How Big of Tires Can You Run on a Dana 44? | Harry Situations
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2021
- One question that we get all the time is “How big of tires can I run on a Dana 44 axle?” At the risk of sounding like a politician, the answer is “it depends”. But what does it depend on? Well, for starters it depends on what Dana 44 you are starting with. The Dana 44 has been manufactured for nearly 70 years, and was original equipment under Jeep, Ford, GM, Dodge, International Harvester and Studebaker vehicles, and even the Isuzu Rodeo and Honda Passport. Corvettes even used a Dana 44 center section with independent rear suspension! The Dana 44 has been offered in both high- and low-pinion, with centered and offset pumpkins. Factory axle shafts ranged from 10-spline through 32 with diameters from 1.175-inch up to 1.41-inch. Despite Dana-Spicer calling all of these axles “Dana 44s” for the past 75 years, there are no common parts between the rear end used in a 50’s CJ-5 and a new JL Wrangler.
There are several factors to consider the largest tire you can run on a Dana 44 regardless of which variation of the axle you are using. Vehicle weight is a major factor; a lighter vehicle can get away with a larger tire reliably than a heavier vehicle, which places more stress on the axle in every situation. Similarly, a lighter wheel and tire combination will be easier on the axle. Tires can vary up to ten pounds in weight in the same size, and wheels are similar. A cast aluminum beadlock wheel will weigh up to 25% more than a forged aluminum wheel.
Horsepower and gearing are also important factors. The more horsepower you make the stronger the axle you need for a given tire size due to the added stresses. Just as important is how you drive with all that horsepower and what sort of terrain you frequent. A Dana 44 can live under a vehicle with a V8 and 37-inch tall tires if it is used for mild off-roading and driven with care, but wouldn’t last through the weekend at the Hammers with a throttle jockey behind the wheel.
Gearing is more complicated than horsepower. Increased gear reduction upstream from the axle in the transmission and transfer case will increase the torque into the axle and can overwhelm factory axle shafts, and deep gearing in the differential results in less teeth on the pinion, which in turn creates a weakness of its own. The flip side is that too high of gearing can lead to excessive speed and shock loads when off-roading, typically breaking teeth off of the ring and pinion.
There are also advantages to running a Dana 44 axle when compared to a Dana 60 that you might not have considered. These include ground clearance, purchase price, and weight. Just make sure to match your axles to your intended tire size and use. Drop a comment and let us know what you want to see next from Harry, and don’t forget to like and subscribe to the Driving Line CZcams channel!
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I ran 40" Mickey Baja Boss on my 2018 Jeep JL with Dana 44's and stock gearing for 4 years and never had one problem. I was never heavy on the gas but I drove it everywhere and wheeled Rubicon, Fordyce, Moab and all. Dana 44's are serious beasts!
Same here,
I have a 2020 JT sport, Max tow package with heavy duty Dana 44 front and back wide axles. I have a 5.5 inch lift and 40-13.5-17 toyos all around
Four years going thru almost every obstacle and I haven’t have an issue.
When the time comes and something breaks down, I am ready to upgrade. 👍🏻
Did you gusset?
@@TortugaDeRio no, I did nothing at all. All I did was a metalcloak lift
I'm running 37s on a stick dana 44. Chevy k20.
I want a CZcams channel from this differential guy!
Agreed. We need to do more videos with Aaron.
Ditto
I agree! He did such a fantastic job explaining and talking
100% let's make it happen! Liked and commented to bump this op comment to the top
Yup. Or an hour or two of just talking about all of this.
Ran 35's on stock Rubicon axles with 5:13 gears for years on the Rubicon and Barrett lake until I bent the front axle.Went to 37's with a Danatrac heavy duty 44 front end loaded with chromemoly axles front and rear. 1 ton driveshafts. Goes anywhere and it's my daily driver.
Wow, those are the two trails that I am building my jeep for.
Particularly Barret lake. My Great Grandfather was a cattleman and a place between Wilson's and Winmillers.
Last weekend we were talking about that area and he talked about the Barrett Brothers would tease him and make fun of his saddle.
Out of curiosity, did you stretch your TJ to accommodate the 37s ?
Very cool conversation with Aaron! super helpful! Thanks for this video!
18 jl rubicon 3.5 game changer, 37's, yukon 488's, adams front and rear, rcvs front, chromoly rears...been everywhere...bullet proof for years now. Drive to every trail all over usa. My only thing is I avoid bouncing and I'm quick to pull winch line to minimize risk because I have to always drive it home.
Great video and topic, really enjoyed the input on all the different things to take into account.
Wow, this was a great conversation, even relating driving technique to lockers and 4WD and how it effects the stresses in the axle.
Well done on the content.
Lockers actually put less stress on the axle despite this video. It usually prevents spinning and damage.
Super good info. Always helps when it comes from someone with experience!
Awesome stuff! Aaron was super informative
“Fuse link”, mind blown! 🤯 Good Stuff!
Excellent, educational video! Since 2012 I've driven a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. I run stock tires and wheels. I've had no driveline issues of any type. I don't do lots of rock crawling. Years ago, I drove Series IIA and III Land Rovers. I liked to use Michelin 7.50 x 16 and 9.00 x 16 XS tires. Although I wasn't doing the kind of rock crawling you show in this video, I broke far too many rear axle shafts in my 88" Land-Rovers with stock driveline components. My 2012 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon has been vastly more reliable! Thanks for the exceptional advice of this video, guys! Andy McKane, 27 December 2021.
I'm just starting an LJR build and this was really helpful.
Great video. A deep dive on old dana 44 vs new would be great info.
Terrific video. Thank you for sharing.
FANFUCINTASTIC VIDEO !!!! full of great information and in depth facts. Aaron ya need a channel brother !!!!!
Good to see you're doing well.
No bullshit and a lot of great information. Great video!
Outstanding video!
This is great information. People really don't understand the ripple effect they start when they go big.
Thank you! We're glad it's reaching people that need the information! 😀
If someone wants to go big let them!! That’s how we learn is by breaking stuff. Then we fix it and learn the skill of replacement. It really all depends on money and what we want to use it for. If someone can afford these rigs and 37s and lifts they can afford to replace new axles and drive shafts etc. if I want my truck to look and perform a certain way I know I won’t be satisfied if I don’t go big lol
@@lifeoutdoors3953 yup break it and make it stronger
35s were fine being gentle on the axles. When I went to 37s I started feeling nervous. Now I’m on tons and 40s
Dude this was a hell of a video... thanks for all the good info.
Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for commenting; these help us know that we're going in the right direction 😀
Thank you so much Really great information
I really enjoyed this video 🤙🏼
Awesome video, very informative. Can you do one on a dana 60 next?
I know this is an old video, but so is my 08 jkur. It has a 4.5 skyjacker dual rate long arm and a 2" body lift with sleeved 44's Chrome Moly everything, and it has been running 38 inch TSL super swampers and 37 inch radial Iroks in the winter for the past 9 years. It gets used every day in the forest, and Alberta muskeg. 5:38 gears and a very gentle pedal must help, and I use the winch whenever a tire becomes jambed.
Using the winch takes a few minutes, and has saved me thousands and thousands of dollars.
Good, mater-of-fact information - THANKS
Cool, informtive video. Aaron should be included in future, informational videos! Seems my Carbon assembeled, Currie 44 front 44 and 37's is a reasonable combo. I run larger brakes to slow the heavier tires and keep an eye on unit bearings and ball joints. Well done!
I agree! He is a wealth of knowledge.
That dude Aaron is a Mad Scientist! Lots of knowledge.
This was fun to watch, thanks!! '22 JLUR, going to stick with my decision of 2.5" lift with 35s and it will overland and crawl as much as I'll ever want.
So apparently I changed my mind and I ordered some Icon rims and 37" Wildpeaks and will probably go 3.5" lift..... Just Empty Every Pocket.... I just feel like the JL platform was built for 37s.
Had a buddy of mine snap a Dana 44 in a Blazer on 33's. Can't really blame the axle though, he decided his truck was a prerunner and could he hit some massive whoops in the desert and promptly broke it right away.
Watching this video definitely helped with my decision of what axel I really wanna get to do a sas on my 97 tacoma gonna be doing front amd rear and I plan on running 35s at the biggest cause its a well rounded sized tire not to big and not to small and plan on 4link front and rear and eventually go dual case as well as time and money permits
The video EVERY new(ish) off-roader needs to watch. (PERIOD!)
GREAT INFO GUYS!!!!!
Great video! I would like to see more of this type of stuff.
Have Aaron do a video on safe heights for lift kits and what needs to done at each height. There aren’t enough videos on that subject matter.
Good videos
Great info!
I really enjoyed this really great tech
I ran 35" Ground Hawgs on my Dana 44 and I rock crawled, hill climbed and mud bogged and I never broke anything. It was in a 59 Chevrolet Apache with a 396 big block and a turbo 350 transmission.
I appreciate this so much… I run 40s on D44s and people talk so much shiittt!!!! RCVs, Gusseted, sleeved, chomoly axles front and back, etc. I do off road a lot and I do what I want but I never break stuff.. that’s because I choose not to by respected my rig and being thoughtful about every move I make. Why spent $20k on axles when you can learn out how to drive instead.
If you break something on 40s.. you wouldn’t have broken it on 37s too.
If you want 40s. Don’t listen to the haters just do it and enjoy! Cheers
Also run 40s on built jk 44s, main thing if you have to bump up something do it with the lockers off. And the lighter the Jeep the better
Great and all, as long as you know that D44 WILL break. Im on 37s, easy pedaler, gusseted, sleeved, cro mo axles, Dynatrac BJs, blah, blah.... My last trip at Moab the passenger tube cracked at usual spot near pumpkin at 80k.... Fortunately my welding sleeves inside the tubes early on is what got me off the trail and the tube not snapped in 1/2. My next step is RJ 60 to match RJ 60 in rear. If you dont think its a time bomb on 40s, youre kidding yourself. If the meantime you dont break, bent axle flanges are the norm running 40s on D44s.
@@highwayman1218 lol fucking duh. I don’t think anyone argues your point and I also think the key to this is that of course D44 isn’t bullet proof on 37s or 40s. Just fucking build it and wheel it and ignore all the drama queens. If it breaks, good! Fix it, upgrade it and move on.
I’ve been running 35s on my 79 Ramcharger (83 part time axles) with a mild 360/nv4500/Dana300/4.56 for 16 years. Engine makes 279/341 to the wheels. I’ve always been careful with the throttle and the front was open for half that time. But no issues the last few with an Aussie locker.
I daily drive my 2010 Rubicon JKU for 11 years, on 40s with 5:13 gears. Gussets, and internal sleeves. I am aware that I am pushing the limit but I am gentle on the skinny pedal and with the slug 3.8L and a slushbox, so far I haven't had anything break except the front factory driveshaft . Put a Tom Woods on and no issues since.
I’m running 40s on my 09 wrangler with the 6spd and I went to drive to the store today and out of nowhere I heard a loud pop and it broke a chunk off the spider gear so now I’m trying to figure out what to do I’m running 488s
I put a dynatrac JK44 w/ARB & 35 spline in my XJ. So far so good running 39.5s. The 8.8 wasn't so lucky though. Blew the Detroit twice and killed a chromo shaft. Just ditched the Detroit for a spool & 35 spline shafts. Driving style= "I like the loud pedal" BTW.
Great job
5.13 40s. Manual trans. Zero problems on the trail. Factory mopar 44 rear and factory recon 44 front and lockers.front and rear are trussed. 17 rubicon recon.
I ran 35's on stock Ford ranger axles for a few years with no problems , when i went to 40 's i broke 3 rear axles and a lot of bed bolts and other stuff. Never broke the front ttb though
let's not forget about the Dana super 60 which is found on the 2017 and up super duty's they have a 10" ring gear .50" wall and 3.5" axle tubes with 1550 steering u-joints and 35 spline inner and outer axle shafts that's the front axle i used on my solid axle swap duramax
Nice job. No BS info. I ran 35's on a pair of Dana 44's in a flat fender with ARB's for 20 years. Never had any issues.
That's because you know how to drive.
@@russgould707 exactly. If someone needs 1 tons on a Jeep or yota, they clearly don't have a clue what they are doing.
@@thetrutha2177 I had a 76 f250 with 44s . Dana 44 HD front axle. It handled them just fine. You have to know when NOT to put the hammer down. Never had a ball joint problem and the truck got driven over 100,000 mi with 44s on it. It would spin those 44s over on pavement with stock axle shafts. It was an open front diff though.
So true ! I had 33's on a 86 ranger and used to drive it like a go cart ! Eventually drove it on 40 s for a few years. Thats when i broke a few axles . Back then they were cheap and so easy to change
Moment of inertia for a simplified tire in the rolling forward direction (a disc) is M=0.5*mass*r^2 meaning the difficulty to turn a tire is proportional to the square of the radius. This means a small radius increase results in a very large increase in difficulty to turn. Thanks for the good video!
I had exactly that in one of the Pop Up text boxes and figured it was too much to read. But the fact that force increases at the square of the radius is the key factor to understand. See also the video where we compared 37s to 40s and the comparative weight differences. It's a ton of force!
1310 U joints on the drive line is key if you are running D44's on a Jeep. It is a $20 repair. Like the dude said just carry are 2nd slip yoke!
Hell you can even carry U joints, and the tools to replace those on the trail. Much better than tearing an axle shaft, hub, ring/pinion out on the trail.
That's cuz the jeep Dana "44" isn't a real 44 and people don't realize it
@@brad1367What is it then? That's what I have.
@@Tommy-rr7ezan M220 probably.
He’s being gay about it because you can’t just throw any “Dana 44” locker in them as they’ve been slightly updated but that’s neither here nor there because afaik you can’t just throw any Dana 44 locker into any Dana 44 anyway as there’s plenty of variants.
Dudes just being a gatekeeper that’s why he didn’t even answer you; he just wants you to know your axle “isn’t real”
I kept everything under the recommended max because I plan on serious back country overlanding. I've got 35"s with 4.10 gears on my ttb Dana 44, and I went with Detroit truetracs to avoid hard lock and unlock issues, as well as keeping the steering workable with factory parts. I am running a 4407 transfer case to get more strength there, and a ZF-5 for even lower crawl speed and control. My main plan for long term reliability is sticking with a 300 i6. Mellow easy power with enough torque to grind it out at 1000 rpm all day with more or less no throttle input.
A couple of things to consider. Running a front diff on the coast side is not that bad. Most off roading that we see high stress or load is climbing. When the vehicle climbs there is load transfer to the rear taking some load of the front (less stress) , but when you have to reverse out of a ditch or uphill you can bet that front will be fully loaded and now driving on the correct side of the gear.
Secondly, less tooth count regardless of ratio doesn’t always mean weaker. It can mean a bigger stronger tooth profile.
You can fit a D50 diff into a D44 housing thanks to Jantz Engineering
Great and informative video! I have a 2018 Rubicon JL, running 4.88 gears, on a stock D44 (front and rear) on Cooper STT Pro 37's, and on a 3.5" lift. I also want to mention that this is also my daily driver, which I commute to work about 60-70 miles round trip daily, other than that I'm a "weekend warrior" out on the trails. Eventually I will be buying a daily driver, and when I do, I will be only using my Jeep as a trail rig, or during extreme inclimate weather situations. Anyway, I was considering moving up to 40's when I make that move, but lately (especially after watching videos like this), it might be more beneficial to stay on 37's, or go 38's, but even that might be pushing it. Thanks for the info guys!
I would probably add RCV axle shafts and run 38” Nitto Trail Grapplers when your 37s wear out. A JL is about 700 pounds less than a comparable JK due to the aluminum knuckles, hood, doors, etc and I think that will help your axles live.
@@HarrySituations actually a jlu weighs more lol. Look up the weights from the manufacture. Jeep lied when they said it was going to weigh less. The Jl is bigger than a Jk with a lot more wiring and electronics that add up over the weight reduction from aluminum. It is about 200 pounds more than a jk. The rubicons are closer, i beilive it is 100 more
@@HarrySituations The hood, doors, knuckles, windshield frame, etc, dont even weigh 700 pounds together lol. Im pretty sure the Jl has a higher gross weight ability and has a bigger gas tank, dont quote me on that tho.
I run 42s on my JKU stock axles with 4.56 gears. I have Dana 60s on standby but the axle hasn't broken yet. Food for thought
@@JWard2 have you wheel'd it like that?
37s with a truss if you're gonna get rowdy on the rocks and lock the diffs
Good info but I wish you had talked more about braking issues with TJ 44s and larger tires as well as the increased capacity of the JK and JL 44s. I ran 36s on my 05 LJR and burned through ball joints, unit bearings, and brakes like crazy, really wasn't safe in a panic stop. Was going to go with a big brake kit then ended up building 609s. If i were to do it again I would save the money get a set of JKR take offs purely for the bigger brakes and how easy it is to swap with aftermarket trusses. Not to mention the 32 spline outers.
Black magic brakes would have done the job. The owner is Blaine who builds Tj/LJs and personally the number 1 jeep builder. Knows the ins and outs of everything even designed most of all Savvy’s tj/lj products. If you don’t know Savvy they won at KOH plenty of times.
Great Video! Wow, great discussion and so much good info! I am planning on ordering a 24 Rubicon Pentastar 3.6 auto with 35s, there is an option from factory for 4.88. I will be putting a rooftop tent and occasionally towing (2 o 3 times a year). Do you recommend 4.56 or 4.88?
I would go with the 4.88s. The 8 speed has a 0.67 final gear so even with the 4.88s the RPMs shouldn't be too high on the freeway.
Thanks a lot man
De troit 🤣
Very interesting vid 👍
The Nissan M226 rear axle, as I understand, is basically a Dana 44. This is used on the Frontier and the Titan.
had a 70's cherokee built 401 with 3/4 gm 44 an ff 14 5.13 gears on 40" tires only thing i kept breaking was transmission mounts
Great video! Someday I’ll go 35’s on my 21 Rubicon…
DM us a photo when it happens! @drivingline on Instagram 😎
Semi instructional. Not a lot of real answers, but it agreed with everything I've heard before that 37's are the highest length of torque arm that you should apply to a Dana 44.
Always a good time spent Harry! I think the more you reduce tire diameter and axle size & weight, arguably the more you can do. The Rubicon this year was far more challenging and fun on 35s in a SWB JK with stock 44 axles versus years past in an LJ on 40s with an extra 1000 pounds of axle weight and tires. Are 35s the new 40s?
Thanks for the feedback John! That new JK looks like a lot of fun.
You should try 31's or 32s then.
Your lucky you get to go to the Rubicon this year. Thanks to the fire, they closed downed it down the day before I was heading there for my yearly trip.
Oh man!! So sorry to hear that 😖
I believe before you ask what size you need to ask 2 other questions first. How are you going to drive it, and gross vehicle weight fully loaded. Then tire size
When doing the research for my build, I found that 300HP is the limit with 33" tires, built accordingly. 49 Willys wagon AMC 401, 700R4, 241C, 77 waggy axels, 4.10..280/370 crank.
Nice motor dude.
Hey! I live in Reno/Sparks Axleline and Aaron built the 12 bolt in my 37 K10!! They do great work
One thing you forgot to talk about is the terrain you wheel in. Here in Alberta we have almost no rock, just mud and muskeg. I've run 35" boggers and 36" Iroks on stock 4.56 30ls/44spool Tj. No cromoly Never once broke a shaft because there is nothing to really hook to.
That is a really good point Jeff!
De-troit
Good info, great video
My TJ came with a low pinion 30 in front. The XJs came with the hp30, and that’s what I swapped onto my TJ since everyone is so damn proud of their 44 housings 😂
I think that is a great choice for 35 (and even 37) in tires. Same outers, lighter, more ground clearance, and nearly as strong.
@@HarrySituations Currently running 35's and will probably stay with them for quite a while if not indefinitely. One of the main reasons I switched to HP was for better driveshaft ground clearance. My driveshaft went from hanging below the control arms (LP) to above them (HP). A few inches can make all the difference!
35s if stock. 37s if built. 38s if you are super built and very light. 40s if you like to replace broken parts.
I am running 37in sticky treps on my 2010 2door rubicon with the dana 44. I have trussed and sleeved the axle, along with gusseted the inner Cs. I also am running chromoly shafts front/rear. 5.13 gears and 4:1 t case. That tire is the absolute limit if you wheel harder trails, I am upgrading axles when I break something, knock on wood I haven’t broken anything yet. 200hp might be the saving grace lol.
You bring up a good point about tires. They aren’t all created equal and sticky Treps are about the hardest on parts due to the weight and the fact that they break parts before they break traction.
The factory TJ Dana 30 was not high pinion. The XJ (most years) used a HP30 which is commonly swapped into TJ's. But TJ's used low pinion front and rear
I’m building an 84 4runner. Swapped in a LS/ th350 and Toyota case. I have 4.88 gears now with a full float does 9” rear. I’ve been working on the front diff. Either ruffstuff wider axle or Dana 44 swap. Also considered going down to 4.11’s since I spend my time at the Sand Dunes
I like Toyota stuff but if you want to go wider a Dana 44 will be a lot less expensive to build.
@@HarrySituations I have long field chromoly axles already, hi steer and billet 4bolt steering arms. The +5 axle housing is around 850-900 and includes a chromoly short side axle shaft. I just don’t know if the front 8” can handle 400-450hp
On my jt with axle truss and c tab gussets with dynatrac heavy ball joints, I done goofed pushing a hard trail (black rated) at rausch creek on 40s. Cv blew and the lower ball joint ripped through the c. 40s if you don’t wheel with the protection I had ehhhhhhh might be safe. I’m now waiting for my dynatrac 60/80s to ship and I’m driving my 98 tj staring at my jt in the driveway hurts lol
Rubicon jt* was locked during the break crawling super slow
My setup is jeep TJ with a HP d30 front with 30 spline inner 27 spline outer trussed, rear D44 with 35 spline shafts. Both are chromoly shafts from Yukon on 35x12.5r15. Gearing is 4.88. Kinda wished I went with 5.13 due to having the 2.4L engine.
I've been running 40's on stock JKU axels for over 5 years now. And it's a daily driver. Although I am now looking to upgrade the axels.
Do u actually offroad or mall jeep ? if u make sock live on 4D'S u probably don't need 4D'S.
What steering seat up do you run on that red TJ
*Me running 37s on a dana 30* "hmm yes very interesting"
I've run 40" tires all day long for over 20 yrs on 44s, never any problems, mudding, running power lines, etc
I purchased 34 inch tires (Nitto Ridge Grapplers) for my Jeep for this very reason. It's more narrow than a 35, lighter, and appears to be the same height as 35's I compare them to around town. I'm not a mechanic, and and trying very hard not to trash my rig because I can't fix it myself; but still challenge myself on the trail.
Smart move! I prefer skinny tires as well for most terrain. All the ground clearance, easier to fit, and lighter weight.
Super swamper had those 34 tall 9 1/2 tires that went good and pretty light
TJ’s never came with a HP 30, but some XJ’s did and they are a direct swap.
That is correct. The housing is a direct swap, might have to swap gears as XJs came with some non-TJ ratios like 3.55s
@@Tylerknoxville3 good info here
@Driving Line for my 97 TJ i will be putting in a 3.6 stroker in it. Would you recommend i go with the 8.8 axle or Dana 60. Currently have a 4 in lift with 33 in tires. Possibly going to a 6 in lift with 35 in tires in the future. Going to have 4.56 gears. Thank you for any input.
The nice thing about the 8.8 is that the bolt pattern and width match the front axle. So if you plan to keep the original front axle it makes the most sense, and they are pretty darn tough. The Dana 60 is stronger but opens this can of worms with being wider and eight lug where you will need to swap both axles for them to match.
great video guys.QUESTION? I have a 98 tj 4.0 and i put true lock rubicon axles under it.My question is i have read that its better to lock the rear most always when in 4x4.I read that because both axles are locked that it puts less stress on the carrier because the way the rubicon locker is designed.Is this true or can you explain? Sincerely, thank you so much.Rob
Good question Rob, I will ask Aaron his opinion. Personally I think that having the locker locked would be harder on the components since the energy has to go somewhere if the tires are not turning at the same rate (like when you are turning).
Great vid! I have a Dana30(front) and Dana44 (rear) on my 2004 TJ Sport. Right now I'm on 35's with 4.56 gears. I was thinking of going up to 37's and replacing the front axle with a Dana44 and adding chromoly shafts front and back. From what you guys said in the video, a Dana 44 is not that much of an upgrade than a Danna 30. Did I hear that right? Should I stick with the Dana 30 and just strengthen it with chromoly shafts and truss?
The Dana 44 used in the TJ Rubicon has a slightly larger ring gear and carrier with 30 spline inner axles (instead of 27 spline) but the same outers as a Dana 30. Honestly I would look for a high pinion Dana 30 out of a Cherokee and build that with RCVs and a selectable locker like an ARB Air Locker. It will bolt right in and be light and strong with great ground clearance.
Dana 30 will be just fine for 35’s and you don’t need to truss it either. 37’s is to much for a tj dana 44
A high pinion Dana 30 front axle from an XJ it a great addition to a 2 door SWB TJ. You not only gain ground clearance for the driveline, but more importantly the front driveshaft angle is greatly minimized. This is especially important because the driveline angle increases with a suspension lift and will create front driveline vibration at highway speeds. The Dana 30 will handle 35” tires with big spline alloy axles with the stock motor.
You were talking about running 37s on your jeep, can you please tell me the offset is on your wheels or did you use spacers? Thanks.
I am running 1.5” spacers Larry. Or adapters to be more accurate, since I have 5x5 AEV wheels with 5” backspacing. Wider axles would be nice but that obviously isn’t an easy endeavor.
What all did you do to run your 37s. Suspension lift. Ect
I'm building D44's, the front comes from a '76 waggy, which is a great swap for a '65 Baby Scout. Nothing super special engine wise, 196-4 TBI. Wide T19 going through a D18/20case. I've been driving around on 265x75r's16 for years now on the stock D27 f/44f rear 4:27's. Never broke anything, but doesn't turn very sharp either. The plan is to run 35"s(I even have 37/38's on my mind). My main question is after watching this video, would I be better off on 5.13's or 5:38's. I've been leaning toward the 5:38's, I like the low crawl ratios for my 4 popper. Plus, I like the idea of the driveshaft as the "fusible link" in the drive train. I'm more a finesse driver than a bang and hop sort driving around with old farm equipment.
You are only talking 5% difference between 5.13s and 5.38s. I think that you will be fine with either since you have that low first gear in the tranny.
So that's why I broke chromoly axles shafts in my V8 YJ with 40" Nittos last weekend? My dana 44 isn't up to the task. Who knew.... Ok I knew, but did it anyway. This winter I'll be building my Dana 60/Sterling 10.5.
I just bought Dana 44 AdvenTEK crate axles. going to run 37's in my JLU with 4:88 gearing.
I just like to rock crawl. I'm not a bouncer/basher. It's my daily driver, so ...
Sounds like a good combo!
Hey guys, this was a very informative video, thank you! I have the new JLUR eco diesel with the d44 and 3.73s, and will be running 35s for my every day commute/occasional weekend warrior. I really want 37s but afraid to break something. Not a crazy driver. Without breaking the bank, Is there anything I can replace/strengthen now that I could do so not to cause issues down the line?
I like RCV axle shafts, and since the EcoDiesel weighs 450 pounds more than the 3.6L I think that a truss from Artec or TNT Customs or similar would be a worthwhile upgrade for peace of mind.
Artec is a far superior product, compared to TNT. One of my friends ripped and upper control arm bracket off of a TNT rear truss. The bracket and welds held, but it ripped a chunk out of the top and side of the truss on it's 3rd trip after installation . Needless to say I don't truss the quality of the metal they use.
4.56 gears will make the 37's work great
I ran 39.5s on mine for years. only a couple broken axle joints. till I put ctm shafts and joints in..
70s ford trucks. still have several.
Running big ole 31s on my JK Rubicon
Tooth count debate: I think heating and wear are a definite problem for the small pinion, but the pinion gear itself has less loading due to the larger ring gear it’s turning, so it might be a trade off there as far as overall strength.
Might be. 😁
Watching this video while looking at my 95 f-150 prerunner 4x4 on 39's........
Super deep gears vs a doubler on the Tcase, if you can afford only one to start with on a trail only rig, which would you go for? I'm building a 2003 4 door Tracker with a TJ front frame clip, D44 front, 9" rear, 112" wheelbase, 37" tires. Running a stock 4.0, AW4, NP231. Looking at a 231/231 doubler case.
I think the doubler will make the biggest difference on the trail. The only downside is if the gears in the axles are not low enough to turn the tires on the road.
Regarding pronouncing Detroit, for us here in Michigan it's just De-troit. People not from the southeastern Michigan area sometimes say it as DEE-troit. When the French military leader Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac founded the city of Detroit back in 1701 they would have pronounced Detroit as Dey-twa.
So what about the landcruiser 9.5 rear diff ? Its toyotas dana 70
Lets see. How much traction, how much torque, how heavy a vehicle? These will determine axle strength with large tires.
So what I heard was a 37" tire is ok on a 400 series gear on a stock Dana 44. 2021 jlur 2.0 turbo
Thoughts on JLU Sport M186 front M220 rear with 3.45 gears. I would like to run 285/75 r17 tires.
I think that you will be just fine. Normally I would recommend lower gearing but the eight speed really seems to make it less of a priority than previous Wranglers.
I knew a guy who had an early 80s Toyota 4wd with 39 inch tires on the stock drivetrain