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D44 Rebuild and Swap - Progress/Questions Thread

4K views 63 replies 8 participants last post by  Marn 
#1 ·
Well, I hopped in my lil' truck and drove my butt out to AZ to pick up some parts from a member here, and this is what I returned home with:



Plans are:

1. Full rebuild on both axles. Keeping stock gears:
-Bearings (wheel bearings)
-U joints
-Seals
-Ball Joints
-Tie Rod Ends
-Calipers/Rotors/Pads
-Wheel Cylinders/Shoes/Hardware/Drums
-Cleaned up and painted.

2. Install lunchbox Locker in front end or rear end or not at all, not sure yet.

3. Instal Manual Hubs in front end

4. New diff covers, welded steel or cast iron.

5. Refurbish those stock style steelies, swap over my tires, and mate them to the Dog Dishes

6. Install the axles and wheels!


I will update all of this as I go along.

Basic concept is to have "new" axles going under the truck. I figure i might as well do the work while the axles are out from under the truck and not have to worry about anything in the foreseeable future.

Any input is helpful. If you have suggestions on something I've missed, or on something I shouldn't bother with, please let me know, I dont claim to know everything or be right all the time, and appreciate constructive input.
 
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#3 ·
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I'm hearing humming from the rear.... uhm.... of my Jeep. I've never set up a diff, I'm watching:thumbsup:
 
#8 ·
cant change front, then i'll have 6 lug front, 5 lug rear, and different gears.

I'm going to throw it under the jeep in a week or two andd drive it around to see how the driveline angle affects everything. if its not a big issue with vibes, i'll continue as planned.

If it is an issue, i'll sell the rear, pickup a 3.54 R&P, have it swapped into my existing rear, then find a set of small bearing spindles and swap on ford hubs and rotors on my front axle, thus maintaining 5 lug, getting a D44 up front, and having matching gears.
 
#9 ·
Ok, I'm a YJ owner but I've been arround jeeps for a long time. I have a couple sets of dana 44 gears, 3.31 and 3.54. I removed both from axles I used for my YJ. I do know the offset rear combined with the offest will more than likely give you a vibration. A buddy tried it under a YJ. I also did the conversion from 6 lug to 5 lug using small bearing spindles, it will widen your track width approx 3/8 to 1/2" per side. Anyway If you can use either or both set of gears you can have them, you pay shipping. Let me know if I can help. Ron
 
#10 ·
I do know the offset rear combined with the offest will more than likely give you a vibration. A buddy tried it under a YJ.
The longer wheelbase of the FSJ's generally keeps the angle at the ujoints to a point where vibration isn't a problem.

OP,
I'm surprised to hear that a wide track FSJ 44 has more offset than a narrow track. Are you sure that you're not comparing a Qtrac axle to a D20 axle? In that case there would definitely be more offset.

I've had wide track and narrow FSJ 44s and never noticed a difference as long as the tcase used in them was the same. The difference was all outside of the spring perches just in overall width.
 
#11 ·
I hope you're correct about the vibration. there's a definite drive shaft lenth difference. Ron
 
#16 ·
CSP said:
I thought the same thing originally, but I would have to guess that Dana/Spicer would have assembled the axle housings rather than just delivering raw cases and tube to AMC.
I can imagine spiced still was working with parts that they already had rather than r&d for a new product.

What is interesting is that all WT vehicles used the same 5" offset rear end even with a centered t case. This is interesting that it didn't cause any problems being that far offset originally. I'm trying to go another 1.5" with a centered t case, so I imagine at stock height there wouldn't be much difference but with my lift we shall see.

I have confirmation from 1 source that he did this exact swap but on a stock height vehicle and it was 100% fine.

I also have heard tell of swapping d20's into narrow track QT rigs and it being 100% fine too, so.... We will see
 
#17 ·
I'll set the r&p's aside, not pressed to do anything with them. My Yj drive sahft was 15 1/2". Long wheel base definitely has is benifits. Ron
 
#18 ·
so, i'm planning to swap the rear in this weekend to see if it'll work or not.

Replaced wheel cylinder.


and look, here's me using the correct 5 dolalr tool to prevent ripping a huge hole in my arm like the last time i did drum brakes.
 
#20 ·
Drum brakes - not so bad with practice. The tool helps a lot. You can use the pliers end to install the springs too.
 
#21 ·
Just did the rear in my 90. Removed axles, cut off old bearings and races w grinder, chisel to crack races. Pressed on new bearings and seals. Already have good LSD and 3.31 so just pulled cover cleaned and new fluid, brakes, hardware. Un real how much quieter truck is now.
 

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#22 ·
nice!

But yeah, drum brakes are teh devil! Not complex or anything, but they are a PITA. I've done them several times before, and the last time as we all saw resulted in a trip to the emergency room.
 
#23 ·
I hate doing drums, i'm good at it, but hate it. Really hate doing brakes in general rofl.
 
#24 ·
Out with the old



next to the slightly less old:


Seems Legit.....


But as of right now:

My brake lines are a total mess (need replaced) and I have no shocks, and the e-brake lines on this axle are cut do i need to address that when I do new shoes and drums and hardware.


My exhaust is held in place off to the side with a wire hanger


My front drive shaft is unbolted and held in place with a wire hanger and duct tape (and no i still dont have an inspection cover on my torque converter)


But, it seems to ride and drive fine. Had it up to about 50 in the neighborhood, havent dared to take it on the highway with those rotted 31's and no shocks. But, no weird vibes or anything, so, hopefully upwards of 60 MPH it drives the same.

Phew, i'm beat.
 
#26 ·
Looks like the offset issue is actually a non-issue? The diff looks like it's in the same relative position to the centerline or damn close.

What year is the Nova?
The diff/pinion is a good 3+" to the right, there id a definite difference.

The nova is a 69.
 
#29 ·
Are they going to work. The "new" rear end has a straight line mount, the body is a centered mount
 
#30 ·
RockRollin said:
Are they going to work. The "new" rear end has a straight line mount, the body is a centered mount
No they will not work. I'm either going to cut them off my old shocks of get a similar tab style to weld kn
 
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