hey all,
i was recently in an accident about 3 months ago so i have been rebuilding my jeep.It is a 97 xj and as apart of this rebuild i had to put a new steering kit on. while the jeep was up on the lift i noticed my passenger side axle shaft was much harder to turn than my drivers side one and it has a tiny leak. i was thinking my axle may have a slight bend in it from the accident. It is a dana 30 so i was looking to upgrade. i have searched but couldnt get a straight answer. I would love to have a dana 44 for the front and i was wondering what i would get it out of. I want it to be a bolt in conversion. i have heard that some cherokees came stock with a dana 44 front. what year cherokee would i be looking for while roaming the junk yard? or any other jeep (possibly a wagoneer) that has the dana 44 front axle that i could bolt in to my cherokee? If there is no bolt in conversions what would have to be done to make it work? thanks for all the help guys!!!

 

Xj's never came with a front 44.

The only true bolt in would be the TJ rubicon d44.

Every other 44 will require cutting and welding with other fabrication

 

The xj was offered with a dana 44 front. Very rare and only found in south american xjs. If you find one, it wont be cheap. I have seen one for sale on naxja since i got into xjs in 05. It was essentially a dana30 with 44 center.

Other than that the easiest swap is a 44 from a wagoneer. Slightly wider, and 6 lug, so you will need to get your rear axle to match. (Cant get the front to use your stock 5x4.5 wheels as they wont fit over the hubs) to swap it you basically just need brackets. But using the stock shafts it isnt much of an upgrade, and you will need to match gear ratios as well of course. Anything other than a stock dana30 is rarely cheap and easy.

 

No Cherokee came stock with a 44 front all xjs have the D30, now some did have a d44 rear axle most the woody xjs did in late 86-89. There is no bolt on d44 for a xj unless you buy a rockjock or something like that a Rubicon d44 will bolt in but its not a true 44 it has d30 tubes and knuckles just a 44 carrier with bigger spline axles. Its a good upgrade if you can find one under 2k.the wagoner D44 is not bolt in as its a leaf sprug axle so it would take some modification to work but will work great a few in my group has them under there xjs and cjs.

 

ooohh alright i thought i read somewhere that there was a cherokee that had a towing package with a D44 front axle, i guess not haha. i wish i had the money to get a bolt in one but i dont. i guess i will have to get the D30 and mabye build it up in the future

 

I did not know that , that is pretty cool.

Angers me that we didnt get it here, but still very cool

 

Waggy d44 are low pinion. I think the only d44 worth the Time to swap is the late 70 fore ones. Even the ones with cast mounts rant that bad(I have one).

 

If you want a bolt in D44 for the front, start looking for a wrecked tj rubicon. It will bolt right in as you are wanting to do. It will have 4.10s, so you will have to re-gear the rear to match.

That, and the south american xj d44 that KTM mentioned, are the only two that will just bolt in.......Both will be pricey, and not much of an upgrade from a d30.

KTM is pointing you in the right direction.

 

xjs did come with 44 fronts just not this continent...search it