found a 87 xj d44 now??

[steveVA]

i found an 87 xj d44 for $350 close enough to pick up ,, now are they all the same??,, when I go get it what should I look for?, Im going to rebuild it and drop a new r+p and an electrac in it, but are there any diffrences or reasons it shouldn't just "drop" right in??
thanks

 

[CRASH]

Check the shafts if it's been on a lifted/ big tire vehicle. I just rebuilt a 44 for a friend that had a couple of twisted splines. If it's been on a DD, don't worry about it.

CRASH

 

[btl_fed_xj]

Advice about the Dana 44

I too am looking to swap in a Dana 44 into the rear end of my XJ. I was wondering how the dana 44s out of 80s XJs handle/feel going around corners and what kind of wear you get on the tires. My Cherokee is a 96 and is only 2wd but with the nitrous I have going into it along with the large amount of towing I do with it I wanted something that was beefy in the rear end. Any advice would be appreciated.

Steve, I am very interested to hear how the install is going to go, please let me know what the outcome is and how she handles once the rear-end is installed. Good luck man!

 

[MaXJohnson]

IMO, $350.00 seems like a lot to pay for a medium duty axle considering you're changing out the gears, putting in a locker, wondering about what shape the axles shafts are in and you will probably want to replace the wheel bearings, seals and who knows what else.

 

[steveVA]

thanks for the suggestions,,

yeah I really didn't know what to expect as far as a fair price,, I only want to do this thing once, and there are so many ways do do it,, take a little from here weld it to that, stick one of those things in there, put some of that on it (im I talking porn now?)
Well Im back to square one,, all I know is I want something stout, not overkill, with discs, and a selectable locker, because I drive to snowshoe, WV a lot and I hear a regular locker like a detroit is crazy on off camber ice/snow (what's not right) so thats it, strong, good brakes, good traction, no worries..so I thought..

 

[Eagle]

$350 is a fair price. I've seen them sold as low as $100, and I've seen them sold for as high as $600 -- all used, in unknown condition.

As for the original question ... I don't understand the question. It feels like any other Cherokee, the wheels are round and it basically goes where you steer it. Why would a Dana 44 rear axle handle or drive any different from a Dana 35 or a Mopar 8.25?

 

[btl_fed_xj]

Isn't the rear end locked or isn't there a limited slip in a Dana 44? It's not an open differential is it? I thought that was part of the difference between a Dana 35 with an open differential and a Dana 44. If it's not could someone please correct my nieve knowledge or lack there of.

THanks,

Jamie

 

[bradlyw]

the stock d44 in my 87 xj was open.

Brad

 

[Eagle]

Isn't the rear end locked or isn't there a limited slip in a Dana 44? It's not an open differential is it? I thought that was part of the difference between a Dana 35 with an open differential and a Dana 44. If it's not could someone please correct my nieve knowledge or lack there of.

THanks,

Jamie

Some (but not all) of them have a Trac-Lok, which was the factory optional limited slip. Trac-Lok was also available as an option on the Dana 35 axles and on the Mopar 8.25 axles. The presence or absence of the limited slip (it is not a locker) is not related to why people upgrade to the Dana 44. We upgrade because it has bigger gears, stronger housing, larger axle shafts, and larger brakes.

 

[Hunter-LynchburgVa]

if you hold off and look around more in your area ive seen them go for around 80-100 bucks drum to drum. and you could even get a disc to disc 31 spline 8.8 for under 200.

Hunter

 

[Eagle]

BTW --

Just noticed that you plan to install an Electrac. That's a full carrier replacement anyway, so it wouldn't matter if the axle you found had a limited slip or an open diff, because the OEM carrier would go on the shelf as a paper weight.

Reality check -- you have looked at the prices for the ElecTrac, right? You know what you're getting into? You're looking at $350 for the axle, another couple of hundred+ for new gears and bearings, maybe $750 for the ElecTrac, you might well need new brake drums, which will be another 100 clams ... by the time you add that all up plus labor, I think you should contact Drive Train Direct, Currie, and Dynatrack and get comparative prices on having a new Dana44 built for you, 'cause I think you're in that ball park.

 

[whitexj88]

http://differentialeng.com/

This guy can usually cut Dynatrac prices by 1,500.00 or more. He is located in FL. I priced a D60 for the front high pinion 4.56 ARB and it was right at 4,000.00 so a rear low pinion shouldn't be that bad might want to give him a call and check out some different options you might be able to get a D60 rear for 500.00 more than you are going to end up spending on that D44