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Dana 20 To Dana 44

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by hunter blacksmith, Nov 12, 2019.

  1. Nov 16, 2019
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2002
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    12,529
    On the Willys Wagons and particularly pickups my thoughts are for clearance of the fuel tank and for a pto shaft to run out the back. I don’t remember the offset being a lot but It’s been quite a while since I looked under a stock one. As far as the later wagons and pickups I have no idea.
    Damage to other components caused by u-joint vibrations can happen. I’ve seen pinion bearings go bad and transfer case output bearings wiped out.
    Just out of curiosity, have you tried an offset driveshaft? If it were just to move the vehicle around a farm at low speed or something like that probably would be fine.
     
  2. Nov 16, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Wagoneer owners with Quadratrac often desire conversion to a Dana 20 on the Wagoneer forums. Opinion on this is split. Quite a few owners have tried this with the original axle, and seems like about half report it as successful. There are plenty of other variables involved, but I would guess that, even with the "long" driveshaft in a Wagoneer, the resulting offset is dicey. Vibration is the usual complaint, as I recall.

    Note that the J-trucks use the same axle with both transfer cases - offset or not - but it's a considerably longer driveshaft. Apparently Jeep researched this and decided they needed a dedicated offset axle for the shorter wheelbase.
     
  3. Nov 16, 2019
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    I have in three rigs, but I’d only call the first a real test bed.

    As a dumb kid on a high-school budget, after I blew the t-14 out of my 5, I ran a junkyard Saginaw 4-spd (with slip joint) from a Monza to the offset D44 for over a year on the street as 2wd until I tracked down a D18 adapter. There were no noticeable vibrations (after I learned the importance of driveshaft phasing), but the slip joint did show wear by the end and was impossible to seal.

    I ran my 3b with a t-90/D18 to a centered D44 in four 3-hr races until I found a D20 I was happy with. I obviously couldn’t feel vibrations in a race, but the abusive terrain it saw was huge with no issues.

    The third was a temporary run in my shortened willys pickup on a scout frame. D18 to a centered rear. This was only for a week or so, but there was no seat-of-the-pants difference when I swapped in a D20. The angles were almost the same, just switched from sideways to up.
     
  4. Nov 16, 2019
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Jul 18, 2013
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    the OP said he's already gone to 3.73 gears...in theory he should be able to find a bolt on centered D44 with 3.73s I believe
     
  5. Nov 16, 2019
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

    At the foot of...
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    I ran an early Scout for years with an 18 transfer case and a centered 44 rear axle....no problem with that. But that's a lot longer wheelbase than a CJ5. I agree with what Nickmil posted above, a 5 is just too short for that kind of offset, you'd have some horrendous u joint angles.
     
  6. Nov 17, 2019
    hunter blacksmith

    hunter blacksmith Sleepin’ Jeeper

    Valley springs,ca
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    May 23, 2019
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    I think I have 3.73. I am not 100% sure.
     
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