Dana 44 Question

[CasualGourmet]

Is the Dana 44 in a 77 Cherokee same Dana 44 in a Dodge Ramcharger? Aside from the steering set up?

[Josh D]

The knuckles out, including brakes, are different, but should be interchangeable. The diff internals are the same (same ratio carrier breaks). Degree of castor of knuckle "C" is less on the Dodge. Dodge is 5X5.5 bolt circle.

This is all assuming you're talking about an '80-'9? Ramcharger D44. <'79 had unit bearing outers that don't swap with anything.

[codyyy]

What are the measurements like if anyone knows? I might be able to keep the lug pattern on my Jeep if this turns out to be a viable swap.

[Blake]

Short answer is yes - they are the same.

[Carnuck]

Not if it's 5 lug. They also had a 5 by 4.5" pattern, same as XJ in some.

[REDONE]

The diff internals are the same (same ratio carrier breaks).

Unfortunately, this is pretty much the beginning and end of it. I'm a Mopar convert and just with my last FSJ purchase can say I've owned more FSJs than Dodge trucks. As others have mentioned, the late 70s dodges have a proprietary outer that is only worth it's weight in scrap as it has a rotor/hub assembly and raybestos (the last company that made replacements for them) has stopped producing them. They're easy to spot because nothing sticks out past the wheel in the front. Instead of a "hub", you just see a big nut. These are native to the 1976+ dodge trucks with a "SnowFighter Four-WheelDrive" which is what Dodge called the NP203.

Past that, all of my dodge D44s have had bigger diameter axle tubes than FSJs, and the vacuum disconnect Dodge D44s in the 80s did so halfway down the long tube instead of a the diff housing like everyone else.

Also, shaft lengths were different between my 85' Ram and 86 Grandwag, when, for reasons I don't want to go into, I got them mixed up.


In short, no, they're completely different except for the differential itself. What are you trying to do? Do you have another thread that explains your quandary?

[Carnuck]

They are wider than GWs and slightly more than pickups and WTs

[CasualGourmet]

Well first off reason behind it is it is already spring over and i want to change the its over as well as it doesn't have a Jeep Z bar steering setup. Kinda a high steer stock wise.

[Josh D]

Unfortunately, this is pretty much the beginning and end of it. I'm a Mopar convert and just with my last FSJ purchase can say I've owned more FSJs than Dodge trucks. As others have mentioned, the late 70s dodges have a proprietary outer that is only worth it's weight in scrap as it has a rotor/hub assembly
Past that, all of my dodge D44s have had bigger diameter axle tubes than FSJs, and the vacuum disconnect Dodge D44s in the 80s did so halfway down the long tube instead of a the diff housing like everyone else.

Also, shaft lengths were different between my 85' Ram and 86 Grandwag, when, for reasons I don't want to go into, I got them mixed up.


In short, no, they're completely different except for the differential itself. What are you trying to do? Do you have another thread that explains your quandary?

I have a bit of experience with these as well. Here are pics of the '85 Dodge D44 swapped into my '71 Jtruck. The housings from 'C' to 'C' are really not all that different than FSJ's other than they are set up from the factory in a SOA configuration. Spring spacing is the same and overall width from WMS to WMS is 65", perfect for WT. The tubing diameter is the same 3". I've verified this with the '86 GW axle I have in my YJ.
Everything beyond the 'C' is dfferent, except it uses the same internal spline lockout hubs as an FSJ would use. I even used J10 tie rod and drag link, but I had to modify the knuckle arms to accept the larger Jeep TRE's. The Dodge D44 does have flat top knuckles though, so hi steer or crossover steering is a little easier.
My '71 has outboarded factory SOA, so not the same as your '77, as I welded on new spring pads.
As Redone mentioned in his post and I did as well in mine, the '79 and earlier are useless as they use a unit bearing and small bolt pattern. '92 and later use the CAD. It's the '80-'91 that can be adapted to an FSJ.

[Josh D]

Well first off reason behind it is it is already spring over and i want to change the its over as well as it doesn't have a Jeep Z bar steering setup. Kinda a high steer stock wise.

Totally doable. You'll want to add a couple of degree shims to get the castor you want. I find 6* ideal (stock FSJ). The Dodge axle only came with 2-3* castor.

[Jeepguyp]

Well first off reason behind it is it is already spring over and i want to change the its over as well as it doesn't have a Jeep Z bar steering setup. Kinda a high steer stock wise.

Can't ya just weld on perches, rather than fuss with the logistics of a Dodge swap?

[Tourettes]

I am curious about those early 80's dodge 44 axles with vacuum disconnects?
Do they roll those without the needle bearing in the spindle on the drivers side like they do in the '83 AMC D44 axle? (It was only for 2 years, I forget if '82/83 or '83/84?)
(The passenger side does require the needle bearing.)