Dana 44 help

[Toad]

My CJ7 has a scout Dana 44 installed in the rear. I am rolling 35 inch Goodyear Kevlar's . Soon it will have V8 power. 4 to 1 Dana 300. Last fall I broke the left rear shaft on Metal Masher. Limped it of the trail and back to the highway. Towed it home and replaced the shaft. Shafts were already aftermarket shaft from West Coast Diff. So I parked it for the winter and have not done much with it. Took it out a few weeks ago I kicked on the ARB and it was spitting gear oil out of the breather hose. So I have it torn down on the hoist now. When I limped the jeep back to the road the shaft beat the hell out of the diff were the seal housing rides. So my ARB is garbage. (I just looked and I can buy just the Flange cap assembly but I have also spun the bearings on the diff so I need a new one) So options?

Keep it as cheap as possible and buy another 30 spline Dana 44 ARB and run it?

Upgrade to 35 spline shafts and ARB?

Or upgrade to another axle housing? Ford 9 or Dana 60?

 

[I Lean]

With a V8 and 4:1, your 44 isn't necessarily appropriate anymore--especially since you've already upgraded it. I'd worry a bit about putting in 35 spline shafts, just because your R&P will be the next weak link. Since you're going to be dumping money somewhere, I'd vote a beefier axle. (you mentioned D60 and 9", either one of those would be good)

 

[Toad]

Thats what I am afraid of. Does the 9 inch offer much more strength that a dana 44?

 

[I Lean]

Yes, it can. You'll probably need to plan on an aftermarket nodular third member as that is the first weak spot, and that will allow you to get the larger carrier bearings you'll need to fit 35 spline shafts through--but after those things it will net you a fairly large strength upgrade.

 

[Toad]

You have the ability to narrow a 9 inch?

 

[DaveB]

There is a semi float dana 60 in an old Ford F100 at one of the local yards in Salt Lake that has a 5 on 5.5 lug pattern like your CJ and is the same width as the newer Jeeps (at ~61.5" it is a bit wider than what you have now ). My son has one under his MJ and I have one under my Commando and they have worked well for us.