I spent the weekend before last down at SFR working on the 44 for the rear of this, I still hadn't gotten around to it.
A few weeks before I had XCM install a Powertrax Grip Pro LSD with some thick cut 4.10's and a u-bolt yoke into the housing.
Then did the Iron Rock Offroad 44 truss.
The truss covered the vent hole, and I never liked the stupid plastic stick in vent nipple anyway; so welded that hole up and drilled a new one, welding a proper nippe into its place.
Cal,
That build look like the one under my XJ, 4.10 gears, U bolt instead of straps, Explorer rear disks, welded up and relocated vent tube, Ected, :gag:,...Wait! scrub the Ected, you have something different.
I have one of those trusses almost 10 years that I want to add in the near future ( a month or two). Did you weld yours to the center section also or just the tubes? I want to weld to just the tubes.
I did not read what size tires you plan to wear. When my D44 was regarded to 4.10, the XJ had 15" wheels and 31" tires. I swore I would never go larger than 31" tires. Fast forward to today,...Larger brakes in the front that requires nothing less than 16" wheels. With JK take offs wheels and tires, I am back to the lacking performance of 30" tires and 3.55 gears. It is acceptable under most driving conditions but I wish I had a bit more. There are no long hill climbs in Florida so I do not know how it will do there. I remember the days with the cruise set on 70 MPH doing those long hills going through Virginia, the AW4 will gear hunt until I manually to 3.