I just purchased a 2008 JK Sahara 2 door for cheap. It has some light front end damage. The front axle housing is cracked where the pumpkin meets the tube. The drivers front axle is broken at the u joint yokes as well. Thats the main damage...needs some new tranny cooler lines n odds and ends.

My question is since the front axle needs replaced i'm gonna go ahead and upgrade to a d44.

Theres a brand new Rubicon housing on ebay for $975 plus $150 shipping. Just wondering if you guys thought it would be a better idea to invest in a Dynatrak pro rock 44 housing instead?

Whichever one i get i'm gonna do air locker, chromoly shafts, and 5.13 gears.

This will be a daily driver and will see off road maybe 5 times a year...nothing major just some logging trails and stuff.

Gonna go with 35" Toyo MT's and 3.5 metal cloak gamechanger lift.

I figured i could throw a gussett kit on the rubicon 44 and be plenty strong for what i'm going to use it for.

Or should i pony up the over extra $1000 and get the pr44.

Just don't want to regret my decision down the road.

 

Aftermarket parts are almost always stronger/better than stock. I vote PR44.

 

I vote PR44 too.

I am doing the same thing. I thought about sleeving and gusseting my D30. But why polish a turd.

I'm just waiting on the PR44 to arrive

 

Running a built d44 stocker and no issues, we wheel hard and it was built to take the abuse...
I say save the coin, pro rock is nice and bling and sure an it stronger but the built stock unit takes abuse.

Put the extra 1k somewhere else, like rear axles ten factory or Reid knuckles or spend ot on wife, kids, family, girlfriend or a trip...fishing gear etc...don't get sucked up in the bling, there's a ton of ways to dump money and spend on overbuilt parts when reinforced parts are over built for most.


Just my .02

 

The PR44 is by far the better housing. The only way a rubi housing really makes sense is if you can get it for dirt cheap and can do all of the work yourself.

Once you are paying labor on the gears and all of the welding, the price gets too close to not go with a PR. (we all know that the rubi housing is just as weak as the d30, and since you are starting with a bare housing, it doesn't make much sense to 'not' go ahead and do a truss or sleeves, and brackets, and skids, and...) You might find that the caster correction alone is worth the extra price!!

You say you don't want to regret the decision, right? You already know the answer.

 

I have to agree with nthinuf. Why waste time on a stock mopar housing when you have to mod it out to even hang with a pr44. And the high pinion alone is worth the extra cash

 

Prorock w/ 10 degrees between caster and pinion.

 

I also vote on the PR44. Got the money you'll spend building the OEM housing the PR is the best way to go.

 

I think your budget is the biggest issue, If you can do the PR you will be set for the life of the vehicle. The Mopar is simply a weak link that will need sleeved, gussets, and control arm skids to make it safe to wheel. I broke the factory housing and went with a PR and wish I would have swapped out before the break!

 

The PR is definitely a better unit, but the question is do you really need it? If you plan on putting money in the rubi 44, you might just go for the PR.