Rebuild D44a
Install a Ford Explorer 8.8
Burn it to the ground
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Hello Mallcrawlin',
I need your thoughts on what to do for a rear axle on a new to me 2003 WJ with a D44a Quadra Drive. It needs to be rebuilt as it has 205k miles on it and the drive wheel bearing is toast. The Hyrda-Lok (or Vari-Lok) was binding but I don't know if the previous owner put the right fluid and additive in it.
Do I rebuilt the current D44a or do I go with a Ford 8.8 and 2" spacers/adapters?
The Jeep was purchased as a mechanics special off of Craigslist for $500 due to a check engine light from a random misfire. We bought it for my son's first vehicle and we have a year and a half to get it in shape before he can get his license. So we have the time to do all of the repairs needed to get it into good shape.
A little about the WJ:
2003 Limited with 4.7 HO
205k with some rust in the rockers (it started lift in the mid-west)
Has some minor body damage that we will take care of.
The steel brake lines need to be replaced due to rust.
Blend door needs to be fixed.
TL;DR - Should I rebuild the stock D44a or install a 8.8?
initial plans is budget boost and 265/70R17's let him get some seat time (when I complete the 5.3L/HP44/9.5" SF 14bolt swap into my 96 ZJ).
Thanks for reading and your input.
Junkyard axle, swap it. For the cost of a full rebuild you can buy a few at the yard. If you are doing the rebuild, then it may be more cost effective, but to pay someone else and not do different gears or a locker seems like a waste.
EDIT: An 8.8 needs spacers/adapters and is still c-clip, more locker options. The 44a is listed in use under both the Corvette and Viper (year depending).
Last edited by K2; 02-19-2019 at 06:07 PM.
Stay with the 44A as its a WJ and you will need to find a solution for the speedo to work if you do an axle swap. WJs use rear axle ABS tone rings for speed sensors. This considering its a modest build, otherwise JK axles are an easier swap. I have a Currie 9 and adapted my front tone rings to keep speedometer working, There are a couple other ways to do it. Otherwise the 44A has locker options these days and you can truss it for strength. 33-35s will be ok on the 44A, anything more than that or you plan to wheel it pretty hard then do a swap.
Thanks for the input gents. Since this is his first vehicle we aren't going wild with it. At some point we may go with a Clayton's kit and true 33's but it shouldn't see anything that my "Super 35" hasn't already endured for multiple years.
So after all of that. The current D44HD wasn't a good candidate for a rebuild. So we pulled a 8.8 out of a 2001 Explorer with 3.73 gears and a LSD. Now to get all of the adapters to get it installed in the Jeep.
Gotta love 50% off weekends at the pick and pull yards. We got the axle complete for $95 out the door.
Do you have a plan to make the speedometer work?
The two options I was contemplating is splice into the front sensors or install a 231 t-case (info here).
I already have a built 231 with the wide chain and 6-planetaries in my ZJ that I've thought about swapping out for a 241c. I can swap the 231 into the WJ and grab a 241c for my ZJ.
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