Jeep TJ Dana 44 6x5.5 lug nut conversion

Hey all, this is going to be a long one so buckle in!

I am SASing my 99 Tacoma over summer and the great part collection has begun finally. I had been looking for an axle and I finally scored one for an unbelievably good price. It's a Jeep TJ Rubicon Dana 44. It already has an air locker, driver side diff, 4.10 gears, axles, and came with the pump to run the locker. All for $160!

Now I know next to nothing about solid axles, I have spent all my time studying and tinkering with IFS. Im in my early 20's and have never owned a solid axle vehicle before. Because of this I have started doing some extensive research. I know I'm going to get lots of people telling me not to do it but I have no fear messing things up, I love learning new things, and I learn from mistakes. I love working on my truck and I know I have the skills to do this swap. The experience I will gain, much like the rest of you.

So anyway, on to my question.
From research I did years ago I determined there were 2 axles that would work great (besides aftermarket ones) for my swap. A Dana 44 from either a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, or a TJ Rubicon. The Wagoneer axles are next to imposs to find these days and the TJ's were expensive, so I gave up. That is until last weekend when I purchased the TJ axle.

Now that I have the axle I knew the 1st thing I should do was figure out how to get it to 6x5.5 lug for my truck. I knew I was going to need different knyckles. I found only a few Dana 44 knuckles were offered with this lug configuration. The Wagoneer and Chevy k10 being the best options. Obviously I fell in love with the GM flat top knuckle and decided that was what I was going to do.

Well after poking around more I realized the GM inner C and my inner C are completely different. Every Dana 44 on Earth has the ball joints pointing up while I have them pointing down. This leaves me in a situation where I can only use late model(?) Jeep knuckles which are all 5 lug.

I found this article http://www.billavista.com/Tech/Articles/Dana_30-Dana_44_Hybrid_Front_Axle/index.html where some guy did a D30/D44 hybrid and replaced the fake D44 inner C's with real ones. I also found 1 after market knuckle from Reid Racing that would work but it is long since discontinued so I won't be getting those unless I am unbelievably lucky.

My last resort was wheel spacers/adapters from 5 lug to 6. I don't know how I feel about this option. I know they are safe when they are a reputable brand and properly installed but I would hate to have an extra component that could fail.

So what do you guys think? Should I just do wheel spacers, should I keep looking, should I wait for some AM knuckles to be available, should I do the inner C swap, am I missing the magic solution? I would really appreciate some help or points in the right direction.

Thanks y'all! Have a good day and happy Friday.

 

Why a Dana 44, is there a specific reason other than getting it at a cheap price? Better off with either a junkyard fj60 axle/custom housing or 60s. Dana 44 isn't the best for strength.

Whats the WMS on the axle?

What tire size are you planning on running?

Links or leafs?

 

The rear TJ Rubicon D44 has a detroit truetrac style LSD when unlocked and a pneumatic locker, which is an amazing combo you can't find in any other common axle I am aware of. I really liked it in my TJ Rubicon. What about swapping the rear as well, then just running 5 lug wheels? Obviously it wouldn't be free, but you'd have an awesome setup and the track front/rear would match. Also note that the TJ Rubicon pneumatic lockers run off a low pressure system, meaning you cannot just use an ARB locker air pump for actuation, you might need to source the Rubicon pumps (mounted on the Jeeps T-case skit) or devise some other low pressure configuration workaround.

 

Not knowing the specifics of the Jeep system, why not use a air tank with a line pressure regulator to knock it down to 30 or whatever PSI instead of the 160 I think that the ARB runs at?

 

Yep, that should work as an alternative, it just adds complexity vs using the factory pump but does also give you OBA if you opt for a decent size tank.

 

Any reason you have to run 6x5.5? Other than because you already have rims that fit it?

 

Yeah I already have a nice set of rims. Plus if I went 5 lug I'd want to convert the rear and I'm not sure that's possible. I like my rims matching in case I need to swap them around.

 

Cheap price mostly. Their aren't many junked FJ's around me and for the price it's not worth it. Plus they are passenger drop, so I'd have to rotate my T-case. D60's are nice but again, price. Around me a front D60 is $2k+. Not that I wouldn't spend that, but why do it if I don't have too? I agree D44's aren't crazy strong but better then the D35...

WMS, wheel mounting surface? They are disc.

I am going to do links.

I want to run 37's.

 

I didn't think about that... I see lots of D44 rears for pretty cheap around me. I'll look into getting one. The only problem is I'd need new rims and I have a set I like now. I also have the TRD electric locker which I have become found of. But I could probably sell that for a pretty penny and use the money to swap axles.

The axle I bought came with the pump already so I will just hook it up to a toggle switch in my cab.

 

They run off of a whopping 5 PSI.

 

I was looking for one but they are all super expensive. But for $160 with the locker I couldn't pass it up haha.

I'm going to do links. I kinda hate leaf spring setups on 1st gens, I think they are ugly.

Unfortunately no extras except the axle, diff, locker, and pump. That's fine though because instead of trying to adapt the Jeep stuff I can go all custom and ensure everything is what I want/need.

 

You can get 05+ super duty super Dana 60s on eBay for less than $700 with free shipping. Just saying.

What the WMS on that axle you got?

 

I'll take a look. I didn't know they would do free shipping, that's surprising.

If WMS is wheel mounting surface then they are discs

 

I'll bite my tongue on people in CA not being able to find good used cruiser/waggy parts....

I would run spacers over trying to do a inner C swap if you are new at fabrication. Far safer than botching that, pretty big, job up. That jeep d44 holds you back because you cant swap outers and knuckles like you can with the other d44s. I would just swap the rear axle, but at that point you may as well just buy a tj rubicon, being 100% serious. They are already linked, and time and money wise you would be about the same.

 

Not saying they don't exist, but when they so they get picked up quick, so actually getting them is pretty difficult.

Yeah I think at this point that's my best option. Or finding a shop that can swap the inner C's. You're right maybe I do need a Jeep but I like my Tacoma, so it's staying haha. Maybe I should sell the air locker, gears, and axles and use that for a better option.

 

https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/axles-tires-wheels-sale/2670944-dana-44-front-rear-axle-oregon.html

Short road trip to oregon.

Theres also an fj62 front axle for sale on pirate4x4 for less than $200.

I've had the best luck looking at the for sale forum there and on ih8mud. If you do run a toyota axle you will need a pax drop tcase. You can flip them, but as someone who had done it I would not do it again.

I would hold off for an older d44 before using that stuff out of a tj, especially if you want to run 37s.

 

I've got spring break next week, actually might be worth the trip...

I'll have to browse those forums and see what I can find. Right now I've been in OfferUp/Craigslist but not much going on there.

I didn't want to flip my T-case anyway. Alright I've decided to sell what I have. Thanks for your help! I'm gonna message the guy in Oregon.

 

I think solid axle industries sells 44 6 lug hubs you can buy. I got their 60 hubs in 6 lug and no regrets. A well built 44 will hold up to 37s no issue. My dads been beating on his for years in a Jeep and he likes the skinny pedal and bouncing.

 

I think the stock jeep d44 is a weird unit bearing design. It's not like the older d44s where you can swap outers and even convert them to 8lug. I could be wrong I have been out of the jeep game for a long time.