I hope I can get an answer here as no other board as been able to help me out.

I am swapping axles in my YJ. D44 front, D60 rear. There are limited yards around here so I finally broke down at the advice of the junkyard guy and bought a 73 D44 6 lug axle out of a Chevy truck. He had a 74 that was 8 lug but lacked the flat top which is quite expensive. He said I would end up replacing most of the stuff on the 8 lug due to maintainence and it would be cheaper to convert the 6 lug. He said all I needed were 8 lug spindles, calipers, hubs, and rotors. He said the 8 lug rotors and hubs cost lots more.

So here is my question. Did I get suckered? lol or was what he saying true, is that all I need and is this a good route to go?

Thanks a lot guys, appreciate it.

He is right. 8 lug only cost's more because it isn't as easy to find but 10 bolt chevy stuff will also work.

10 bolt Chevy stuff will work to do the swap or will work to replace the 8 lug parts? I already bought the D44 6 lug so I am stuck with it.

What I was more concerned about was knowing all I need to swap this 6 lug to 8 would be the spindles, hubs, rotors, and calipers. He said spindles were about a hundred, hubs would be 50, rotors probably 100, and calipers about 50.

Also he said the D44 8 lug and 6 lug are both the exact same up until the knuckles. Is that true as well?

Thanks again!!

you want an 8 lug front??
my buddy just swapped in 6 lug from his 8 lug didnt need spindles, just hubs and calipers. i'll see if he still has the 8 lug stuff he took off, if he does you can have it cheap plus shipping.

Yea I have an 8 lug D60 rear so I need to convert this D44 into 8 lug.

Thanks!

You can use 10B 8lug parts to convert your 6lug D44. You will need the spindles (10B spindles are the same as 2nd design D44 spindles which started in 76 or 77 and have larger bearings then the 1st design), hubs (whatever you do don't get the ones that use the external locking hubs), and backing plate (I like the 77 ones I have that are 1/4" thick all the way around). You can use 1/2 or 3/4-ton calipers because they are both the same. The only difference is that D44 calipers have larger banjo bolt holes than the 10B. As long as you don't get external hubs you can reuse the locking hubs off the 6-lug.

3/4-ton diff housings are around 1/2" thicker where the short axle tube goes in. I don't think you could get 3/4-ton axles with flat top and internal hubs so you would have to do some swapping anyway.

ahh yes triaged thanks, you just reminded me, my buddies axle is the newer one which has the bigger bearings and stuff,,,
attachcurrie i can send you what he took off, but you would still be short, better to get it all from the same axle at the same time huh??

Originally posted by RHINO
ahh yes triaged thanks, you just reminded me, my buddies axle is the newer one which has the bigger bearings and stuff,,,
attachcurrie i can send you what he took off, but you would still be short, better to get it all from the same axle at the same time huh??

find out how much he wants and what is all there and shipping to 94510 and pm me with the info thanx

Off hand does anyone know the WMS to WMS of this axle (73 D44 pass. drop 6 lug) it's sitting down far from home at the shop and I'm trying to do some part searching.

Thanks!

Originally posted by attachcurrie
Off hand does anyone know the WMS to WMS of this axle (73 D44 pass. drop 6 lug) it's sitting down far from home at the shop and I'm trying to do some part searching.

Thanks!

Bible (http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bible/index.html#GMFE)

Any year D44 8 lug or 8 lug 10 bolt for this swap will work right?

Reason for asking is spindles but more important most of these parts (rotors, hubs, calipers, caliper brackets) can be bought at AutoZone but you gotta tell them the year of the D44, so I assume if I told them 73 8 lug D44 it would be fine?

Go for a later year 44 like 77 or 78. The '73's had the external hubs and may have a different spindle as well. You can't go wrong picking a year that used a 10 bolt like 80-87.