Hey all I plan on regearing soon along with lockers but since I only wanna do it once I also want to get rid of my d30 up front. The axle I want is the teraflex t44 housing. If I were to get this axle would the guts of the differential (minus ring gear, pinion, and carrier) swap in to the new 44 housing. Thanks, Jake.

 

No, the only reusable parts are outside the axle C (knuckles, hubs, brakes, stub shafts). That's why most non-rubicon owners buy a complete axle. There are basically two housings. One that accepts The Rubicon parts and the other for people who want to go to aftermarket lockers. They can not be interchanged.

You'd save money just buying a new Rubicon crate axle. I think you are looking at $1800 with the gear ratio of your choice.

 

Thanks. That was my original plan but then in started researching and read that the d44 wasn't much stronger than the d30 except for the larger r and p. The teraflex however has a larger diameter than stock 44s. Is this increased strength worth the extra cost?

 

Unfortunately, there is no exact answer. A lot depends on your particular variables. Tire size, Jeep weight, how much you wheel and how hard, and your willingness and ability to make the investment.

Tons of people wheel the stock housing without issue. Then a small percentage have an issue. Those who want to avoid it add things like sleeves, gussets, truss, etc. We've still seen broken housings even with that done, but it is that much more rare.

If you are going to wheel a heavy JKU on 37" tires, then the probability will obviously be higher than someone in a light 2-door on 33s. If you wheel hard in Moab or in the rocks, again, higher probability of breakage.

Then again, you could likely run the stock housing forever and it will never fail. I think the best approach is one that plans ahead. I'm on my third set of axles. Wish I had planned ahead and skipped a set. Personally, I think spending $4k-$5k on a front D44 is insane. And if you really need that much beef, then time to step into a D60.

There is one other option. You can buy the J8 housing for around $850. It is the same as the Rubicon housing, but with thicker wall axle tubes. You'd need a locker, R&P and inner shafts, but everything else could come from your D30.

 

The j8 actually sounds like a viable option. So the j8 Dana44 front axle will take everything from my Dana 30 internally aside from the things listed. Will it then take standard 44 gears? What about choice of lockers. I read they will take Detroit and arb but what about ox?

 

And will my whole outer c work with the j8?