D44 Chromoly axle brand strength. And/or beefing up outers

[Gunhand1]

Asking about of curiosity mostly, but I have a buddy who keeps popping outers on his TJ. Front axle is a waggy d44, 37" SXII's, the shafts in question are TEN Factory chromolys. He has broken 2 of them in the last few months, and not even in very bad spots/binds.

The latest one he popped when we were out Friday wiped out the locking hub assembly.

From what I can tell the TEN shaft blanks come from India (as do a lot of chromolys), would an American made shaft or a different brand make a big difference?
If not is there a swap or upgrade that would help keep outers alive? Several buddies run Ford HP D44s and they don't seem to have problems with outers.

 

['84 Bronco II]

Upgrade to 30 spline outers. Nitro makes off the shelf 30 spline outers in 9.72" and 9.94" (IIRCC). Branik will also make Dana 44 shafts, but probably more expensive than the Nitro route.

Nitro part numbers:
AXN38816-30 (9.72")
AXN38815-30 (9.94")

 

[white-rhino]

IMO any D44 shaft is at its limits with a 37" tire. Can they survive? Yes, but you need to be careful. Make sure you upgrade your axleshaft joints too.

 

[Wilson]

Rcv

 

[Gunhand1]

Upgrade to 30 spline outers. Nitro makes off the shelf 30 spline outers in 9.72" and 9.94" (IIRCC). Branik will also make Dana 44 shafts, but probably more expensive than the Nitro route.

Nitro part numbers:
AXN38816-30 (9.72")
AXN38815-30 (9.94")

Good to know, I didn't know you could swap to 30 spline outers.

IMO any D44 shaft is at its limits with a 37" tire. Can they survive? Yes, but you need to be careful. Make sure you upgrade your axleshaft joints too.

I don't disagree. This was under the jeep when he bought it and he's wanting to keep the 44 for right now.
What's the upgrade? CTM?

Rcv

He's talking about maybe picking a set up closer to summer. Then the ring gear will probably pop

 

[white-rhino]

I had great luck with D44 Yukon super joints. I actually bought mine from Carl Jantz before he sold out to Yukon.

But they are not great for highway use if you don’t have lockout hubs.

 

['84 Bronco II]

Good to know, I didn't know you could swap to 30 spline outers.



I don't disagree. This was under the jeep when he bought it and he's wanting to keep the 44 for right now.
What's the upgrade? CTM?



He's talking about maybe picking a set up closer to summer. Then the ring gear will probably pop

RCVs are 30 spline outer as well.

I wonder if there is a material issue with the 10 Factory shafts. 19 spline outers are definitely a weak point, but I have seen 19 spline outer 4340 shafts with bushing style U-joints hold up well to a reasonable amount of abuse with 37" tires in rigs that weren't particularly light.

 

[Gunhand1]

I had great luck with D44 Yukon super joints. I actually bought mine from Carl Jantz before he sold out to Yukon.

But they are not great for highway use if you don’t have lockout hubs.

I didn't know he sold out to Yukon, does he still sell the various Jana kits?

RCVs are 30 spline outer as well.

I wonder if there is a material issue with the 10 Factory shafts. 19 spline outers are definitely a weak point, but I have seen 19 spline outer 4340 shafts with bushing style U-joints hold up well to a reasonable amount of abuse with 37" tires in rigs that weren't particularly light.

It almost seems like it, I just find it kinda odd that he's killing shafts this frequently on only 37s and with a stock 4.0.
I beat on a d30 for years on 35s with stock shafts and they didn't break this often.

 

[Gravy]

Seen alot of 19 splines pop in that exact same way.

theory on dana 44s, the Stock spicer shafts with spicer joints hold up longer.

 

[DesertCJ]

That looks like a lot of wear from the spindle needle bearing for only a few months old? Bent spindle? I beat on a set of Warn shafts pretty good...eventually broke a stub through the yoke. No idea what's good now, RCVs would be his best bet though imo.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

That looks like a lot of wear from the spindle needle bearing for only a few months old? Bent spindle? I beat on a set of Warn shafts pretty good...eventually broke a stub through the yoke. No idea what's good now, RCVs would be his best bet though imo.

Sounds like he's owned the jeep for a few months. Not that the shafts are only a few months old.

30 spline stubs seem like the best bang for the buck.

I've heard lot of mixed thoughts on guys who dropped the money on old style D44s. Lot of money for what it is.

 

[Gunhand1]

Seen alot of 19 splines pop in that exact same way.

theory on dana 44s, the Stock spicer shafts with spicer joints hold up longer.

They may allow the axle to wind up more and prevent shock loading. I'd just be afraid of wiping the yoke ear out on stock shafts

That looks like a lot of wear from the spindle needle bearing for only a few months old? Bent spindle? I beat on a set of Warn shafts pretty good...eventually broke a stub through the yoke. No idea what's good now, RCVs would be his best bet though imo.

He's only had the jeep a few months, not sure how old the shafts actually are. RCVs are probably be what it eventually ends up with.

Sounds like he's owned the jeep for a few months. Not that the shafts are only a few months old.

30 spline stubs seem like the best bang for the buck.

I've heard lot of mixed thoughts on guys who dropped the money on old style D44s. Lot of money for what it is.

I'm not really a fan of the older D44s, but a lot of guys I wheel with insist on building them, and they do seem to break at least somewhat frequently.

The newer JK 44s seem to be a real step up though.

The 30 spline conversion might be the ticket to make this thing live on the cheap.

 

[Byro]

Been there done that. D44s are great perpetual upgrade axles. I did 30spl chromos with super joints, broke those, went to RCVs broke one, broke a locker, sheared ring gear bolts on a spool. I just kept dumping money into it. D44s are for 35s.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

They may allow the axle to wind up more and prevent shock loading. I'd just be afraid of wiping the yoke ear out on stock shafts



He's only had the jeep a few months, not sure how old the shafts actually are. RCVs are probably be what it eventually ends up with.



I'm not really a fan of the older D44s, but a lot of guys I wheel with insist on building them, and they do seem to break at least somewhat frequently.

The newer JK 44s seem to be a real step up though.

The 30 spline conversion might be the ticket to make this thing live on the cheap.

A lot of people use them because they think they are a good upgrade from a D30, but don't want a D60 because they're omg yuge. In reality on a jeep with a UB D30, you'd be money and strength ahead just buying an aftermarket D44 housing that keeps the stock outters.

The key to the jk44s is that they have room for much larger ujoints/rcv's. 1350 vs 797s.

Been there done that. D44s are great perpetual upgrade axles. I did 30spl chromos with super joints, broke those, went to RCVs broke one, broke a locker, sheared ring gear bolts on a spool. I just kept dumping money into it. D44s are for 35s.

Exactly this. I don't care if it's a little Sami, lightweight Ftoy or whatever. Once you start breaking parts, just throw in the towel and get a bigger axle. Seen it a lot of times.

They seem fine for 35s on a light rig, or a very mildly used rig on 37s.

 

[white-rhino]

I didn't know he sold out to Yukon, does he still sell the various Jana kits?

If memory serves me right, Carl developed the original Super Joint and patented it. He sold the patent to Yukon, not his Jantz offroad business.
Yes he still does the Jana kits. I have the Jana 76 kit in the front of my buggy.

 

[white-rhino]

I've heard lot of mixed thoughts on guys who dropped the money on old style D44s. Lot of money for what it is.

Back around 2005 I did the full blown upgrade on an early Bronco D44 axle. ARB, shafts, joints. 2 years later I sold them and went D60. No regrets.

 

[Gunhand1]

A lot of people use them because they think they are a good upgrade from a D30, but don't want a D60 because they're omg yuge. In reality on a jeep with a UB D30, you'd be money and strength ahead just buying an aftermarket D44 housing that keeps the stock outters.

The key to the jk44s is that they have room for much larger ujoints/rcv's. 1350 vs 797s.



Exactly this. I don't care if it's a little Sami, lightweight Ftoy or whatever. Once you start breaking parts, just throw in the towel and get a bigger axle. Seen it a lot of times.

They seem fine for 35s on a light rig, or a very mildly used rig on 37s.

The bigger joint really improves strength, that's the one point on the old model 44 that you really can't do much with.

If memory serves me right, Carl developed the original Super Joint and patented it. He sold the patent to Yukon, not his Jantz offroad business.
Yes he still does the Jana kits. I have the Jana 76 kit in the front of my buggy.

Ahhh ok, that makes sense. The Jana kits kinda blew my mind the first time I read about them.

 

[Wilson]

A lot of people use them because they think they are a good upgrade from a D30, but don't want a D60 because they're omg yuge. In reality on a jeep with a UB D30, you'd be money and strength ahead just buying an aftermarket D44 housing that keeps the stock outters.

The key to the jk44s is that they have room for much larger ujoints/rcv's. 1350 vs 797s.



Exactly this. I don't care if it's a little Sami, lightweight Ftoy or whatever. Once you start breaking parts, just throw in the towel and get a bigger axle. Seen it a lot of times.

They seem fine for 35s on a light rig, or a very mildly used rig on 37s.

Guess we’ll see….. on 37’s I only broke a warn lockout and twisted an inner shaft. I went full #orangemanbad on it and just put 40’s on. I don’t wheel like I used to and so far it’s held up well. I didn’t find the lockout or shaft until I tore the axle down to replace the track bar bracket that I sheared off.

 

[arse_sidewards]

I'd narrow a Superduty D50 housing long before I bought RCVs or any other bling parts for a 44...

If this was a trail rig on 33s-35s and the breakages were gonna be rare it'd be one thing but as soon as you put good shafts in that thing you're gonna pop a ring gear. D44s just don't like 37s and bigger tires.

 

[Gunhand1]

I'd narrow a Superduty D50 housing long before I bought RCVs or any other bling parts for a 44...

I might know a guy who could help with that.......

But I don't disagree, that's why I didn't bother trying g to make a d44 live. I just have a lot of friends who won't listen to reason haha

 

[DesertCJ]

I wouldn't build a d44 for anything again but....of all the stuff I've broke on a 44, the gears never complained. If I remember correctly it was stock stub and 297 joint, stock short side inner, swapped to Warn shafts and CTMs and it hung for a couple years before a Warn stub broke through the yoke along with the CTM. I was done with it after that...

 

[Jeffh555]

Another vote for the Dana 60. If you're breaking 44 stuff, just replace it with whatever's cheap and available, and keep wheeling until you have the time/money to put a 60 in it.

 

[Gravy]

They may allow the axle to wind up more and prevent shock loading. I'd just be afraid of wiping the yoke ear out on stock shafts



He's only had the jeep a few months, not sure how old the shafts actually are. RCVs are probably be what it eventually ends up with.

I don't know, just seen many 19 splines break and the 27 spline held up about the same. Not much difference in strength.

Will say iv seen old dana 44s broke in about every way possible.

Cromo axles, spicer joints, and full circle snap rings was the ticket when running dana 30s in cherokees.

You have to replace the ujoint every few trips before they broke. After two wheelin trips I would replace. If not they will deform or the needles crush then pop.

 

[RustyC]

I'd narrow a Superduty D50 housing long before I bought RCVs or any other bling parts for a 44...

Or.. Dana 50 outers on the HP44 center section w/ a 35 spline locker/spool. Only make sense if you have the parts and skill. But possible.

 

[Gunhand1]

I wouldn't build a d44 for anything again but....of all the stuff I've broke on a 44, the gears never complained. If I remember correctly it was stock stub and 297 joint, stock short side inner, swapped to Warn shafts and CTMs and it hung for a couple years before a Warn stub broke through the yoke along with the CTM. I was done with it after that...

I've always heard that chrome shafts in a 44 moved the weak point to the R&P, but come to think of it I've seen quite a few broken shafts and no broken 44 gears.

Another vote for the Dana 60. If you're breaking 44 stuff, just replace it with whatever's cheap and available, and keep wheeling until you have the time/money to put a 60 in it.

I'm sure a 60 is eventually where this all ends, just a matter of how much broken stuff it takes to finally get there.

I don't know, just seen many 19 splines break and the 27 spline held up about the same. Not much difference in strength.

Will say iv seen old dana 44s broke in about every way possible.

Cromo axles, spicer joints, and full circle snap rings was the ticket when running dana 30s in cherokees.

You have to replace the ujoint every few trips before they broke. After two wheelin trips I would replace. If not they will deform or the needles crush then pop.

I ran almost alloy kits on stock d30 shafts for a good while, they held up well enough to break gears on occasion. I've seen spicer joints have the needles crushed right out of them on 1 trip in brand new chromoly shafts.

Or.. Dana 50 outers on the HP44 center section w/ a 35 spline locker/spool. Only make sense if you have the parts and skill. But possible.

I'm not sure what benefit you'd have there over just running the d50 and shaving it.

 

[crazybluerider]

I've always heard that chrome shafts in a 44 moved the weak point to the R&P, but come to think of it I've seen quite a few broken shafts and no broken 44 gears.

That's more of a toyota 8" problem. When I was still dumb enough to be running 40's on a dana 44 I broke over 20 front shafts and a handful of rears and never once touched a r&p.

I've learned my lesson on that one. The answer has a 6 in it.

RCV's come with their own problems in the dana 44 flavor. The bell on a traditional dana 44 RCV is smaller than the toyota equivalent.

With the availability of the 30 spline outer shafts now, which really wasn't a thing back when I was killing 44 stuff, I may be tempted to give that a go but at the end of the day the joint size is the real issue of the 44.

Go back to 35's, drive less aggressively, or swap to 60's. 37's are the devil's tire, too big for toy/44 stuff, too small for a 60.

 

[Byro]

Go back to 35's, drive less aggressively, or swap to 60's. 37's are the devil's tire, too big for toy/44 stuff, too small for a 60.

Shaved 60 is the same ground clearance with 37s as a non shaved 60 and 40s.

Tons and 40s. Peanut butter and jelly.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

37s are the perfect tire for a Toyota axle r&p is an easy fir with a bolt in hp 3rd.

I don't hate the old D44, if it works, it works, but I just think if you're at the point where you're breaking axles consistently , it's time to go bigger somehow. You can go with RCVs, but at $1600, you better hope that's the end of the issues.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Or.. Dana 50 outers on the HP44 center section w/ a 35 spline locker/spool. Only make sense if you have the parts and skill. But possible.

Well yeah, but where you gonna get D50 outers other than a 99-04? No reason not to just put your garbage in the 50 housing at that point.

 

[06h3]

If your dead set of this axle I’d consider RCVs, I think the you will have success with them. Then if the R&P pops do a jantz kit to run the 8.9in rear Jk R&P.

I know it’s a lot of money but it’s probably the way to go IF your dead set on this axle being your final axle.