Has anyone tried to put an ARB or any other real d44 carriers or lockers in a Rubicon D44 front housing? Or does it need a special ARB or carrier? I know with the "tru loc" there are very limited gear options, but I am hoping that is just because of the "tru loc" carrier???? I have found an empty front Rubicon d44 housing and am trying to see if it is worth grabbing and putting in my 99TJ.
Thanks

The center housing is the same as most any other D-44...so the carrier (other lockers...ARB, detroit, etc) is the same. The thing that makes the rubi D-44 different is that the axle tubes, knuckles, stub axles, and outer unit bearings are all D-30 parts. The center housing, gears, carrier, and inner shafts are all D-44.

That is what I wanted to hear. Thanks.

Not to disappointe you, but I have heard that regular d44 carriers will need a special carrier bearings shim pack to fit inside the rubi housing ie the rubi housings are not the same as regular d44s. I have no real experience in this but i recommend you ask around some more just to be sure.

I'm not exactly following what different shims are going to do. I could see the housing being different requiring different bearings, but all the shims do are provide preload and adjust where the carrier sits side to side. What am I missing here?

Thank you for the input. I will do a little more research. Are these special bearings and shims hard to find?

Well, I didn't want to go into the details because I don't have first hand experience in this, but what I heard is that a rubi d44 carrier is slightly wider than a regular d44 carrier and installing a regular d44 carrier into the rubi housing would require extra shims at the carrier bearings to compensate for this difference. I think the bearings are the same than a regular 44, I'm not sure where to get the extra shims, call randy at ring and pinion to find out more.

Here's the thread from JU (http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=611039&highlight=rubi+carrier+shim) :flipoff2:

:cow:

The shim's your talking about are standard D44 Rubicon rear ends/yes there needed for certain carriers/sorry can't rember exactly which is which but I have done them and you have two starter shim's and then you purchase rebuild kit and it will come with remaining outer shims for proper setup..
The shim's problem was from Somehow at Chrysler/Dana when the gear case's were made they sent the wrong break carrier so this is why the shim's are there to start with/to solve fawk up.
I wish I knew more but just call Randy's they have gone over it with me before so I could do my install's properly.
Pain in the arse.