Has anyone here put them under an XJ before? I tried to use the search function, however, that doesn't work very well. From what I have determined from my own research, is that the rear simply needs the shock mounts relocated, and the brakes dealt with, and the front needs UCA and LCA mounts, brakes dealt with, and maybe shock mounts.
Any insight would be appreciated.

 

Search a bit more because those are some of the more common axles used. Stay away from 78-79 models unless you want to use the ford radius arms.

 

I have the ones from a 78, however, I plan on welding on the UCA and LCA mounts. I tried the search function, but on the first few pages I didn't see anything that would work, unless it is in the "All Lift Questions Go Here" thing. That is pretty useless because it won't take you to the specific page that has the info you are looking for.

 

Google is your friend but with the 78 it has cast wedges which can't be cut off so you're pretty much stuck modifying the stock radius arms which actually make decent long arms if you put joints on the end instead of a bolt.

 

Couldnt I weld the control arm brackets to the wedges?

 

You could try but where they are it would move them from where the brackets need to be. Also welding mild steel to cast can be a chore if you don't know what you're doing.

 

Well, I do have a friend who went to school for welding, so if it is difficult, he can still do it. Would the LCAs mount properly? If so, I could do a 3 link setup.

 

Not really. Most people who use them build a radius arm/long arm setup with the factory arms.

 

Well $hit. I need to buy some radius arms then.

 

I also recomend build a truss across the axle as well as have your friend weld the cast to the tubes.. kinda eliminates another week point.


I have seen the cast d44 used with out running the radias arms, but it requires a lot more work.. and you really need to be good at fabbing stuff. Search over on Pirate and Naxja as well..

 

Rustys sells a truss with a mounting point for a third link, they also sell one with mounting for a 4 link setup. Would you recommend trying to do something like that to add more strength?

What I am confused by, is that I didn't break the so called "weak" points on the D30 or Chry8.25. I only broke the bearings. And I thrash on the thing. The P.O. said the wheel bearings had never been replaced, and at 235k, they were gonna go sooner or later anyway.

So how do people break these axles, which are even beefier than the stock ones? I'm sure if I ventured out of Florida, I could break it, but I don't see anything happening here aside from me trying to become a pilot again.

 

What tire size do you have? Thats a big part of breaking axles and ujoints.

Binding and hopping and such with large, heavy tires.

 

I love your picture, chiefacorn

 

Sorry to get off the point ha

 

well for the d44 front the ujoints are the same size as a d30. a d44 isn't all that much larger than a d30. people go and make the mistake of running 38" tires on 44/9. still plenty of stories of d44's getting broken on 35" tires. theres a guy on here who broke his 9" 3rd member. anything can happen with enough skinny pedal

not saying it can't be done. still plenty of people run 38's on 44/9 with good results. seems to be hit or miss with some people