Axle armor with 35s
JK Junkie
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 2
From: Grosse Pointe, MI
In my opinion trussing and or sleeving a d30 or d44 is a waste of money. Not only do you risk warping your housing but it still won't be as strong as a pro rock. Also not everyone has the interest in sourcing a junk yard axle and building it to fit a JK. And not everyone needs a complete front axle. For those who have a rubicon 44 that needs replacing because of bent tubes or c's can get a PR44 housing for $2300 and swap the rest of the OEM parts over. I do however agree that d60's would be awesome whether built or bought.
Artec makes swap kits for several bad ass axles. I prefer not to call them junk yard axles. Mine were off a 2010 Ford F-350. I didn't trudge through junk yards. I used car-parts.com and located what I was looking for. Swung by and picked them up. Late model axles are not complicated.
For the price of a PR44, I built pure beef one ton axles that work with the JK electronics. And I sold my Rubi axles for the same price. Net cost of zero. Includes the cost of air lockers, gears, and install.
I give Dynatrac credit for selling snake oil for $5k. They literally created a market that most thought would never exist. Currie/G2, Teraflex - they jumped on it once they realized people were Willing to toss money away on 44s. It didn't make sense, but hey, people will pay and they'll make sick margins.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Bakersfield, California
That's fantastic the direction you went worked out for you and at zero expense. However that doesn't change the fact that not everyone has the desire to build junk yard axles. Furthermore not everyone has the skill and knowledge to weld a truss on the thin tubes these stock axles come with. Sure, it seems easy and is tossed around on here frequently but the reality is the stock axles warp really easy and many who will try don't know what they are doing. Also I wouldn't call something that is stronger then a trussed and sleeved OEM housing and significantly less then buying a fully built d60 snake oil.
JK Junkie
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 2
From: Grosse Pointe, MI
That's fantastic the direction you went worked out for you and at zero expense. However that doesn't change the fact that not everyone has the desire to build junk yard axles. Furthermore not everyone has the skill and knowledge to weld a truss on the thin tubes these stock axles come with. Sure, it seems easy and is tossed around on here frequently but the reality is the stock axles warp really easy and many who will try don't know what they are doing. Also I wouldn't call something that is stronger then a trussed and sleeved OEM housing and significantly less then buying a fully built d60 snake oil.
Regardless, $5k for a D44 is ridiculous no matter how you look at it. It still doesn't fix the other issues. Ball joints are too weak and the unit bearings are garbage. And if you actually choose to order it right (wider axle), you have to buy a stupid expensive rear axle to match.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 105
Likes: 2
From: Rome, Ga
Warping a housing happens to people who don't know what they're doing. Artec makes swap kits for several bad ass axles. I prefer not to call them junk yard axles. Mine were off a 2010 Ford F-350. I didn't trudge through junk yards. I used car-parts.com and located what I was looking for. Swung by and picked them up. Late model axles are not complicated. For the price of a PR44, I built pure beef one ton axles that work with the JK electronics. And I sold my Rubi axles for the same price. Net cost of zero. Includes the cost of air lockers, gears, and install. I give Dynatrac credit for selling snake oil for $5k. They literally created a market that most thought would never exist. Currie/G2, Teraflex - they jumped on it once they realized people were Willing to toss money away on 44s. It didn't make sense, but hey, people will pay and they'll make sick margins.