Hello all,

I currently have a 2014 JKU 6sp with 3" teraflex lift on 35s. I plan to upgrade to 37s within the next month or so and hope to take a trip to Moab next spring. That being said, the first step in my plan is to swap the front D30 for a Prorock 44 unlimited and install 4.56 with ARB lockers front and rear. So many questions and so little time.

1- What all is required to swap? Locker, ring and pinion, axle shafts all? Anything I'm missing?

2- Is it worth whatever cost it would be to have a shop do it all or something I can do over a weekend or a week with the new ProRock and the factory rear 44?

3- Is it true I should avoid chromoly shafts to keep a weak point rather than bust up the gears or carrier if things get intense?

I don't have the coin to replace the rear so I was planning on truss and axle shafts and skid for the factory rear 44. Think that will suffice for 37s?

Sorry for all the questions. I know there's a lot of info on all this and feel like that's all I've done with what little free time I have is research this to death. My brain can't handle much more of this abuse

 

1. You can get one built with all the options you want and ready to basically just throw under the jeep and bolt up. However it would take care of the plumbing for the air locker and all that. So that leads to 2.

2. I would just have a shop do the rear locker and gear install and at the same time do all the plumbing for both lockers and while they have the shafts out just put the new chromoly shafts in the rear. You can order them from northridge4x4 with all the bearings and stuff already pressed on so they can just pull the old shafts out and put the new ones in.

3. Lots of people use chromoly or or RCV front shafts with the PR44. The gear size isn't so small so it would probably be fine. Not too sure about the rear. I would compare the cost of a PR60 rear with locker and gears ready to bolt in compared to the cost of labor and parts for gears locker, truss, and axle shafts and see how far off you would really be. Might be better to just save a little longer.

 

You are thinking of buying an empty pr44 housing and doing the gears/lockers and welding yourself? Versus buying a complete pr44 and just swapping it in?

I have a pr44, so nothing at all against dynatrac, the thing has been bulletproof. But if I were in the market now, I think I might be looking at Fusion.

 

You should talk to Fusion 4x4. They can get you a front 60 and rear 10.5 or 14 bolt at any stage in the build process for a great price. I've got their steering and will be swapping axles when I move to 37/40s.

 

Good advise above. I'll add that the rear housing is fine for 37s. I ran mine with new internals on 35s and 37s for two years. Several wheeling trips and no issues. Your biggest problem would be the possibility of bending a shaft. I never did and I did several large rock gardens and several rock ledges each time out. I had: the factory housing, chromoly shafts (31 spline, but I would suggest the 35 spline), ARB locker, 5.13 gears. The 5.13 gears were a little steep on the highway (I have a stick, not auto), but great offroad as I only have the 2.72/1 transfer case (non-ruicon).

 

I just did the ProRock axle swap in front on my 2014 and it was a bolt in. You pull the stock housing after wiring the calipers up to the fender flare braces, unbolt the steering drag link and track bar, remove the wheel bearings so you can get the speed sensors out, and roll it out on a floor jack with a buddy balancing it.

Now you swap the 2 speed sensor tin brackets from each side of the factory, one is on the rear of the axle spring pad and the other is under the nut of the upper ball joint.

Move your wheel bearings and crap over to the ProRock (12 point 13mm for those 3 bolts) and slide it under on the floor jack. Jack it up and start connecting stuff. If nothing else were being done, I bet you could do it your first time in 4-5 hours. If you have done it before and know what your doing and what to expect, I would bet half that time.

Then you'll need to redneck align the thing. I did that and decided not to pay an alignment shop to set my toe. I asked my Jeep dealer about it and they said I would have to pay extra being that it's not a factory set up with my aftermarket steering parts. I can dial it in close enough, I'm not paying $200 for them tweak it a bit, if much at all.

With the factory arms top and bottom and the Unlimited housing under Rock Krawler 3.5 springs I am seeing right around 5 degrees caster and 5 degrees pinion angle using a protractor. That's good enough for me at the moment. I bought RK lower arms, but put them on, and then removed them for the factory. I'll revisit them when I get the uppers, I couldn't get the RK arms short enough to get where I needed to be. I'll go with upper and lower RK arms and push the uppers out a bit to help.

I did my PR44U with the factory style flat plate pinion flange, so I am getting a Adams 1310 driveshaft that will mate right back to that flange. I don't see any advantage to changing the pinion flange to a U-bolt style when there is a 1310 flat mount to U-bolt 1310 flange.
Adams Driveshaft JK 2012-15, Front 1310 CV Driveshaft Flange Style - JK-1310F-SSL

All of the brackets fit to the parts just like factory, so there was no drama there. Really, the swap is just a series of unbolting, moving over to new axle, and stick it back under.

 

So while I agree with you 100%, keep in mind that not everyone wants full-width 1 ton axles. Even if the OP is set on a 44 instead of something beefier, calling Fusion is the right thing to do. Isn't Dana making their Ultimate 44 now as a competitor to Dynatrac? Fusion 4x4 is going to be able to offer the most competitive prices. I wouldn't spend my money anywhere else at this point.

 

Yes Dana is making the Ultimate 44 which is what I have under my Jeep.

To the OP, if you have a set of basic hand tools you can install the axle your self. Plan on about 6 hours unless you have a lift and a buddy to assist. As for parts and pieces I would recommend ordering a complete axle that is bolt on ready with the exception of the knuckles and rotors. You will be using your tierod, draglink and trackbar. As for your rear axle I would just add an ARB and gears and run it until you cannot run it anymore. I have 5.13, ARB and stock shafts and running 35's on ATX Slabs and have not had an issue. I went to Moab and met the JK-F group and had a blast. As some might say I do chose to take the hard line but going easy on the skinny pedal with the exception of Rose Garden Hill but that is a different story for another time.

R/
Will

 

I considered the Fusion 1-ton thing for a bit, but I wanted to keep the axle width no wider than factory (Pa laws, no tire sticking past the fender) because even with stock width I am out 3 inches and stand a heck of a good chance of being pulled over. I also didn't want to add as much weight as the 1 tons. If I find that my 37x13.50 tires at 3.5" back space is killing bearing like Chuck_the_Ripper says his does.... I may have to revisit this concept. I do not like the idea of 1-2 month unit bearing life! Annual changes would be no issue, but not 2 times per oil change! The ProRock looked to me to be the best housing of the ones out there, and Northridge set it up just the way I wanted. I dislike ARB, so went with the E-Locker. IMHO, a better option with less potential for issues. Everyone I have talked to face to face has stories about seals going bad in ARB lockers, air line issues... just more crap that I don't need.

I think if you live in a state that doesn't have laws against tires sticking out, the Fusion option is extremely viable, and especially if you have an engine swap or charger installed. The weight of SuperDuty axles on my JK would likely make it a dog. I'm happy at the moment with my Dynatrac choice.

 

Honestly I was going to suggest the e-locker. Can wire it up yourself so saved labor cost there. And yes you don't have the hassle of air lines and all that stuff.