To upgrade axles or replace?

[gasiorv]

I will provide an alternative perspective. In my opinion and based on my wheeling style the stock TJ Dana 44's are not strong enough for 35s, even with chromoly shafts. Warranty chromoly shafts are nice, but not if you are dealing with the breakage on the trail. Also the collateral damage of broken parts gets expensive (i.e. broken axle shaft damaging locker). I consistently was breaking parts and dealing with issues in the rear Dana 44 and recently upgraded to the RJ60, we will see how that holds up. I am still running the stock Dana 44 with RCV shafts up front, but the tubes are too thin and it is bent and just a matter of time before it starts giving me issues.

If I was starting over from the beginning I would go with the RJ60 in the rear and a HP44 in the front (RJ44, 78-79 Ford, dynatrac, etc....). Even the ECGS front HP44 has much thicker tubes and is on my radar right now, but I haven't pulled the trigger hoping something comes up on FB Marketplace or local.

Again, all based on the type of wheeling that I do and my driving style, my TJ gets treated more like a Buggy on 35's. Just a different perspective.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Do you really think your Tennessee trails are tougher than the rock crawling trails in the deserts of California and Arizona where Dana 44 axles and 35's are more common than anything else? I think not.

 

[Shank]

Do you really think your Tennessee trails are tougher than the rock crawling trails in the deserts of California and Arizona where Dana 44 axles and 35's are more common than anything else? I think not.

His last comment of "my TJ gets treated more like a Buggy on 35's" will explain it.

 

[gasiorv]

I never said anything about the difficulty of trails, just provided my experience with the D44s. My experience is my experience and I just provided it for a different perspective. I didn't say my way was the only way, just provided my experience and what I would do based on my experience.

 

[RHanna]

I will provide an alternative perspective. In my opinion and based on my wheeling style the stock TJ Dana 44's are not strong enough for 35s, even with chromoly shafts. Warranty chromoly shafts are nice, but not if you are dealing with the breakage on the trail. Also the collateral damage of broken parts gets expensive (i.e. broken axle shaft damaging locker). I consistently was breaking parts and dealing with issues in the rear Dana 44 and recently upgraded to the RJ60, we will see how that holds up. I am still running the stock Dana 44 with RCV shafts up front, but the tubes are too thin and it is bent and just a matter of time before it starts giving me issues.

If I was starting over from the beginning I would go with the RJ60 in the rear and a HP44 in the front (RJ44, 78-79 Ford, dynatrac, etc....). Even the ECGS front HP44 has much thicker tubes and is on my radar right now, but I haven't pulled the trigger hoping something comes up on FB Marketplace or local.

Again, all based on the type of wheeling that I do and my driving style, my TJ gets treated more like a Buggy on 35's. Just a different perspective.

Did you measure the clearance when you swapped the RJ60 in your jeep. I have the same one in mine but the prior owner installed it. I thought I read somewhere that the RJ60 has as much or near as much clearance because they rotated the pumpkin but I can't find that info anywhere.

Have you been looking at the f250 or f150 from the 70s? I think the 250s have thicker tubes and maybe you can swap the outside from the f150 to narrow the width.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Do you really think your Tennessee trails are tougher than the rock crawling trails in the deserts of California and Arizona where Dana 44 axles and 35's are more common than anything else? I think not.

I don’t think that’s what Victor is saying at all. However, have you ever wheeled in TN, Jerry? We certainly have trails here that are quite difficult. There are trails here that are absolutely impassible with a jeep on 35’s.

 

[gasiorv]

Did you measure the clearance when you swapped the RJ60 in your jeep. I have the same one in mine but the prior owner installed it. I thought I read somewhere that the RJ60 has as much or near as much clearance because they rotated the pumpkin but I can't find that info anywhere.

Have you been looking at the f250 or f150 from the 70s? I think the 250s have thicker tubes and maybe you can swap the outside from the f150 to narrow the width.

I think I have the actual measurement in my build thread, but I did not lose much clearance between the stock Dana 44 and the RJ60 (1/8-1/4" max). I also did the real scientific measurement by sliding under the front diff and my chest just hit the diff, I slid under the rear and I was able to slide under it but my chest was into the diff.

 

[Wildman]

Do you really think your Tennessee trails are tougher than the rock crawling trails in the deserts of California and Arizona where Dana 44 axles and 35's are more common than anything else? I think not.

I think the difference is that like in the PNW it's wet and you are spinning and then BOOM you have traction and then stuff breaks. While I agree to a point that the stock Dana 44 & a built Dana 30 will survive on 35" tires I also have seen them break. Climbing rocks that are dry as opposed to climbing rocks & tree roots that are wet make a difference.

 

[Wildman]

Have you been looking at the f250 or f150 from the 70s? I think the 250s have thicker tubes and maybe you can swap the outside from the f150 to narrow the width.

Yes the F 250 has thicker tube & are also 3" diameter as opposed to 2.75" on the F150. Either is still stronger than a TJ Dana 44 or Dana 30.

This is a F150 HP44 tube. I don't know what I did with the measurements I took of it back in 2006.

Inner C's for that axle.

Stock BJ's lived with TSL SX 38x12.5x16.5 on Hummer rims.

 

[LJDC]

The Currie website says that the rear axle is rotated to provide an additional 2" of clearance. It's 2" over what? I don't know. The front doesn't say anything. Also the other day I realized that only the rear comes with brakes, and inasmuch as the front brakes do more work, I plan to replace them, and that eats up some savings as well.

I appreciate all of the replies and perspectives very much.

 

[PNW_LJ]

The Currie website says that the rear axle is rotated to provide an additional 2" of clearance. It's 2" over what? I don't know. The front doesn't say anything. Also the other day I realized that only the rear comes with brakes, and inasmuch as the front brakes do more work, I plan to replace them, and that eats up some savings as well.

I appreciate all of the replies and perspectives very much.

I’m pretty sure I heard the the Currie rear 60 for the TJ has more clearance than the Dana Spicer 44 axle.

Also, if you’re spending the big monies on TJ axles and getting new brakes anyways, get the BMB big brake kit.

 

[gasiorv]

The Currie website says that the rear axle is rotated to provide an additional 2" of clearance. It's 2" over what? I don't know. The front doesn't say anything. Also the other day I realized that only the rear comes with brakes, and inasmuch as the front brakes do more work, I plan to replace them, and that eats up some savings as well.

I appreciate all of the replies and perspectives very much.

I think it is 2" over a Dana 60 that is not rotated. It is also nice that the lowest point is now curved in lieu of being the square edge of the bottom of the diff cover. The lowest point is also a sacrificial hardened steel rub strip in lieu of diff itself.

 

[gasiorv]

The negative of the RJ60 for the TJ is that it uses custom width shafts that you have to get from Currie, you won't be able to find a shaft at an Oreily's or Autozone if you break one on the road (not that I aware of anyway). However, the likelihood of breaking a 35 spline shaft is much lower than the 30 spline Dana 44.

 

[bty34]

Clearance of a RJ60 is no worse than a TJ 44

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...-rid-of-hangy-downy-things.59377/post-1073168