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My Dana 44 axle build

7K views 84 replies 7 participants last post by  4.3L XJ 
#1 ·
This forum is a ghost town in the cloud. Pretty quiet around here lately. I was going to wait to start this thread because it has been a long term project, but now I guess is the time.

My Jeep had been capable and faithful, that is until the injectors in my engine took a dive. The biggest problem with that is that all the replacements are Chinese crap and only last a couple of months. $200/month in injectors sounds like a car payment to me, so time to upgrade. The plan is to get into something that GM will support more than ten years. That means a V8 that starts with the letter "L".

So, my Dana 35 has been faithful, even locked and in the rocks. But it is not going to stand up 400 horsepower. Hence, the quest for the perfect Dana 44 rear axle. I ran across an old hippy that had been driving a 78 Scout II that had been rear ended by a semi truck. Uber miling didn't pay off in this case, It was flipped end over end, threw him out and caused permanent brain damage. Not sure what he smoked didn't contribute. Anyway, he parted out the engine, trans and transfer case and was left with a shell with a bent frame and a very wrinkled body. And he needed to get rid of it. So I made him a deal and for $200 I got the axles and hauled the wreck to the scrap yard.
 
#54 ·
Squarebody paint booth. Nice.
 
#56 ·
Got the ale shafts today, almost fell out of the box when the guy in brown handed them to me. But undamaged. The guy at Moser insisted I add a half inch to my length measurements to be safe and said I could cut off any extra. Instead I pulled out these axle stops the guy at Eaton said I didn't need anyway. Hoping I don't have to do any trimming
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#57 ·
Here is a show off pic. These axles are much beefier than the standard D44 axle or the D44A next to it
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#58 ·
Couldn't get the axle shaft into the press, just wouldn't make the bend to get into the center. So I got out the high tech slide hammer and installed axle bearings and seals. Paid good money when I was 17 to a Forde Garage to learn that trick
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#59 ·
Just because Im curious, you didn't want to move the table height on the press so It fit underneath?
 
#60 ·
It was hot, triple digits and my press table weighs about 100 pounds. Just didn't want to add to that and have to pick it up with one hand while I inserted the cross bolts under it. I really need a hand crank and cable for it
 
#61 ·
If I ever find a reason to move mine I will feel the same way. In the meantime, its more compact without a crank hanging off the side. I just remember pressing bearings on axle shafts at work and I don't remember having an issue other than clunkiness. The air over hydraulic jacks in the presses were nice.
 
#62 ·
In the FWIW column. I saw a video on you tube where a fellow took a HF 20 ton press and replaced the stock jack with an air over hydraulic one. And added a knob to the return valve. It was pretty neat. Plus he drilled and pinned the bottom of the press blocks. It made a world of difference. Definitely a worth while modification.
 
#63 ·
I hear ya on that. Mine has a motorized pump and I installed a wood splitter valve on it. In the return position the valve stays on until the pressure gets up to about 1000 psi and automatically trips off.The only reason the table is like that is I added a little steel to it ....
 
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#65 ·
It is a little hard to tell. but i got the pattern on the drive side as good as can be expected with used gears. That is the important side anyway. The pattern will migrate a little under power toward the outside I am told. And the intention is to have plenty of power applied to it




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#66 ·
Got the nice shiny parts put on, axles and drive flange, which is 1350 from Adams Drive Shaft. However I couldn't button it up. The diff cover I made out of 3/8" plate no longer fits. The cover was built to fit standard D44 gears. These are 3/8" bigger. So guess what, can't bolt the diff cover down now. So, I will have to sell this one and make another
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#67 ·
Any chance of just modding this one? Cut out a section and form a new one and weld it back in? Or make a new one I suppose.
 
#68 ·
I could make a new base plate and just space it out. I have a piece of steel marked for that. I haven't quite decided. I have to fix my band saw first before doing that.
 
#74 ·
So I finally got a new axle cover made to accommodate the larger gears. Different design this time. I did some research and found the rounded covers in the gear area give better milage. Thank you Gale Banks. Let's see, remember that vid of some guy pounding an arch in some leaf springs? That was me with 3/8" plate. But got it done and installed
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#76 ·
Bought myself a Christmas present. An adapter to fit my engine stand so working on the front will be easier. Won't have to bend over so far and it is on wheels
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#77 ·
Now, bac to cleaning the shop. Got something big coming in the next week or two or maybe three. Changing transmissions on a TJ tomorrow
 
#78 ·
228763

Ya gota build yourself one of these! Its really nice actually. Havent been able to use it lately since I moved, but I plan to put my one tons on it to do gearing and brackets, etc.

The stand on the left can slide side to side to give proper positioning due to different style axles. Its tight, square and keeps me from having to bend over while doing this stuff. I want to add clamps the the stand to eliminate the need for ratchet straps, but either way it gets the job done.

Ps, I'm liking how the build's turning out.
 
#79 ·
Thanks. My stand is fully adjustable to a point. I wanted it very narrow so I built a plate for it. But normally those arms bolt on to the normal engine stand arms.
 
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