Goofy Question about Axles

Moyock13

Moyock13

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Sitting here day dreaming about the best axle swap for a YJ (hypothetical). Let's set this up:
93 YJ more street that trail.... but you just never know.
LS 5.3 = ~ 400hp
4L60e
NP231
front/rear axles?
 
Moyock13 said:
Sitting here day dreaming about the best axle swap for a YJ (hypothetical). Let's set this up:
93 YJ more street that trail.... but you just never know.
LS 5.3 = ~ 400hp
4L60e
NP231
front/rear axles?
Click to expand...
Dana 44’s
 
That depends. Do you want bolt in ready to go? Is money a big factor? Are you capable of doing fab work yourself?
 
Yes! Yes! Yikes...maybe!
Chances are for Dana 44's, I would need to find and source salvage parts. I'd love to grab a pair from a big 4x4 site and just bolt them in. But that's only in the day dream budget, not the reality budget.
So the bigger question is a donor vehicle. I know that certain xj's have a rear D44, but the front D44...?
 
Moyock13 said:
Yes! Yes! Yikes...maybe!
Chances are for Dana 44's, I would need to find and source salvage parts. I'd love to grab a pair from a big 4x4 site and just bolt them in. But that's only in the day dream budget, not the reality budget.
So the bigger question is a donor vehicle. I know that certain xj's have a rear D44, but the front D44...?
Click to expand...
The axles will have to have leaf spring perches and they will need to be in the correct location to match the YJ. The axles will also have to have the shock mounts in the correct location. I don’t know what it is like in your area but where I live looking for these types on axles in a junk yard is a fool’s errand. And, that is assuming that you will be fabricating them to fit. Wagoneer axles would be a good choice but I personally can’t tell you if the spring mounts are the same width.
 
Read a little bit about the XJ D44 and they say they are a direct bolt-in! IDK! Guess if I can find a donor, we'll find out.
 
Moyock13 said:
Read a little bit about the XJ D44 and they say they are a direct bolt-in! IDK! Guess if I can find a donor, we'll find out.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. The fronts are coil spring, so not direct bolt in at all. Pretty sure the fronts are all D30.

The rears are leaf sprung, but would depend if they're spring over or under. If spring over (I'd wager they are, but I'm not a XJ fanatic), then again, no.

The YJ is spring under F/R, so I'd check your sources of information. They don't seem reliable at all.
 
When we happen into a decent weekend I'll go pick-n-pull diving. If i'm lucky to score a D44 I'll let the forum know and provide pictures. Too bad you're in TN, I'd invite you along for the adventure.

Until then, I'll continue to research this and report findings. Anyone with experience or knowledge on this subject please chime in.
 
Sorry to rain on the parade, but no, the XJ D44 does not bolt into the YJ in any capacity. The XJ D44 is spring over. It was also quite rare in the XJ anyways. Most of them in the D35/44 era had the 35, and then somewhere in there around 1991 they switched to the 8.25".

I'd probably try to find a TJ rear Dana 44. For the front, unless heavy wheeling will be involved, I'd personally leave it alone other than maybe gearing. The rear would need a perch rewelding, but anything will need that.
 
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