Dana 44 Complete Assemblies

What a complete assembly is

A complete Dana 44 assembly is a fully built axle: housing, ring and pinion, carrier or differential, axle shafts, brackets and usually the cover. It saves the labor of building an axle from parts and setting up gears. Builders often use these when upgrading from a lighter factory axle on a Jeep, or when swapping a rear axle for a stronger design.

Choosing one

Start with the application. The sample products here are largely Jeep JK units, and they are sold front or rear. Housing brackets, spring perches, control arm mounts and track bar positions are vehicle-specific, so an assembly for one chassis will not bolt up to another without modification. Pick by position, intended lift height and tire size.

• Gear ratio: Taller tires call for numerically higher ratios, such as 4.88, 5.13 or 5.38, to bring back acceleration and keep the engine in its power band. The front and rear must match each other.
• Locker or limited slip: Options include air lockers, electric lockers and automatic lockers. Each has different control, cost and street manners.
• Spline count and axle shafts: More splines and larger shafts add strength but may need matching hubs and joints.

Specs to compare

Look at tube wall thickness, axle shaft material, the U-joint series, and whether the housing has extra caster built in for taller lifts. Check track width so the wheels sit where your fenders and wheel offset allow. Note whether the assembly includes brakes or a disc brake kit, and whether it is the standard or metric version where the listing says so. A replacement housing alone, as one listing here shows, is not the same as a complete axle.

Installation and compatibility

Swapping an axle is a major job that involves suspension, steering, brake lines, driveshafts and sometimes ABS sensors. Brake and steering systems are safety items, so professional installation and alignment are strongly recommended, along with torque to specification on every bolt. Fill with the gear oil the manufacturer specifies, and break in new gears carefully with gentle driving and an early fluid change.

You may need new drive shafts, a different track bar, and updated brake lines. Confirm fitment for your exact year, make, model and trim, and read the manufacturer's specifications. Verify that the axle's ratio matches the other axle and your tire size before ordering.

Planning a swap and common mistakes

Before buying, make a full plan. Check the width of the axle against your fender clearance and wheel offset, the bolt pattern of the hubs, and whether your wheels and brake rotors will carry over. Find out whether your steering linkage, track bar and drive shafts must change. Some builders also need a transmission or transfer case upgrade to take advantage of a stronger axle, though that is a separate decision.

Common mistakes include forgetting the cost of ancillary parts, mismatching gear ratios, and neglecting the pinion angle. Pinion angle should point the yoke toward the transfer case or transmission within the range that the drive shaft joints can handle. Skipping the alignment after a swap leads to uneven tire wear and poor handling.

After the swap, check fluid levels, torque on bolts and the gear mesh pattern if gears were adjusted. Change the gear oil after the first few hundred miles to remove break-in wear metal. Listen for whine or clunks, and check axle breather lines so they are routed up high.