Topic: Rubicon D44 Diff

[jcsanders79]

TJ Rubicon Dana 44 diffs are like all other D44 housings right?  If I get a bare Rubicon front D44 housing I can put standard thickness gears and locker in them right, and they are standard rotation not reverse?  Thanks, Chris.

[oldjeep]

TJ Rubicon Dana 44 diffs are like all other D44 housings right?  If I get a bare Rubicon front D44 housing I can put standard thickness gears and locker in them right, and they are standard rotation not reverse?  Thanks, Chris.

Yes, they will take a standard D44 locker and gearset, and are all low pinion.

[jcsanders79]

Thanks that what I thought.  Going this route with my D44 front, found a new housing for a deal I can't beat and got some used Rubi shafts cheap, total set up OX locker and all is going to run me $1500.  Thats $1100 cheaper than a prefabbed one.

[Jeffy]

TJ Rubicon Dana 44 diffs are like all other D44 housings right?  If I get a bare Rubicon front D44 housing I can put standard thickness gears and locker in them right, and they are standard rotation not reverse?  Thanks, Chris.

TJ Dana 44's aren't like other D44 housing though.  On the front, the housing is standard thickness but the knuckles are Dana 30.  These inner knuckles will not take CJ D30 outers since those are D44 size.  This locks you into D30 outers and if you want manual locking hubs, it gets very expensive.  Front housings are standard rotation.  If you use the Tochigi Fuji Sanjyo Tru-Lok but that would limit your gear ratio to 5.13:1.  They're decent lockers though.

Rubicon D44 front's were known to have issues with the ears on the shafts.  Many were bending or breaking for some reason.  Jeep engineers knew about this problem but I don't think corporate did anything.

[neale_rs]

Rubicon D44 front's were known to have issues with the ears on the shafts.  Many were bending or breaking for some reason.  Jeep engineers knew about this problem but I don't think corporate did anything.

Interesting.  It seems the JK front D44s are having similar problems.  Some local instances have cropped up as well as on the internet.

[jcsanders79]

TJ Dana 44's aren't like other D44 housing though.  On the front, the housing is standard thickness but the knuckles are Dana 30.  These inner knuckles will not take CJ D30 outers since those are D44 size.  This locks you into D30 outers and if you want manual locking hubs, it gets very expensive.  Front housings are standard rotation.  If you use the Tochigi Fuji Sanjyo Tru-Lok but that would limit your gear ratio to 5.13:1.  They're decent lockers though.

Rubicon D44 front's were known to have issues with the ears on the shafts.  Many were bending or breaking for some reason.  Jeep engineers knew about this problem but I don't think corporate did anything.

yeah I knew about the knuckles being the same as my D30 and honestly I liked that part.  I don't really need better brakes,  just bought new wheels, my rear D44 is 5 on 4.5 and I have always hated getting out and locking the hubs.  Can't tell you how many times I had to get muddy to lock them on my CJ.  I have no need for them to be unlocked its a second vehicle and I will be putting a selectable locker in.

Additional Q:  From what I can find the spindles are the same for both vehicles.  My D30 spindles use the same U joint as the D44 axle shafts, is this true?  Thanks, Chris.

[Jeffy]

Additional Q:  From what I can find the spindles are the same for both vehicles.  My D30 spindles use the same U joint as the D44 axle shafts, is this true?  Thanks, Chris.

Yes, they use the same 297x series U-joints.  This is also why you cna use Dana 30 outers on the Rubi D44 without having to change anything.