Cherokee Dana 44 on YJ Wrangler. Questions..

[pezzo33]

Ok, so I did a search and found usefull informaiton, but not all my answers

So I have the chance to get a Dana 44 rear from a cherokee, which I am considering.

I know the WMS length is the same on teh stock Dana 35 and the Cherokee Dana 44 ('89 Yj). or at least I think so from my searching.

Here is my question now. How much work is needed to swap it in? Do spring perched need to be cut and rewelded, or any other fabrication needed?

ANyone know of a website with more detail and pictures on teh conversion?

thanks!
Barry

[west747]

you will most likely have to move and reweild the spring perches and the shock mounts as a cheeroke has its spring over the axle. not a hardf task and should be a vary simply swap. also check what size u-joint it uses. may or may notr be different from what you have now.

[Joopin]

I did the exact same swap, I cut the perches and shock mounts right off since I had new ones to put on anyways... but like west said, the xj has a spring over perch and I believe the shock mounts are in a different spot than the YJ needs. One thing that is different is the axle tube breather... on the xj it is off to the side of the brake line t-block. You will just need a new rubber tube to fit onto the smaller fitting on the xj. There is not much else that is different... you may want to check your brake set up on the D44.. when I got mine it had 2.5" brake shoes which are rare i came to find out... the downside is buying new drums for them, they ran me like 70 a piece!