Dana 44 rear with Dana 35 brakes

I'm building a Dana 44 rear end for my 1994 XJ and I'm wondering if it's possible to install it using the brakes from my Dana 35. I'm going to eventually put ZJ discs on the rear, but the brakes on my Dana 35 are in great shape and until I have the time and money I'd like to use them. The brakes on the Dana 44 are shot.

Robert

XJWheelie said:

I'm building a Dana 44 rear end for my 1994 XJ and I'm wondering if it's possible to install it using the brakes from my Dana 35. I'm going to eventually put ZJ discs on the rear, but the brakes on my Dana 35 are in great shape and until I have the time and money I'd like to use them. The brakes on the Dana 44 are shot.

Robert

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backing plates, drums, shoes, all are different. I don't think you'd be able to swap all of that over, but I've been proven wrong many times. ASK MY WIFE ! :shhh:

I beleive that by drilling 2 holes and enlarging the other 2 that the backing plate assembly will bolt on. the drum should work fine as (I'm guessing) the offset of the axle flange to backing plate is the same. Dana 44's came with 1 3/4 or 2 1/2 brakes so either should work.

The D35 brakes are 10x1.75" and the D44 brakes are 10x2.5". The backing plates are different, so if you want to swap the drums you also need to swap the backing plates. However, if all you want to swap over is the shoes, they'll fit right into the D44 drums, on the D44 backing plates. They just won't sweep the full depth of the drums.

Eagle said:

The D35 brakes are 10x1.75" and the D44 brakes are 10x2.5". The backing plates are different, so if you want to swap the drums you also need to swap the backing plates. However, if all you want to swap over is the shoes, they'll fit right into the D44 drums, on the D44 backing plates. They just won't sweep the full depth of the drums.

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I WAS RIGHT !! YEAH! :shhh: Don't tell my wife !

So by doing a little reaming and drilling it sounds like everything will fit. I realize that this is a kindly stupid sounding project, but I want to get the Dana 44 on as soon as I can and then worry about putting together the pieces for the disc brakes without paying $600 for a ready made set-up. Not only is it a financial consideration, but there's something really gratifying about fabricating something yourself instead of buying a kit.

Thanks for all the help,
Robert

Is the D35 dead? If not, why not keep that on and make the best possible use of your time to put together the disks for the D44 in the meantime?

Yucca-Man said:

Is the D35 dead? If not, why not keep that on and make the best possible use of your time to put together the disks for the D44 in the meantime?

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I gotta go with this idea...That way you don't have to booty fab something and then have $hit go wrong when your 50 miles away from everything...

Yeah, I may do that. It's kinda' hard to figure out what to do 1st since I want to re-gear, swap the D35 out for the D44 and swap out the rear springs while I've got that apart, install a locker in the D30 while I've got it apart to re-gear, and move up to 33" tires. I know that some people have said to just get rid of the D30 and not bother since you'll only move up in tire size and then have to anyway, but I'm a paraplegic that uses a wheelchair, so I doubt that I'll move up from there since I've got to be able to get in this thing!

Thanks for all the advice,
Robert

Eagle said:

The D35 brakes are 10x1.75" and the D44 brakes are 10x2.5". The backing plates are different, so if you want to swap the drums you also need to swap the backing plates. However, if all you want to swap over is the shoes, they'll fit right into the D44 drums, on the D44 backing plates. They just won't sweep the full depth of the drums.

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Also another thing.....

D35 brakes also came in 9in drums dependent on the year.

You may want to make sure that you've actually got the 10x1.75" drums. As far as the 9in, I'm not sure if its a direct swap, seeing as I didn't go the cheap route, and replaced all of the D44 brake hardware.

Ratz --

I missed the part about it being a '94. Yes, it will have 9" brakes, not the 10x1.75 that were uised on the older Dana 35s. My bad. The shoes will not fit.

i just did exactly what you're talking about. the brake backing plates fit on the d44 no problem, but the hole in the center that the bearing goes through needs to be enlarged to accomodate the larger bearing. just use the entire brake assembly from the 35 .

i realize its not the ideal way to do it. i've slowly been collecting parts for a disc conversion but money is tight and the axle has been waiting to go in for a while. it would have been nice to just have the entire axle the way i want it, but, well, ya know!
hope this helps,
dan f.

You know, you can probably buy the new drums and shoes for the d44 for about 50 buck total and have great brakes that will last many years. You could go even cheaper if you found the drum at a salvage. It would be much safer that rigging out of mixed peices. And if you were going to ust the old drums from the 44 anyway, You can get cheap shoes for like $8 dolars at autozone, and they will work fine. Do it right. I love to fab and make thing work for cheap, but brakes are a core safety issue, and anyway you will only save like $10 while risking your life. I just rebuilt my Rear D44 drum breaks for $40 and that included both wheel cylenders and being ripped off by Napa because autozone was out of the shoes. It is so much easier to do it right, and you might just decide that it is good enought and leav it that way. The D44 10x 2.5 drums with the cooling fins provide much greater capacity than stock 9 in d35 brakes

I agree with what ^^^ said. Do it right! Brakes are safety!

And if you get around to replacing the wheel cylinders, upgrade to the 15/16s. Slightly more braking out of them. I noticed a difference over them from stock.

Edit- There is also an upgrade to 1in wheel cylinders from an F150. I forget the part number, but if I come across it I'll post it....