fmf

I want to swap both axles out of my xj and im trying to find a pair so the gears will match. I realize basically any front axle swap isn't going to be easy but what is the simplest swap that you can buy most the parts to do it with? I want to put a d44 or anything stronger into it. Suggestions, advice? I thought about the d30hp but then ill have to regear and it won't even be that huge of an upgrade.

2doorxj

i have a hp30 that im going to to super 30 kit on. gives you chromoly axle shafts and a biger spline count. also included is a locker and u joints, depending on witch locker you pick it's between 1200-1500. then you don't have to bothering getting an axle and haveing it shortened and having custom shafts made. how much power do you plan on puting at them and what tire?

xjoffroad

only axles that will swap into a xj are stock xj axles. everything else takes some fabrication

93xj

ballistic fabrication has weld on kits for almost any size axle tube i just helped my friend do one on his jeep tj and it went very nicely its about 100 bucks for the kit it comes with coil buckets and keepers, lower controll arm mounts, shock mounts, and trac bar mounts its all 1/4" metal and a solid kit

fmf

I checked out that site and found the kit thanks alot! I'm not the suspension savvy so what else would you need. Lets say I was going to put a dana 44 from an older ford? Also, what axle did your friend use? How long did it take? Thanks

EVcherokee

If your swapping axles and going bigger on the rubber, your most likely gonna need to regear anyway.

Google is your friend!!

If you feel like your Jeep is gonna need more than that D30hp, than forget the D44. If you have to cut down tubes, cut off old mounts, cleanup an reweld, well...everything, just got with a dana 60 front. With a little work, that d30hp will handle 33's easy and 35's if you don't mash the pedal.

fmf

I realize I'll probably have to regear except for the fact that I can get a pair of axles around here with matching gears for about 350-400. I'm not going to cut them down and I would get the kit from ballistic fab which would make it a hell of alot easier. The dana 30hp will handle more but you have to put alot of money into it. I'm working with a budget.

xjoffroad

so are you going to run full width axles then if you are using ford diffs? if you want the same width axles as your stocks you have to retube it by cutting it down. look into a waggy44 if you dont want to cut it down. clayton offroad makes a bracket kit thats pure beef and comes with everything you need unlike balistic where you have to piece it together.

xjoffroad

also you need to figure in axle shafts and ujoints. running stock axles and ujoints are pretty pointless when you are building a axle. you need gears and a locker also. you have to figure out what you are going to do for steering, stock steering on a d44 is not much of a difference then d30's

fmf

So if i could get a d44 from an xj and a d30hp id be fine? The biggest tires I'm gonna run are 35s but might just do 33s

xjoffroad

you will be fine. just dont be stupid with the skinny pedal. get some 297 ujoints with shafts and tack the the ujoint caps onto the shafts, they like to walk out on you. or run some alloys with a spicer joint for the front d30!

fmf

I typed the ujoints in on google but couldnt find sites selling them where would I get them from? Also, how do you tell the difference between a hp30 and a lp30 from just looking at them?

xjoffroad

on a lp the yoke where the driveshafts screws into will sit below the axle tubes. a hp the yoke sits above the axle tubes.

ujoints look here http://completeoffroad.com/c-64310-u...-u-joints.html

fmf

Thanks for all the info

fmf

ok so i went and looked at my axle and the bolts are at about the same level as the shafts.