Hey guys,

I'm currently in the process of swapping a rear Dana 44 out of a TJ into my XJ. I've got all the TJ brackets cut off and I have the new leaf spring perches and shock mounts from Barnes 4WD.

My question is this: What are the locations that I should weld the leaf spring perches and shock mounts on to?

I don't have an XJ rear axle handy to measure as the Jeep this is going under is currently on jack stands with no axles. My GoogleFu skills must be lacking as I can't find much info. One website said that the leaf spring perches are 44" from center to center, another website said 43 3/4", another said 43 1/2", and yet another said 43 5/8". Does anyone know the correct width? And what about the angle/degree that the perches should be welded at?

Same for the shock mounts. I can't find any information at all regarding the width and angle/degree that these should be welded at.

Can anybody help me out?

Here are some pics of the axle work in progress:

 

I just set a two D44s up. The best thing to do is to set the axle on jack stands and set the weight of the vehicle on it, tack them in place. Shock mounts included because you need to set the pinion angle you need. Otherwise, you will end up asking us questions about shims and not be able to attach the shocks because the shock pins are at too much of an angle. That si what I did

 

Agreed....at the stage you are, put it all under the jeep with the weight on it, then adjust what ya need to for pinion angle, then tack it all together....take it back apart.

Sit and wait a day or two, then put it all back together to check....if it is still good......then take it apart and weld it up.

It's a hassle, yes, but it's much easier to cut a tack if something is off or moves than to grind out a weld.

 

Thanks for the quick replies!

Everything you guys said makes complete sense and I agree. My problem is that the garage that I'm working on the axle at and the garage where the Jeep is are two separate locations, about an hour away (I bought the axle from a friend and am doing the work in his shop as he has the plasma torch and is a better welder than I am). I guess I can take the axle home and tack the perches on myself, but I'd prefer to not be taking the axle back and forth multiple times as I was going to have my buddy do the majority of the welding.

Also, I'm going to be moving soon and I need to get the Jeep on wheels so I can move it. I haven't done a SYE yet and I won't have time before I move so I can't really figure out my final pinion angle at the moment.

I was hoping to put everything in the stock locations and deal with the pinion angle later. I don't have to weld the shock mounts on right now as I don't have shocks for it at the moment anyway, but I was going to have my friend weld them on while the axle is at his place, as again he is the better welder.

What do y'all think?

 

Your setting yourself up for twice as much work later.

I've cut lots of stuff apart ive done on my jeep over the last few years. Some the next day as I look at it going wtf was I thinking

Its a hassle for you to do it right but is far less working then doing it wrong. The easiest path for you is the wrong one

 

I'm all for doing it right the first time. I just don't know what my pinion angle needs to be yet and I need to get the Jeep rolling ASAP so I can move it.

Can I just bolt everything together and do the welding later? The XJ is not currently able to move under it's own power, so of course I would not be driving it like that. I just need to be able to move it on and off of a trailer.

What do you guys think?

 

Yes, you could bolt it together

 

Cant you use the center to center spacing of the spring mounts on the body as the center to center spacing for the spring mounts on the axle?