Dana 44 front upgrade info

[zachandandy]

Last ghetto 8 lug rear I built for $400 is under my wife's wj and that 14 bolt is nearly indestructible and with the shave only cost .7" of ground clearance over the 44 it replaced. It has a Detroit locker. And a full heim steering kit from ruff stuff is $270, but of course you must run the hollow toothpick factory steering if you include the cost of a steering upgrade as a savings if you polish the 30? For you go fast guys the weight savings is a huge factor. For the average wheeler/ crawler big, strong, and cheap makes more sense.

 

[REVROK]

Ahhh the axle arguments that never end

 

[Bryan C.]

Ahhh the axle arguments that never end

Too many people confusing their opinion as hard facts.

Like this crap:

For the average wheeler/ crawler big, strong, and cheap makes more sense.

I have seen some BS spew from your keyboard but this one takes the cake. The average wheeler/rockcrawler does NOT need 1 ton axles under their rig. The average member/user does NOT need 1 ton axles. Go to an event and you will see more 33" and 35" tires than other other size. Stock XJ axles with minor upgrades can handle this size tire all day long. Hell, there is a guy in the sierra chapter who runs 40's on his stock geared D30. So is that the new standard for the D30? No, but it works for him.

I have run my D30 since 2002, I have wheeled some of the hardest trails in California using my inferior D30 running 35's with only a few issues along the way.

Stop confusing opinion with facts.

 

[cal]

Too many people confusing their opinion as hard facts.

Like this crap:




I have seen some BS spew from your keyboard but this one takes the cake. The average wheeler/rockcrawler does NOT need 1 ton axles under their rig. The average member/user does NOT need 1 ton axles. Go to an event and you will see more 33" and 35" tires than other other size. Stock XJ axles with minor upgrades can handle this size tire all day long. Hell, there is a guy in the sierra chapter who runs 40's on his stock geared D30. So is that the new standard for the D30? No, but it works for him.

I have run my D30 since 2002, I have wheeled some of the hardest trails in California using my inferior D30 running 35's with only a few issues along the way.

Stop confusing opinion with facts.

*EXACTLY*.

Richard and I race *KING OF THE HAMMERS* on a Dana 44, and we do it pushing better than 350 horsepower on the biggest and heaviest 35's we can put our hands on. Did we dump a buttload of cash in it? Other than our breaks.. not really, no.

 

[MoparManiac]

My only real complaint with the D30 was how weak the factory carrier was.

So that would put me at dropping $1k on an ARB setup or something similar.

Or throw down $300 on a lockrite for a D44 and use the other $700 towards upgrades for it in other places.

 

[cal]

$500 for a 30 detroit.

$300 for a 44 lockrite after what, 85-100 for a 44 carrier for deep gears?

 

[MoparManiac]

I'm all set with a detroit. I'd rather a selectable. I've seen enough blow up after breaking a shaft that I wouldn't want one.

 

[cal]

If you'd rather a selectable, then that lockrite wasn't really on the table and the 44 didnt save anything

 

[MoparManiac]

I meant I'd rather a selectable if I had to have a full case locker as I don't trust a detroit.

I have no problems with a lockrite. I run a spartan in my front D60.

 

[XJLI]

i bought a new truck for a little more than half of what i had into my HP44.

 

[Olympus Off Road]

My only real complaint with the D30 was how weak the factory carrier was.

So that would put me at dropping $1k on an ARB setup or something similar.

Or throw down $300 on a lockrite for a D44 and use the other $700 towards upgrades for it in other places.

44 carriers are nothing awesome either. I blame my gearset failure on it. ran that axle hard for years until one of the shafts took out the Detroit. Replaced the Detroit with an open carrier and lunchbox and I stripped the ring gear first trip out.

I'm all set with a detroit. I'd rather a selectable. I've seen enough blow up after breaking a shaft that I wouldn't want one.

Hi! The fact that they cost more to repair than replace also leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.


To put my 2 cents into this thread I can see a place for every axle option discussed. I have no regrets building a 44 front to hold up to 35's. The locking hubs and awesome brakes were my favorite part. I'm also a firm believer you can build a 30 to reliably handle 35's as well. Ease of disassembly and repair takes the cake there for sure.

 

[Luke95]

44 carriers are nothing awesome either. I blame my gearset failure on it. ran that axle hard for years until one of the shafts took out the Detroit. Replaced the Detroit with an open carrier and lunchbox and I stripped the ring gear first trip out.



Hi! The fact that they cost more to repair than replace also leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.


To put my 2 cents into this thread I can see a place for every axle option discussed. I have no regrets building a 44 front to hold up to 35's. The locking hubs and awesome brakes were my favorite part. I'm also a firm believer you can build a 30 to reliably handle 35's as well. Ease of disassembly and repair takes the cake there for sure.

I agree with Sam. On my 44 the brakes are great, the lock outs are awesome, and the only down side is less clearance than a hp30.

 

[rockclimber]

*EXACTLY*.

Richard and I race *KING OF THE HAMMERS* on a Dana 44, and we do it pushing better than 350 horsepower on the biggest and heaviest 35's we can put our hands on. Did we dump a buttload of cash in it? Other than our breaks.. not really, no.

lets be real for a minute... those falkens are not the biggest nor the heaviest 35"s anybody has put their hands on.


and comparing costs on these things is pretty silly, you can't say you didn't dump a buttload of cash into it when you were given a center section from Solid. the average JY 44 is not going to hold up as well as that. certainly not an LP waggy 44.


OP if you are going to get an LP 44 at least find one out of a TJ rubicon so its bolt in.
if you are going into the aftermarket, the new currie HP rockjock44 is very nice. the casting is about twice as strong as a dana, and they can be had with any bracket setup and inner/outer combo you desire.


I still agree that a 44 is almost always a waste of money and if you are breaking the d30 you need to make the jump to a real axle. a real axle does not use 5-760x ujoints.

 

[Bryan C.]

a real axle does not use 5-760x ujoints.

More opinions stated as facts. :banghead:

 

[rockclimber]

More opinions stated as facts. :banghead:

 

[cal]

You said it for me.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

keep your eyes posted on pirate for cheap already built hp44s, but be careful. I picked one up and did not pull it apart at the dudes place and both spindles were toast, bearings were iffy at best, one lockout was fubar, one bad bad hub, bad ball joints, and a shot U joint with a stock shaft, so don't be afraid to be thorough when purchasing used. Thats the reason my personal experience with a hp44 ended up costing a ton of money(+gears, master install, ARB shim kit, etc) , but experiences may vary. If you find a built 900$ hp44, you might get lucky and have good hubs, bearings, ball joints, etc and literally just weld up brackets to get it under your XJ and drive away.

Just make sure you open up an excel file, run through the numbers for a built 30, a built 44, and a cheap 60 build in three separate columns and understand and jot down the pros and cons, costs savings for each scenario, all with respect to where you wheel and your desired wheeling style. Make sure you take into account what you are breaking now, what your buddies are breaking, and how/when they are breaking it-- are they flooring it like crazy people up bonus lines or taking bypasses and taking it easy.

You may very well be solid on your dana 30 , on some used d30 chromos , home made truss, knuckle gussets, heavy duty cover, full carrier locker , but remember things like R&P strength and brakes .

Most importantly its where you wheel , who you wheel with and how you wheel. I went years and years on 35s and a d30 running things like the rubicon with no issues whatsoever. It wasn't until I started to change how I wheel, where I wheeled(mostly talking about bonus lines that are avoidable ) , and who I wheeled with that I started to break , keep that in mind that if you keep it sane you can build a 30 that lasts. that being said, talking to the guys back east and in NY while in the MOAB event last year they all seemed to laugh at us cali guys for swearing by 30s on bigger tires so much since so much of their wheeling is throttling steep muddy clay-like climbs. While in MOAB we had a ton of guys doing everything out there on dana 30s with 33s and 35s so you should be fine if that is your preferred terrain .

 

[zachandandy]

The average wheeler/ crawler running bigger than 35's. fixed it for you. Of course nobody needs one tons for 33's. I myself, as well as most people I wheel with, are at the point of running tons and all of us wish we had done it sooner. Even if you argue cost is similar for each axle built, you run into limits with the smaller axles. Bigger less built axles on 35's allow you to go as big as you want with upgrades down the road. You cannot get anywhere near your money back out of the built dana 30 and that's a fact not an opinion.

 

[cal]

The average wheeler/ crawler running bigger than 35's. fixed it for you. Of course nobody needs one tons for 33's. I myself, as well as most people I wheel with, are at the point of running tons and all of us wish we had done it sooner. Even if you argue cost is similar for each axle built, you run into limits with the smaller axles. Bigger less built axles on 35's allow you to go as big as you want with upgrades down the road. You cannot get anywhere near your money back out of the built dana 30 and that's a fact not an opinion.

well, thats your opinion.

 

[REVROK]

$500 for a 30 detroit.

$300 for a 44 lockrite after what, 85-100 for a 44 carrier for deep gears?

Bought a waggy with, highsteer, the deeper gearset and the lockrite already done... Axle was completely rebuilt with the gears to match my rear... patient searching and $600 on craigslist plus a truss kit from TNT and a bit of welding for a "nearly bolt in" locked D44 at $1000 total cost. 1/2" thick tubes, good brakes and locking hubs make me smile, but others maybe not?? Clearance?? I haven't noticed any issues.

The Dana 30 is fine for 35's with some massaging, breakage may vary depending on driving style. Same true of the 44 or even the 60 though if you are nuts enough!!! Bottom line is build an axle for yourself and go wheeling!