Should I Get A D44 or Keep the 20?

[ThisGuyUKnow]

If you were local I could have hooked you up
have both a dana 35 3:55 and a dana 44 3:55
there both just sitting here waiting for a new home

How much do u think it would cost to palletize and stick on a train?

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

30/35 = scrap
CJ 20 = Junk
8.8 = mmm ehhh
D44's = Ok
FSJ 20 = good
9" = like better
D60's = me like more
FF 14 = bread winner

If I were to go with small axles I'd go with a 44 front and a 9" rear especially if I were to run 35" or smaller tires and wheeled lightly. Most times on the various jeep forums you can find complete sets already built for good to great prices.

Hmmm I think there is a slight misunderstanding here. I am looking for something that will bolt on with no modifications. So a Dana 44 front is not an option since its .ot a dircet bolt up. The Dana 44 in question is a factory option from 86. If I wanted to upgrade I would pro ably use.fSJ axles but is also like to keep my original wheels

 

[Fifesjeep]

Nope there's no misunderstanding... just my opinion. Sometimes just a little minor work will save you money and headaches later down the road.

 

[IOPort51]

Have you seen the J-10 axles??
first point, the wheels are 6 lug and If I am not mistaken the rear axle will be an AMC20 . At least mine is. It has one piece axles from the factory but although the front is a Dana 44 the rear is not.

 

[Fifesjeep]

Sure have... I have an 82 chop top waggy.
Now I am confused.... are you looking for W/T axles with 3.54's for you J-10 or for your CJ?

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Have you seen the J-10 axles??
first point, the wheels are 6 lug and If I am not mistaken the rear axle will be an AMC 20. At least mine is. It has one piece axles from the factory but although the front is a D-44 the rear is not.

Well J10s are all widetracs. So are most fsj cherokees. So those axles swapped into a cj would be ridiculously wide. A grand wagoneer or Narrow track cherokee would be a good candidate for a cj I think. You would need a 70s donor since they went to drivers drop in 80. FSJs used Dana 44 front and rear and Dana 44 front and HD AMC20 combos. Even FSJ N/T axles would have a pretty wide stance . I really want to just stick with stock cj axles for now.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Considering all the info I have gotten on regearing cost I am thinking it will be cheaper for me to convince 53cjb to let me pay for shipping from Colorado.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Ok guys I found a AMC20 with 3.54 gears stampped AA about six and a half hours away from me in tennyson in. AA stamp translates to wide track with trac-lok.

The gears are in good shape but the seller said the bearings look rusted... how much would it cost to have a shop replace the.bearings? If he is asking AMC 150 obo how much should i ask him to knock off considering the bearing issue?

Also is there any way to judge the friction disk's condition in the trac loc visually?

 

[IOPort51]

which bearings? axle or carrier? axle bearings are no big deal, carrier bearings are a bit more complicated. the track lock clutches are good for about 100k, or so I have been told.
I would put whatever you found in the jeep and run it for a while, at least untill you can see a new differential and axles in your future. The worst that can happen is you crater the carrier and you end up needing a new locking differential. You can build up an AMC20 for pretty close to what the Dana 44 would cost and for $AMC 150 you got the housing and brakes you need to start with. You need to tack weld the tubes and truss the axle and then do a locker with one piece axles. Start with the axle in the Jeep then do the one piece and by that time you may have worked up the knowlage and confidence to put a new diferential in it. The parts are expencive but the labor is outragious. The big thing to remember, IMHO, is that the guys that set up rear axles earn every cent.

 

[Old Dog]

If the bearings are rusty, it must have been sitting with no fluid in it.
New carrier and pinion bearings are around $130 but having someone put them in will probably be a couple hundred more. The track lock is probaly junk.
I'd keep looking if I were you.

 

[BusaDave9]

I assume the guy meant the wheel bearings.
He didn't open it up and look at the diff bearings, did he?
I assume you are planning on putting one piece axles in there. That entails removing the axle and you end up replacing the bearings anyway. But don't tell him that. Bad bearing could be in your favor if you try talking him down.

 

[BusaDave9]

If the bearings are rusty, it must have been sitting with no fluid in it.

Good point. I would go there with a torx ratchet set and open it up. If it has been sitting around with oil in it the inside may be good but the wheel bearings might be all thats bad.
If it's rusty inside it is no better than what you have. You'd need new diff.
I think it's worth checking out.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

which bearings? axle or carrier? axle bearings are no big deal, carrier bearings are a bit more complicated. the track lock clutches are good for about 100k, or so I have been told.
I would put whatever you found in the jeep and run it for a while, at least untill you can see a new differential and axles in your future. The worst that can happen is you crater the carrier and you end up needing a new locking differential. You can build up an AMC 20 for pretty close to what the D-44 would cost and for $150 you got the housing and brakes you need to start with. You need to tack weld the tubes and truss the axle and then do a locker with one piece axles. Start with the axle in the Jeep then do the one piece and by that time you may have worked up the knowlage and confidence to put a new diferential in it. The parts are expencive but the labor is outragious. The big thing to remember, IMHO, is that the guys that set up rear axles earn every cent.

I think he meant the carrier bearings because he said the oiters look new.

I am looking for a direct bolt in which limits me to a 20 or cj 44. How hard are the one piece axles to install? I am not sure I will ever offroad anything hard core enough to grenade a 2 piece but if it were something i could do myself I might consider it

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Good point. I would go there with a torx ratchet set and open it up. If it has been sitting around with oil in it the inside may be good but the wheel bearings might be all thats bad.
If it's rusty inside it is no better than what you have. You'd need new diff.
I think it's worth checking out.

He opened it up to check the gears, i am waiting on pics tomorrow.

 

[BusaDave9]

If it's the carrier bearing then everything needs to be replaced. Those pictures will save you a trip.
You don't need to do hard core off roading to spin the 2 piece axle. On the other hand there are also people that do abuse their jeep and still get a way with the 2 piece. I can't guarantee that you will or will not spin your 2 piece axles.
They are easy to replace with the one piece. I say now's the time to do it.
If you wait until you spin the hub on the axle shaft then it can be extremely hard to remove. I know. There is a woodrift key that gets mangled when you spin the axle in the hub.
Once the old axle is removed you need to press the new bearing on the new axle. To do that right you need to bring it to someone with a press.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Ye

If it's the carrier bearing then everything needs to be replaced. Those pictures will save you a trip.
You don't need to do hard core off roading to spin the 2 piece axle. On the other hand there are also people that do abuse their jeep and still get a way with the 2 piece. I can't guarantee that you will or will not spin your 2 piece axles.
They are easy to replace with the one piece. I say now's the time to do it.
If you wait until you spin the hub on the axle shaft then it can be extremely hard to remove. I know. There is a woodrift key that gets mangled when you spin the axle in the hub.
Once the old axle is removed you need to press the new bearing on the new axle. To do that right you need to bring it to someone with a press.

Correction, just spoke to the seller and he said its the pinion bearing. I will post pics tomorrow.

So is the one piece something I can do shade tree style without upsetting the delicate balance in the axles. I am really worried about screwing things up.

 

[BusaDave9]

You can't easily just replace the pinion bearing. There is a crush collar for adjustment. You have to have the pinion depth correct and the gear meshing. I would not try to replace the pinion bearing without checking these specs. Going this route you might as well replace the diff. It's almost as difficult.

 

[Old Dog]

Ye
Correction, just spoke to the seller and he said its the pinion bearing. I will post pics tomorrow.

So is the one piece something I can do shade tree style without upsetting the delicate balance in the axles. I am really worried about screwing things up.

Not good news, the pinion bearing being bad means $$.
1 piece axles are a pretty easy swap.

 

[Sasquach]

Not good news, the pinion bearing being bad means $$.
1 piece axles are a pretty easy swap.

X2 The pinion bearing would take you as deep into rebuilding the axle as you can go. Oh ya and there are two bearings for the pinion.

 

[Mattduran]

If your an off roader and running bigger tires Dana 44 is the way to go. It will pay for you now to spend the xtra buck for this. Repairs were a common thing on my jeeps that ran AMC20 until I upgraded them to 44's. Good luck


Here's a link to give you an idea of what new jeep ring and pinion gears will cost.