- Location
- Thornton, CO
But in the end you'll have paid for machine work and have custom parts that cannot be easily replaced. You really want to go that route? Just playing devil's advocate here.
Converting a JK Dana 44 to run 5x4.5......
- Thread starter zluster
- Start date
zluster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Baby!
If its not gonna cost me too much, or require me to expend too much time, then I'll got for.
Otherwise like I said, resell for a tidy profit.
Sounds like you need to resell for a profit if thats an option. Second option I would say is get some new wheels. It will cost about the same or possibly less then some of the other options mentioned depending on which wheels you have/want, adding adaptors to the rear will also help even the widths out. The new JK unit bearing are also better then the older XJ units.
You might be able to drill the JK hubs to 5x4.5 but you will have to look to see if there is enough room.
Splines on the studs? I am assuming you are talking about the knurling done on them. Installing new studs is very easy they are only pressed in once the new holes are there.
You might be able to drill the JK hubs to 5x4.5 but you will have to look to see if there is enough room.
Splines on the studs? I am assuming you are talking about the knurling done on them. Installing new studs is very easy they are only pressed in once the new holes are there.
zluster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Baby!
I was referring to a competent machine shop adding the correct "knurls" for me to install studs onto.
- Location
- Hammertown, USA
If that were even on the -CHART- as a factor.. you'd already be done with the project.
You can't jump over a mountain to trip on a pebble, until you've jumped over a mountain.
zluster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Baby!
flyingbrick
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Monterey CA, San Luis Obispo
it would have to be some kind of a broaching process, but you might not be able to clear all the stud holes on the broacher, but i dunno, after broaching, you just press the studs in
stoneattic
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Honey Brook, PA
I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that the wheel stud holes are not knurled, just the studs themselves. At least that's the way it's looked on the many axles I've replaces studs on. There's usually marks from the studs knurls, but if you feel the holes they are smooth.
squirrel80
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Prescott Valley, AZ
What about having some custom axles made? I wonder if you could use a TJ Dana 44 hub with a JK inner axle and a TJ outer. The TJ Dana 44 hub has more splines than the Dana 30. Superior uses the same Ujoint for the TJ and JK even though the new JK is bigger. Longfield could probably make you something too. But for $1500 a Dana 44 rear with disc, locker and 4.10s is not a bad deal. You could probably get away with a 15" wheel if it was a steel one.
- Location
- Thornton, CO
It does?
- Location
- Hammertown, USA
I think you may be mistaken. Every TJ 44 front I've pulled apart was a dana 30 with a low pinion 44 third and 30 spline inners; but dana 30 inner C's, hubs, stubs, knuckles, tubes..
squirrel80
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Prescott Valley, AZ
zluster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Baby!
I think you may be right, now that I think back the holes themselves have only minor markings, probably from the broaching/knurling/splines on the studs themselves.
So right now its really starting to look like getting the hubs redrilled, and then either finding 5x4.5 rotors or getting the JK rotors redrilled is the way to go.
Begster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Cape Cod/Boston, Mass
Most places I've seen the TJ D44s sold only sell the housing/gears/shafts. They say that your stock knuckles, hubs, and brakes need to be used. This would mean that they did infact have the same spline count as the D30, otherwise only people who started off with TJ D44's would be able to buy those D44's.
zluster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Baby!
I always thought the TJ D44 hubs/knuckles etc were interchangeable with the D30. Thats what I've always heard(though I have no firsthand knowledge of that).
CartsXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Glenville, NY
Wow you guys are making this difficult!!!!! The easiest way for you to put this JK 44 under your rig is:
1. take the hubs and rotors to the machineshop
2. Ask the people there to press out the studs and re-drill both the rotors and unit-bearings to 5 on 4.5" and then have them press the studs back in.
3. Pay the shop, bring home and install.
Might at most cost you $50, at least around here. Actually if you or a friend have a drill press and a shop there is no reason why you couldn't yourself. Just take your old TJ/XJ rotor flip it over lay on top of the JK rotor and Unit Bearing mark your holes and drill.
1. take the hubs and rotors to the machineshop
2. Ask the people there to press out the studs and re-drill both the rotors and unit-bearings to 5 on 4.5" and then have them press the studs back in.
3. Pay the shop, bring home and install.
Might at most cost you $50, at least around here. Actually if you or a friend have a drill press and a shop there is no reason why you couldn't yourself. Just take your old TJ/XJ rotor flip it over lay on top of the JK rotor and Unit Bearing mark your holes and drill.
builder
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Yucca Valley california
Seems like a lot of work for no gain, leave the jk oem.wheel space the rear to match pattern and buy some rims! the way your doing it everytime a unit bearing fails, to the machine shop you go again. strength and $ wise leave it!
x2 Why make more headache? Just buy some wheels. Or pick up some factory JK wheels. With the wider JK axle, the factory offset wont be much of an issue.
zluster
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Baby!
I do have a drill press, I just dont trust myself to accurately drill new holes on some rather expensive parts. It's looking like a competent machine shop is the way to go.
As I said before, I have the wheels I want now, and I will not be running with anything else. Either I adapt this axle to run 5x4.5 without making it any wider, or I don't use it all at, those are the constraints I am working with here.
