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View Full Version : xj to zj d44 swaps?



chopshop
09-09-2004, 05:40 PM
Anybody got a few pics of an xj d44 in a Grand?

One just fell into my lap for $150, and that's Canadian.
It's 3.55, and drums. I'm thinking rear discs using regular xj/zj fronts and Monte Carlo calipers. Any other suggestions? The stock Grand stuff is too expensive around here, the junkyards still think Grands are high society.....

I need to match it to my front 4.10's, I found a front Chevy d44 low pinion with 4.10's - the front and rear LOW pinion d44 stuff is interchangable, right?


I don't need the "60" speech, I got a d70, and its tooooo damn big for me right now!

thx.

robselina
09-09-2004, 05:59 PM
sell it to an XJ or YJ guy, they think those things are made of gold. Use your newly acquired wealth to swap in a Explorer 8.8, it's a better axle especially if you find one with 4.10s (they were an option, though 3.73s are more common) and disks of course....

Raacerx
09-09-2004, 06:04 PM
Anybody got a few pics of an xj d44 in a Grand?

One just fell into my lap for $150, and that's Canadian.
It's 3.55, and drums. I'm thinking rear discs using regular xj/zj fronts and Monte Carlo calipers. Any other suggestions? The stock Grand stuff is too expensive around here, the junkyards still think Grands are high society.....

I need to match it to my front 4.10's, I found a front Chevy d44 low pinion with 4.10's - the front and rear LOW pinion d44 stuff is interchangable, right?


I don't need the "60" speech, I got a d70, and its tooooo damn big for me right now!

thx.

$150 Canadian? Thats a steal! I know guys down here that will pay over $500US for a Cherokee D44!!!! Thats like... a million Canadian dollars.

I owned a ZJ for a brief moment that has a XJ D44 in the back. Its packed with 4.56 gears, a Detroit locker, and D35 brackets. Its now my friends. This is the best one I have of the axle.

http://www.fototime.com/{482BCE18-C141-4681-A829-B93D1F6CE9B2}/picture.JPG

chopshop
09-09-2004, 07:14 PM
parking brake with 8.8, too. I didn't think of selling and getting an 8.8.
I need a parking brake for inspection sticker.

what's the width difference again?

I have a d44 spool, so that's a plus for keeping it. A new locker wasn't in the plans.

Are the 4.10's 8.8 rare? What would they be found in, like a trailer tow package or something?

Raacerx
09-09-2004, 08:13 PM
parking brake with 8.8, too. I didn't think of selling and getting an 8.8.
I need a parking brake for inspection sticker.

what's the width difference again?

I have a d44 spool, so that's a plus for keeping it. A new locker wasn't in the plans.

Are the 4.10's 8.8 rare? What would they be found in, like a trailer tow package or something?

Id definitely sell it and either find another cheap 44 or an 8.8. Maybe Xj 44s are more plentiful up in Canada. But the 44 has a parking brake too, its just 8.8s already come with discs and are generally newer and cheaper. They make 8.8s with 4.10s but I mainly see 3.73s and a LS.

If you dont care about making some money, its a fine axle!

gearhead313
09-09-2004, 08:39 PM
I agree...sell it and work on getting an 8.8

chopshop
09-09-2004, 09:07 PM
I won't sell it and look for another d44 with the wrong wheel pattern.

I have a spool for a d44 - no locker for an 8.8

I can do dics brakes on a d44 cheaper than new locker for 8.8

I guess my problem is an emergency brake, cause I just made a deal for a front chevy d44 with 4.10's. And no research, shame on me.

tell me 100% the front and rears are the same!

Trancezj
09-10-2004, 09:07 AM
Do you see a lot of chevys with 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern? If your going to do front and rear axles, get a 44/9 combo. Don't waste your time.

Troy
09-10-2004, 10:45 AM
Here's the pics of my old d44 that I sold.

http://smallnet.homeip.net/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=Dana-44-axle-pictures

Here's one of my ZJ back when it had the XJ 44 under it:

http://smallnet.homeip.net/jeepzj/pics/older_pics/images/36330340_jpg.jpg

chopshop
09-10-2004, 02:03 PM
I'll be more clear - I'm using the chevy for the 4.10's and carrier to put in the xj d44 to replace the 3.55's. keeping hp30 for now. bonus is getting the brake parts and high steerable knuckles for future projects.


thx for pics.

JeepZJMFstud
11-03-2004, 10:56 AM
I am just lost on what you guys are saying is the ideal swap. I have my 35C in now... have my D44 out of an XJ laying around. Gearing is no problem thanks to Dave Christinsen from 2 rivers Jeep CLub.

OverkillZJ
11-03-2004, 11:19 AM
Just throw the 44 in and be done with it.

You have it.

Fawk the "golden 8.8" crowd. That's right, all of you!

MaineZJ
11-03-2004, 11:47 AM
8.8 minispools are like $90

gonna try and find a 44 myself. thinking they would be cheaper in this area

JeepZJMFstud
11-03-2004, 11:51 AM
I am gonna stick with my D44 but what year explorer's have the 8.8 with disks?

Nordic1
11-03-2004, 12:05 PM
96+ I think came with the disk brakes

As for F the golden 8.8 croud:
http://www.fototime.com/%7BAE62565A-E5C5-4142-9A19-DAEB498C8293%7D/picture.JPG
http://www.fototime.com/%7BC2DE696F-D0E6-4E53-897D-393BDE8B418F%7D/picture.JPG
How blingin is that trus for the LA... I wish I had pics of it with all of the brackets on there but I left my cammera at the shop.

Does it really matter which axle you go to? Both axles have their strong points and both are far stronger than a d35. IMO 8.8 is beefier but it is C-clipped (and most people will say "WTF does that matter" to that anyway.

MaineZJ
11-03-2004, 12:21 PM
The 8.8 and 44 are really close in strength. Just have to weld the tubes on the 8.8

phillyzj
11-03-2004, 06:56 PM
brackets off of a mid 90's fullsize ford sedan will work w/ minimal effort on the D44 for caliper brackets. just FYI.

doing the 8.8 myself. i've had a couple of XJ D44's in my possession, but the 350 bones each i sold them for was just too attractive.

Jim311
11-03-2004, 11:21 PM
Hm.. is that truss integrated into the diff cover somehow, or are my eyes decieving me? I've gotta find a welder possibly buy a bracket kit for my 8.8 before I can procede. But for 200 bucks, I had to snatch it up. I haven't decided whether I want to spool it, or go with some other sort of selectable locker yet tho.

Nordic1
11-04-2004, 12:57 AM
Thats the poison spyder custom (www.poisonspyder.com) 8.8 rock ring with multi-link tabs at the top. Then there's a piece of tube going over the off-set pumpkin and then tabs were welded to the tube truss. Then there's a bolt going through the tabs on the truss into the 8.8 rock ring. THe tube was my idea but Jerod (aprilzwarrior) gets the props for the rock ring idea.


DO NOT BUY MORE's BRACKETS. They're cool but not worth the money IMO. You will want to re-use your stock coil buckets as they work much better (I have more and I have to have 2 coilt retainers to make the coil stay centered).

And LCA bracket will work.

Use clayton style shock mounts.

Use the stock sway bar mounts.

And if you're doing an axle, you're probably considering doing LA... if you are just use the multi-link truss and do it all at once than doing UCA mounts as well as a track bar mount.

gearhead313
11-04-2004, 10:42 AM
What is wrong with the MORE brackets? I was thinking about getting them..but if they're junk then ..humm

Nordic1
11-04-2004, 12:09 PM
Well the buckets are for TJ coils, the sway bar mounts are for TJ sway bars, the LCAs have a wierd truss sorta thing on them (pics soon). They work and they're bling brling, however I would source brackets from elsewhere. Lol that is unless somebody comes out with a ZJ bracket set :thumbsup:

Alaska ZJ
11-04-2004, 02:00 PM
sierra rock control will make you some brackets.

Jim311
11-04-2004, 09:37 PM
sierra rock control will make you some brackets.



Link? Am I going to have to sell my soul to buy them? :o

Alaska ZJ
11-04-2004, 10:05 PM
sierra rock control will make you some brackets.



Link? Am I going to have to sell my soul to buy them? :o

I think you will be pleasently suprised. Northern ZJ is the proprietor of this business. Looks like good stuff to me.

http://www.rockcontrol.com/Fabrication/fabrication.htm

gearhead313
11-05-2004, 01:17 PM
ya, i emailed them a while ago about brackets for my front axle, but no answer :?

Jim311
11-05-2004, 01:46 PM
sierra rock control will make you some brackets.



Link? Am I going to have to sell my soul to buy them? :o

I think you will be pleasently suprised. Northern ZJ is the proprietor of this business. Looks like good stuff to me.

http://www.rockcontrol.com/Fabrication/fabrication.htm


There's some good stuff on there. And 150 bucks is definitely worth it. But that only deals with the LCAs...

nate
11-07-2004, 05:21 PM
The MORE kit is designed to be used on TJs... ZJs don't have the same setup.

Is it just me or are those LCA mounts welded on backward? Shouldn't the open end be facing toward the pinion?


Well the buckets are for TJ coils, the sway bar mounts are for TJ sway bars, the LCAs have a wierd truss sorta thing on them (pics soon). They work and they're bling brling, however I would source brackets from elsewhere. Lol that is unless somebody comes out with a ZJ bracket set :thumbsup:

Nordic1
11-07-2004, 10:10 PM
forward, backward, whatever... lol its in and it works

phillyzj
11-07-2004, 11:02 PM
ya, i emailed them a while ago about brackets for my front axle, but no answer :?

i talked to him once or twice several months ago about brackets. never really heard much back from him. i figured he was too busy, so i'm gonna go ahead and try to build my own. hopefully i can find enough time to do it.

gearhead313
11-08-2004, 12:54 PM
ya, i've got a steel shop right up the road from the shop here, so i'll probably do the same if i choose to put the axles i have in.

nate
11-11-2004, 01:48 PM
For welding the tubes to the pumkin, do you guys use regular wire?

Alaska ZJ
11-12-2004, 01:45 AM
For welding the tubes to the pumkin, do you guys use regular wire?

Yep. it will work...promise.

gearhead313
11-12-2004, 09:37 AM
2 passes of 7018AC :wink:

badzj999
12-05-2004, 05:25 PM
http://community.webshots.com/photo/150881447/151146045QEDaWw


thats about the best picture i have at this time of my xj rear dana 44. im running 4.56 gears, a detroit, dana 35 brackets and 36 inch tsls.

Kraqa
12-05-2004, 05:41 PM
and what a 10" lift??