built 44's or go with the 60

[Rubi03 jef]

so now im debating

option 1

do i sell my already pretty well built dana 44 locked and 5.13's with chromoly shafts   and buy 2 dana 60's and build them slowly   

option 2

keep the 44's and try to build them tougher .

goal is to run 38's and long arm .. i dont like mud i rather crawl everything

anyone with input would be great.. somethings is telling me sell sell sell and buy 60's and i know ill never break .  but i want input


thanks

[w squared]

One part of the equation that you haven't given us details on yet...what are you planning for the engine? Leave it as a stocker, or are you going to stroke it or do a swap sometime in the future (or put a blower on it)?

[AV.NINE]

For 38's you'd be nuts going to 60's. Look how good your jeep works now. When you do your cummins swap the extra weight and power will warrant a 60 swap. Lets put some gussets on your 44's, maybe a truss and leave it there for now. No rush dude. Look what i did while on a very not built dana 30 and 35.....

Now.... Lets enter your jeep in TTC.

[cLAY]

How hard do you wheel? Are you that entertaining guy that rpms up everything putting on a good show or do you like to finesse your way through it? I'm some where it betweeen, probably a bit more to the finesse side. My front D44 has stock axles and is a low pinion. I've broken 2 shafts doing some stupid stuff with a posi front end that would open and the wrong time and shock load one side. Other than that its been pretty good. Running 36s, with a stock 5.2 and 5.38s on a 6500# rig. I do take out the occasional bearing when I forget to repack them after being in the mud.

The rear is a welded D60 with stock 32 spline shafts as well(GASP!). Its now in its 3rd wheeling rig, been rocking that diff for over 10years. NEVER failed. All I've done other than re-gear it is brake shoes.

How far along with your D44 are you and what sort of D44 is it? Rubi or custom? Building a D60 costs the same as a D44 except for the initial purchase. Plus the cost to change the other axle so it matchs the 8 bolt pattern.

[AV.NINE]

He's got rubicon 44's with chromoly inners and outters with 5.13s.

[cLAY]

Thats a pretty decent setup. I would be inclined to stay with it. However selling them would go a long way to building some 60s.

Is he capable of doing the work himself? Otherwise things get pricey.....

[AV.NINE]

Thats a pretty decent setup. I would be inclined to stay with it. However selling them would go a long way to building some 60s.

Is he capable of doing the work himself? Otherwise things get pricey.....

Yup, a grinder is his favorite tool hahaha

[Rubi03 jef]

Ya I can do my own work I geared my own rubi 44's no issues a year later now and the Pattern is still tight so I did awesome
I don't like to beat my jeep into the red so I will try to crawl everything first
But as well all know sometimes the skinny pedal can be ur friend as well as ur nightmare

I know if I sold my 44's they would bring in some good cash to go towards 60's

Right now the biggest pain with the 44's is the unit bearings but I think o have it covered pretty good
Napa and auto value have 1 year warranty on there bearings and well I haven't paid for bears for 4 years now and mine get hangs out ever 8 months. And that's on 35's. If I got to 38's 6 months will probably but the life of those bearings
As long and napa an auto value don't cut me off on my returns I'm good to go

So then the next concern is building all new mounts on Dana 60's for suspension I know I could do this. But I just haven't yet
So a bit on the unsure side. 

So it's alot to ponder

[THE GOLD DIIGGER]

Go 60's its the best thing i ever did!!!!. I blew up my 44 running 37's.

[Bnine]

Clay's44 isnt really the same as a rubi 44. It isnt just the unit bearings, its also the balljoints, steering knuckles and width that you have to deal with.

Stock jeep axles are not nearly wide enough to run 38's in any practical/functional form. Even with a dangerous amount of spacer they are still to narrow and will restrict both wheel travel and turning radius.

Also rubicon lockers are not 38' tire strong. With hard wheeling you are usually lucky to get more then 2 busy seasons out of one on 35's. Both joel, and rick have blown rubi lockers on 35's just in this club alone.

38's are a big step. Are you going to beadlock them? Not much point in having that much tire if you cant air it down. Are you going to do hydro assist? Maybe ask Dom how many steering boxes and pumps he went through trying to 37's unassisted.

Are you stretching? Cause 38's and 93" wheelbase on a TJ really brings the suck when it comes to climbing. Minimum wheelbase consideration for 38's is 99" and ideal is 103-105".

Lots of things to consider. 35's are where stock tj's, and rubi's cap out before getting into a whole world of modifications.

[Rubi03 jef]

YEs I want to stretch 7 out back and maybe 2 to 3 inchs up front hydro assist for sure
And ya I was wonderig if I had to go full width cuz 38's need more room n n
So I guess I will have to go to 60's

Well ow it's what do you all think I should be able to get for my 44's

[raf2379]

with my build my axle choices have changed a lot. at the begining i was going to build up my D30 and 8.25 to run 35's and then realised I'll want to go bigger later on so I decided for a HP D44 front and a D60 rear. then as my build progressed I decided that I might as well put a 60 in the front, so I bought one for $120 without axleshafts and thats what is going under the xj. Recently I decided to go with a 14bolt in the rear due to the pure strength in stock form, the 30 spline axle shafts are massive compared to the D60, the 14bolt splines are cut at 37* degrees compared to 30*deg D60 shafts, this is another strength increase.

for 38" tires yes i would say go with 60's, your d44 baljoints will see a lot of stress on big tires, not to mention a rear 60 will be full floating axle. Or you could go with a 14bolt in the rear.

I have a spare D60 rear for sale out of an 85 dodge truck sitting in my garage. its 65" WMS-WMS full floating axle. i'm not using it because I went with a 14bolt which is 67" WMS-WMS and sits under my XJ better with my 4.25`BS rims.

[JackstandJohnny]

jeff have you considered just selling the rubi you've got now and starting with an older, bone stock TJ?

if you're changing everything, it might be (no guarantees) easier to sell the rubi and start from scratch..... 

[Rubi03 jef]

jeff have you considered just selling the rubi you've got now and starting with an older, bone stock TJ?

if you're changing everything, it might be (no guarantees) easier to sell the rubi and start from scratch..... 

i have thought about that ..  trust me i have ..  what do you all think a 04 rubi with 4 inch lift 35's with all the other goodies is worth

[Immortal]

$5... I'll give you $10, just because you have taken such great care of it.