Full width D44 / 9" on an 88 YJ

[NukinFuts]

I am in the process of collecting parts for next month where I can swap my d44 coil sprung front diff and rear 9" into my Jeep YJ. When I am done they both will have 5.13/5.14 gears in them, rear spool, front powertrax locker, new moly u joints new bearings/seals, the 9" is getting internal axle tube seals too. I do my own work with the help of a few of my experienced friends.

whens its all said and done, the front axle will be moved ahead a few inches and have customer heim jointed radius arms too. 35" TSL's are the plan for now, maybe 37" iroks later.

What do you guys think? Any input is greatly appreciated!! Suggestions? Flames?

[SanDiegoCJ]

37" IROKS is pushing it on a D44.

[NukinFuts]

That crossed my mind, but the weight of the Jeep if far less then a full size rig correct? Less weight = easier on drivetrain parts correct/ I do not have a ton of HP either with a 93 4.0L FI engine and an automatic..

[SanDiegoCJ]

A YJ set up like yours will be close to 4,000 lbs. Jeeps ain't exactly light.

[NukinFuts]

Thanks for the input, 35's it is then

[hotwheelsYJ]

Why the internal seals on the 9"?
How do you plan on lubing the wheel bearings?

[Csiler21]

You will be fine with the 44 & 9" on 37's. I have a 98 TJ with the same combo but I put the chromo 30 spline outters in the front. I am on 38" sx's with recentered h1's and rock rings. "very heavy combo" I have beat the piss out of my jeep and not broken a shaft yet.

[NukinFuts]

Originally Posted by hotwheelsYJ

Why the internal seals on the 9"?
How do you plan on lubing the wheel bearings?

on my last 2 rigs I had a 9" rear. Both of then could not keep the seals intact for any length of time. I also should have been more specific, with the inner axle seals, i plan on using the outer bearing kit with sealed bearings as well. i want to try it because I am sick of replacing axle seals every other outing.

[NukinFuts]

Originally Posted by Csiler21

You will be fine with the 44 & 9" on 37's. I have a 98 TJ with the same combo but I put the chromo 30 spline outters in the front. I am on 38" sx's with recentered h1's and rock rings. "very heavy combo" I have beat the piss out of my jeep and not broken a shaft yet.

could you email some pictures of your rig so i can see what the final product will look like? Do you like the flex with the coils vs the stock leaf springs/axles? I assume its a no brainer.. but just want your input since you have been down this road already.

[Csiler21]

My TJ has allways been coil sprung but with the custom links I made it works awesome! My jeep sits like 2" over stock hight on 38's.

[ChrisHolmz]

You may want to go 5.38's in those axels. I've read a lot on hear that the cut is much stronger than the 5.13. On the other hand, I run 5.13's, softlockers F&R using that set up with 38.5x11 boggers and haven't broken any gears.

[FordFascist]

My buddy has a similar setup in his TJ, and it weighs 4500 lbs FYI.

You can make a 44 live with 37's, just don't expect to thrash it like the Scout II video posted in Gen4x4.

Internal seals are only for sealed ball-bearing rears. If you are running tapered roller bearings, you might want to come up with a better plan.

[YJoe]

I have a 44 / 8.8 running 36 TSL's on stock shafts

It all depends on where you wheel and how you wheel.

Wheeled it lightly 1 summer without breaking anything so far. Best thing about this combo is the price. Sure beats the hell out of a $2000-$4000 Dana 60

[hotwheelsYJ]

IMO the sealed bearing rears don't hold up well to the side forces that wheeling puts on them.

I ran sealed to begin with. After 2 trips I had busted the bearing races on both sides. SET 20 tapered roller bearings are alot more forgiving of the side loads put on them.

If you were having problems with the seal giving out I would look a little more into your setup.(ie. burrs on the shaft)

[Tomb Raider]

Originally Posted by NukinFuts

Thanks for the input, 35's it is then

Cracks me up that you will change the entire setup of your rig based on two responses. Gimmie a break.

Yes....changing tire size completely changes the setup of a rig.

[papabear]

I am running a 44/9in combo in my YJ. It took me about a year to break my first stub, and it was an alloy. I am running 38.5 skinny boggers on steel beadlocks. I dont get to wheel a lot but I am not easy on it when I do go.

[NukinFuts]

Originally Posted by Tomb Raider

Cracks me up that you will change the entire setup of your rig based on two responses. Gimmie a break.

Yes....changing tire size completely changes the setup of a rig.

nah I was leaning towards 35's anyhow..

[Marc Daniels]

Currently running a 44 in the front and a 35 spline 9 the rear with a 2.5 engine and a klune v 4.1 added to my T case and heavy ass MRW extreme duty beadlocks with large rings, the front has stock shafts, and I've only broken 1 shaft in the 44 in almost 8 years of abuse with multiple set ups and37" mtrs, but it was a fantastic break. This year switched to 38 sxs and do the same trails as all of my freinds that have switched to dana 60s and 40" and taller tires with no problems, . You will want to use the set 20 bearings on the rear 9. Not sure of the weight of my jeep. Marc

[sureshot40sw]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoCJ

37" IROKS is pushing it on a D44.

BULLSHIT.... I run em on my heavy ass sploder on stock 79 Bronco axles (HP44/9").... been hammering the shit outta it... no problems at all...


run em...


finishing up the same swap with leaf springs this weekend... heres what she'll look like....

tires: 36x13.50R15 Iroks
wheels: 15x8, 3.75 BS







what coils are you gonna run...? my sploder has early bronco coils and buckets... after bashing it into submission... I'm planning the same swap.. I love this suspension... Ballistic Fabrication has a new tube insert to build radius arms out of 2", .250 square tube... got some new arms on the porch for that project later...

[YJoe]

Originally Posted by sureshot40sw

Ballistic Fabrication has a new tube insert to build radius arms out of 2", .250 square tube... got some new arms on the porch for that project later...

While you don't need the Ballistic fab inserts (you can use 1.5" round bar and drill out to whatever you need) I do agree with the .250 wall 2x2 square. I run the 2x2 for radius arms and love that shit so much that I bought it for my rear lowers also. That stuff will take a beating. It has way more surface area then a 2" DOM tube (= stronger)

Here are mine. However if I were doing it again I would have cut off the C wedges and got some Ballistic radius arm brackets and wristed the pass side.

weld in end



Best pic I have of them installed

[NukinFuts]

I like the radius arm mounts of yours!!

[YJoe]

Originally Posted by NukinFuts

I like the radius arm mounts of yours!!

Yeah they worked out real nice. Unfortunately when I swapped out the 2.5/AX-5/NP231 for the 4.0/NP435/NP208 I had to butcher my nice clean skidplate to fit everything under the tub. (you can see that little offset in the back of the skidplate) So now I'm ripping it all off, lifting up the case and trans 4" and doing a flat belly. Figured I would just cut out the floor of the tub. My seats are on the cage anyway... who needs a floor

[rockrknockr]

just to support the front 44 on 38's. it can/will work on rock but NOT stock spicer shafts. i broke two complete sets before i went alloys. haven't busted an alloy yet in 18 months.

[NukinFuts]

When i had my Explorer on Full widths, I used the D44 and 9" from a 79 Bronco. I used the coils radius arms in front and moved the spring perches in the rear to be able to use the stock explorer leafs. That thing flexed like crazy becasue the front coils were moved inwards to match the explore frame width thus makign those coils work via the leverage of the width of the axle. It wa a little soft on the street but very liveable!

[bigchief1919]

38 boggers on dana 44, stock shafts and 2 years. pleanty of abuse including bouncing. this in a cj with a 5.0 and detroit locker. not a single broken shaft. like someone said before it depends on how and were you wheel as to how long it will last. I have recently upgraded to a 60 because of larger tires tho.