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General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: damon54 on March 21, 2008, 06:57:01 AM

Title: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 21, 2008, 06:57:01 AM
I knew the topic would catch someones attention. 

I'm about to pick up a front D44 from a 73 bronco, I have a cherokee d44 for the rear.  The guy selling the bronco 44 is also selling the 9 in rear end with it.  I was thinkning that if I stick with the cherokee 44 then I will have to have it drilled for the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern to match the front, the 9 in however is already 5 on 5.5.  I wanted to know what anyone thought about just putting a ford 9 in in the rear of the yj instead of the cherokee 44.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: oldjeep on March 21, 2008, 07:01:00 AM
I knew the topic would catch someones attention. 

I'm about to pick up a front D44 from a 73 bronco, I have a cherokee d44 for the rear.  The guy selling the bronco 44 is also selling the 9 in rear end with it.  I was thinkning that if I stick with the cherokee 44 then I will have to have it drilled for the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern to match the front, the 9 in however is already 5 on 5.5.  I wanted to know what anyone thought about just putting a ford 9 in in the rear of the yj instead of the cherokee 44.

The 9" can be a pretty stout axle, almost Dana 60 strength.  I'd use the matching 9" and then sell the Cherokee 44 (Which is worth a fair amount of $$ these days)
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Jeffy on March 21, 2008, 01:29:53 PM
I knew the topic would catch someones attention. 

I'm about to pick up a front D44 from a 73 bronco, I have a cherokee d44 for the rear.  The guy selling the bronco 44 is also selling the 9 in rear end with it.  I was thinkning that if I stick with the cherokee 44 then I will have to have it drilled for the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern to match the front, the 9 in however is already 5 on 5.5.  I wanted to know what anyone thought about just putting a ford 9 in in the rear of the yj instead of the cherokee 44.

Sell the XJ D44 and stick with matching pair of axles.  The only downside to the EB 9" is that it's 28 spline but can be converted to 31 spline fairly easily.  All you'd need are some axles to be cut down from a F-series and the carrier.  The other down size is the low pinion although it's not that bad.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Clem on March 21, 2008, 02:09:35 PM
The EB 9 is a little narrower, but works well. That is how my housing is set up. (31 spline alloy shafts) I went a different route on the 44 front.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Jeffy on March 21, 2008, 04:35:42 PM
The EB 9 is a little narrower, but works well. That is how my housing is set up. (31 spline alloy shafts) I went a different route on the 44 front.

I've heard the castings can be a PITA to remove on the EB D44's.  The SJ D44 is easier to use but will need to be converted to 5 on 5.5".  Also the EB D44 has the diff more centered.  This can be a problem if you don't have enough lift or an auto transmission.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Clem on March 21, 2008, 08:39:20 PM
I used a Cherokee 44 and went with Dodge outers to get to 5 x 5.5. It was simple. The rotors are 12 inch. I don't have to remember ford this, chevy that. I know that from the inner knuckle out is dodge... :nod: I used a ford van master to stop it all. 
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: 95yjman on March 21, 2008, 10:25:23 PM
How well would 44s from a wagoneer work under a YJ?
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 21, 2008, 10:39:46 PM
I've heard the castings can be a PITA to remove on the EB D44's.  The SJ D44 is easier to use but will need to be converted to 5 on 5.5".  Also the EB D44 has the diff more centered.  This can be a problem if you don't have enough lift or an auto transmission.
 

The setup will endup being the EB 44 up front and 9 inch in back with SOA on 1.5 in lift leaf springs giving a total of about 6 inches of lift.  I plan on  running 35s and regear to 5.38.   I just got the engine back from the shop and have to put that back together.  I went with a similar build as YJ mechanic but I left the CR alone so I could still run regular gas.  I figure is should be up to 180 -190 hp?   I am thinking that finding discs brakes for the 9 may be a little easier than finding some for the cherokee 44.  I could be wrong though.  400 bucks for both axles, couldnt pass that up.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 21, 2008, 11:13:51 PM
From what Ive read tonight, it seems that the 9 in is a lot easier to work with that the d44  it looks like you can by an after market third member that is high pinion to replace the low pinion stock one. 
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 21, 2008, 11:36:56 PM
The 9" can be a pretty stout axle, almost Dana 60 strength.  I'd use the matching 9" and then sell the Cherokee 44 (Which is worth a fair amount of $$ these days)

Hey old jeep, on the 9 in can you order the third member all set up with gears already and just bolt it in or a I looking at that wrong.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: oldjeep on March 22, 2008, 05:55:15 AM
Hey old jeep, on the 9 in can you order the third member all set up with gears already and just bolt it in or a I looking at that wrong.

You can buy low pinion 3rd members all set up with gears and lockers, but it's not cheap.   A 9" is one of those axles where gears are pretty easy to set up.

As far as swapping to a high pinion, there are only 2 options that I've heard of.  There is the True Hi 9 which costs a bazzillion dollars and uses gear sets that are made special for them, and there is also the currie stuff wich is actually an 8.8 gearset and locker.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 22, 2008, 07:02:13 AM
Will the pinion angle be hard to overcome.  I should have about 6-7 inches of lift with the soa on 1.5 in ch springs.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Clem on March 22, 2008, 07:21:56 AM
How well would 44s from a wagoneer work under a YJ?

I meant to say waggy in my post. Sorry for the confusion. They work well.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: oldjeep on March 22, 2008, 07:32:15 AM
Will the pinion angle be hard to overcome.  I should have about 6-7 inches of lift with the soa on 1.5 in ch springs.

Only way to find out is to measure.  The guy in our club who was running a 9" in a YJ was SOA with 36 and later 38" tires.  However he also had a 5.0L/C4/Atlas combo so his driveshaft was longer than you might wind up with.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Jeep_Lust on March 22, 2008, 08:06:39 AM
  I wanted to know what anyone thought about just putting a ford 9 in in the rear of the yj

For what it's worth: I've read several places that Ford came up with the 8.8 rear because the 9" rear was inefficient. I've seen it said that a 9" rear takes as much as 12 more hp than an 8.8 at crusing speed.

Dunno if it's true. The removable jackpot sure makes setup easy, though.... (If you have to put one in by yourself, spin the housing 90 deg. and drop it in from above...)
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: 95yjman on March 22, 2008, 10:27:34 AM
I meant to say waggy in my post. Sorry for the confusion. They work well.

Do you know if they are pretty much bolt in or will some mods have to be done to them?
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Clem on March 22, 2008, 12:06:32 PM
There are some mods that will have to be done. I stayed spring under because I need/want a little more stability when I wheel. The long side perch will have to be moved. It is straight forward. The centering pin hole in the casting will have to be drilled out. IIRC, the waggy mounts were 1/4 or 1/2 wider than the YJ spring packs.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: 95yjman on March 22, 2008, 12:41:34 PM
Is there a best year of 44s out of a waggy?
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: Clem on March 22, 2008, 01:47:25 PM
Its something like 80 or 81 to the last year of their production. I think the end was in the early 90's IIRC.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 23, 2008, 11:45:11 AM
Sell the XJ D44 and stick with matching pair of axles.  The only downside to the EB 9" is that it's 28 spline but can be converted to 31 spline fairly easily.  All you'd need are some axles to be cut down from a F-series and the carrier.  The other down size is the low pinion although it's not that bad.

How much strength difference between the 28 and 31 spline?  I was thinking of trying to find a factory trac lock for the 9 and from what i read the trac lock for the 31 spline has been known to break.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: oldjeep on March 23, 2008, 04:44:57 PM
How much strength difference between the 28 and 31 spline?  I was thinking of trying to find a factory trac lock for the 9 and from what i read the trac lock for the 31 spline has been known to break.

Another option is a detroit locker.  Since the nascar guys at all levels tend to use the 9" rear, there are usually quite a few used detroits on ebay for around $200-$300
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 23, 2008, 06:50:50 PM
Talk about sorry luck.  I just got done pulling the diff cover off the Bronco 44 and it looks like the carrier housing has been cracked and welded.  Is it worth having it stripped to see how bad it is or should I just trash the housing?
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: oldjeep on March 23, 2008, 07:16:39 PM
Talk about sorry luck.  I just got done pulling the diff cover off the Bronco 44 and it looks like the carrier housing has been cracked and welded.  Is it worth having it stripped to see how bad it is or should I just trash the housing?

I'd say it's junk.   You can weld Dana housings since they are cast steel, but you would really need an alignment bar to make sure that the carrier race surfaces and outter bearings were still aligned.
Title: Re: Rear ends
Post by: damon54 on March 23, 2008, 07:23:04 PM
I'll go ahead and strip it and get it cleaned.  I got a line on shortened 44 from a fullsize ford.  I got 200$ bucks in the bronco axle and I hate to just throw it away.