think 60's and 14 bolts are still more budget friendly.


as to the original poster, regearing is a pain in the butt sometimes, and I dont think anyone will help for beer, unless your really good friends with someone who can do gears. quoting 6 or 8 hours, it doesent matter sometimes it takes few hours and sometimes it takes 14. the 44 swap, if you have access to a mig, buy some aftermarker brackets and do it your self, if you have the 8.8 conversion kit brackets, I could weld them up for you, but not for beer, i need money to finish my own project. as for the gears i cant help you there, but i'm sure someone can for $$. you cant expect much for beer.

[Possum]

There's no way the D35 is better than the 44A for wheeling. The 44A internals are a hybrid of D44 and D60 designs (and identical to those used in the Dodge Viper), and while the Al center section isn't ideal, a simple $150 bottom truss eliminates any section flex and section damage. I agree that locker selection is limited to lunchbox units, but for the price and ease of install the D44A is a logical upgrade for people with ZJs "blessed" with the D35.

Guess you're right on the gear strength, but a cracked housing is still a failed diff.  A truss and skid guard may be all you need, but I still wouldn't spend money on it.  Might be just me though.

[CatSplat]

Guess you're right on the gear strength, but a cracked housing is still a failed diff.  A truss and skid guard may be all you need, but I still wouldn't spend money on it.  Might be just me though.

You say that, but compare the hundreds of dollars in bracketry, disc brake/e-brake conversion, and complications required to install an iron XJ D44 into a ZJ compared to the D44a which is a simple cheap truss away from greater overall strength and bolts directly in, I think the 44A is a much more reasonable choice. It's certainly no D60 or 14B (far from it!) but if you're running, say, 33s and a locker the trussed D44a had worked just fine for many people.

[AV.NINE]

Raf, I bought my 14 bolt for $100, 9" currie housing for $160 detroit 35 spline for $200 set of axles for $300 and an aftermarket third for $200 and I'm pretty much done for $950 plus some new brakes.

[cLAY]

It's certainly no D60 or 14B (far from it!) but if you're running, say, 33s and a locker the trussed D44a had worked just fine for many people.

So do people with D35s.

[CatSplat]

So do people with D35s.

I'd hesitate to run 33's on a locked D35, especially behind a V8 in a heavier vehicle, but that's a personal thing. That's certainly not to say you can't, but in terms of performance/strength envelope the 44A will have more headroom than the D35 at that tire size due to its internals alone.

Dana 35
Ring Gear Diameter = 7.562"
Pinion shaft Diameter = 1.376"
Ring Gear Bolt Count = 8
Pinion Spline = 26
Cover Bolt Count = 10
Axle Spline = 27
Axle Shaft Diameter = 1.09"

Dana 44A
Ring Gear Diameter = 8.5"
Pinion Shaft Diameter = 1.625"
Ring Gear Bolt Count = 10
Pinion Spline = 29
Cover Bolt Count = 10
Axle Spline = 30
Axle Shaft diameter = 1.31"

The 44A is not a bulletproof axle by any means, but as a bolt-in upgrade from the D35 for a couple hundred bucks it's a pretty decent unit.

[Possum]

A 1 ton axle would be nice, but in the past this meant custom and expensive unless you want full width.  I've been out of the game for a few years so I feel like a noob, but can you get a D60 or some other 1 ton combination axle for a ZJ that meets these requirements:
- stock width
- stock pinion offset
- relatively cheap

The 14 bolt / nine mentioned earlier sounds appealing if it has the right measurements.
 

[cLAY]

The D60 rear I used in mine is about as close as you can get without cutting it down. Its got a 65" WMS which is 5" over stock, or 2.5" per side.

Pinion is offset and quite cheap.

The expensive part is building an axle for the front to match the 8 bolt lug pattern.

[Bnine]

I'd hesitate to run 33's on a locked D35, especially behind a V8 in a heavier vehicle, but that's a personal thing. That's certainly not to say you can't, but in terms of performance/strength envelope the 44A will have more headroom than the D35 at that tire size due to its internals alone.

Dana 35
Ring Gear Diameter = 7.562"
Pinion shaft Diameter = 1.376"
Ring Gear Bolt Count = 8
Pinion Spline = 26
Cover Bolt Count = 10
Axle Spline = 27
Axle Shaft Diameter = 1.09"

Dana 44A
Ring Gear Diameter = 8.5"
Pinion Shaft Diameter = 1.625"
Ring Gear Bolt Count = 10
Pinion Spline = 29
Cover Bolt Count = 10
Axle Spline = 30
Axle Shaft diameter = 1.31"

The 44A is not a bulletproof axle by any means, but as a bolt-in upgrade from the D35 for a couple hundred bucks it's a pretty decent unit.

Drink bleach web wheeler. No one cares about junk D44A's.

Not everything is about dollars and cents. Most of its common sense, and d44a's are not common sense.

Thats the problem with budget wheelers, they will nickle and dime themselves into failure then blame everyone but themselves.

Who do you know wheeling locked 44 aluminums?

Seriously take that crap somewhere else.

I would, and have  run competitions on a super 35 before even looking at a garbage 44a.

Do you people make up this web wheeler rhetoric just to see yourselves post? Are you going to take responsibility if someone actual fell for this bullshit and wasted money on your bad advice?

Jesus