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D44 Build up front and rear questions.

tompatjr

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hayneville,AL
Over the past year I have purchased a rear XJ D44 and recently a Ford D44 HP. I'm starting from scratch sort of. I have searched here and found some good info on these axles, but also heard alot of disagreement on what approach is better. That's what leads me to ask about my builb up.

My future specs, stock engine, AW-4 tranny, and transfer w/SYE, 6.5" lift RK w/4 link rear, FR & RR D44's, 35 or 36 in tires. I have all except the tires and axle parts and steering.

The Rear Dana 44 plans are, keep stock shafts and have them redrilled for 5X5.5" bolt pattern and order a detroit locker for the 30 spline shafts, advantage being could upgrade to 30 spline alloy shafts (using term generically) and still have a pair of spares and have the large 5 lug pattern. OR Do a Super Dana 44, but not have spares unless I order them. Also, I think Rawbrown (SP) said in one post that he thought a 30 spline Alloy USA shaft might be equivalent to a 33 spline superior shaft, because of the different material. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If that is true I will lean heavily toward staying with the stock 30 spine count shafts, in alloy of course. Any comments?

The front is alot more difficult, because of all the part swaping. Let me explain what my plans are and someone chime in and let me know what should be changed. I will have the axle cut down to fit 80-84 Waggy inners, reweld the innner Knuckles to the proper caster of 4-7 degrees, use flat top outers (Chevy/FSJ/Partsmike) found some FSJ outer two pairs. This is where I get lost...which spindles, outer axle stubs, caliper brackets and calipers. I want to use the 5X5.5" bolt pattern, because of rear. I think I read use small bearing chevy spindles and ford hub and rotors. Again please correct and give me good advice. Oh and I plan to use the RE axle brackets. If someone could tell me what it is from the inner knuckle out, that would be great.

Thanks
Tom
 
in the rear you might be able to get away with the stock shafts if you keep the skinny pedal to a minimum. i have a friend running 38" SX on stock shafts and i'd say he's medium on the throttle scale. but i'd probably go alloys
 
You can't re-drill the stock 44 shafts to 5x5.5 BC. Not enough material on the flange. Go with Superior shafts, they are drilled for both and only about 150 apiece.

I have GM knuckles, gm calipers/bracket and use ford spindles, rotor/hubs for 5x5.5.

Not sure what you mean by inner knuckle out?
 
tompatjr said:
This is where I get lost...which spindles, outer axle stubs, caliper brackets and calipers. I want to use the 5X5.5" bolt pattern, because of rear. I think I read use small bearing chevy spindles and ford hub and rotors. Again please correct and give me good advice. Oh and I plan to use the RE axle brackets. If someone could tell me what it is from the inner knuckle out, that would be great.

Thanks
Tom

As was said before, you can't redrill a stock XJ Dana44 axle shaft to 5 on 5.5.
With my front D44 I'm using the following.
PartsMike knuckles(Chevy style).
Chevy small bearing spindles.
WARN Chevy stub shafts #38815.
'84 Ford F150 rotor/hub assembly.
'84 Chevy K10 caliper brackets and calipers.
WARN Premium lockouts.
 
Jes said:
As was said before, you can't redrill a stock XJ Dana44 axle shaft to 5 on 5.5.
With my front D44 I'm using the following.
PartsMike knuckles(Chevy style).
Chevy small bearing spindles.
WARN Chevy stub shafts #38815.
'84 Ford F150 rotor/hub assembly.
'84 Chevy K10 caliper brackets and calipers.
WARN Premium lockouts.

Hey Jes - Chevy small bearing spindles - what years work for your application?
did you go junkyard or buy new?

thanks
 
My vote is to stay fool size, get a ford 9" and some wheels with some deep backspacing (easier and cheaper than cutting down an axle) and call it good. I have a chebby 44 with 37x12.5x17 MT/r's and I am only 78" wide at the outside edges of my tires.
 
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I have a Ford 8.8 rear with the Spidertrax spacers 5x4.5 to 5x5.5 and with the HP Dana 44 up front cut down to use 80-84 Waggy inners and Ford f-150 outers. Eyeballing it, I am the same width front and rear. I think with the factory Dana 44 in the rear with spacers would put it wider than the front. It would be easier to get a set of alloys for the rear and have the alloys redrilled for 5x5.5. Cant help you with the flat top steering thing. I kept it simple and stuck with all Ford outers to lessen the confusion.

AARON
 
davidt said:
My vote is to stay fool size, get a ford 9" and some wheels with some deep backspacing (easier and cheaper than cutting down an axle) and call it good. I have a chebby 44 with 37x12.5x17 MT/r's and I am only 78" wide at the outside edges of my tires.

How is it easier and cheaper to get a new rear axle to match the front and swap that in? The numbers don't add up.
Narrowing an axle housing is not hard and all it costs is the price of some cutoff wheels.
Also, running wheels with a lot of back spacing makes the hubs really stick out and they take a beating. I'm running 4"BS wheels and my hubs are pretty beat.
 
DaffyXJ said:
You can't re-drill the stock 44 shafts to 5x5.5 BC. Not enough material on the flange. Go with Superior shafts, they are drilled for both and only about 150 apiece.

I have GM knuckles, gm calipers/bracket and use ford spindles, rotor/hubs for 5x5.5.


Not sure what you mean by inner knuckle out?

Thanks I didn't know that the D44 axles could not be redrilled. I guess I will sale the shafts and use the money to go toward a Super 44 kit.
 
I just used wheel spacers w/a size conversion patterm.
 
Jes said:
How is it easier and cheaper to get a new rear axle to match the front and swap that in? The numbers don't add up.
Narrowing an axle housing is not hard and all it costs is the price of some cutoff wheels.
Also, running wheels with a lot of back spacing makes the hubs really stick out and they take a beating. I'm running 4"BS wheels and my hubs are pretty beat.
Well...He has to get custom shafts for the 44 and get the gears set up. He could buy a 9" for $150 (this would be an expensive 9") sell the 44 for $300 and actually come out ahead (unless he already has the rear 44 built with gears and lockers).

I do agree, my hubs get the crap beat out of them (I love living in the rocky west :D), but it is a compromise I am willingn to make (who doesn't carry spares?) Also, what width are you at (to the edge of your tires)
 
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For the front knuckles out you could use all Dodge 1/2ton/Ramcharger stuff to get the big 5 bolt pattern. As well all Dodge knuckles are flat tops to you would just have to get them drilled and tapped for the hi-steer. Would probably save a few bucks over the special order Chev ones. Then you don't have to use the smaller bearings and everything matches.

Anything from 1980 thru to 1993 should work. If you get one that had a disco system instead of locking hubs you just simply pull the blanks out of the hubs and install your choice of locking hub. I'm using a set from a Ford that I got at the wrecker for $5each.
 
cLAYH said:
For the front knuckles out you could use all Dodge 1/2ton/Ramcharger stuff to get the big 5 bolt pattern. As well all Dodge knuckles are flat tops to you would just have to get them drilled and tapped for the hi-steer. Would probably save a few bucks over the special order Chev ones. Then you don't have to use the smaller bearings and everything matches.

Anything from 1980 thru to 1993 should work. If you get one that had a disco system instead of locking hubs you just simply pull the blanks out of the hubs and install your choice of locking hub. I'm using a set from a Ford that I got at the wrecker for $5each.

So your using Dodge kuckles, calipers and brackets, splindes and disk. Which outer shafts do you run? Dodge! Can you get them in a alloy other than OEM? Also I have heard Dodge had some questionable brakes, what's your opinion?
 
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