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On my hemi JK the housing was left bone stock. When I sold it the tubes Out of curiosity I called a local axle shop. They quoted me $250 to fix a bent axle. Not exactly a huge expense. Hell, I might even just straighten a bent axle and then truss it!
I had an axle shop in North Georgia fix my bent front D44, it was $195 for their labor.

The axle was trussed with a purejeep truss on the long side...no short side truss as this was before Artec and others made them. Bent the mofo on the short side, fluke thing I guess.
 
There have only been a handfull of people I've found across multiple forums (including Pirate) that have broken a properly set up high pinion New Gen D44 ring and pinon, even with 40's.
It happens, even on 37's. This is a rear D44, Ten Factory Chromo's. The ring gear blew up big time. Shafts were fine. Rear end bounced and I didn't let off the throttle enough. You would think the axle shaft would go first but in this case it didn't . Possible bad gear set up, yes, but this wasn't the first wheeling trip on it and it showed no signs of being bad prior to.



I still think nicely set up D44's are solid for up to 37's but wheeling style does matter.
 
I did my own labor on mine. Have $160 in the truss and track bar bracket from Artec. Made my own LCA skids and C gussets from scrap. The only reason I would consider an aftermarket housing is if I didnt have fab skills and/or if I wanted caster correction, which I might do at a later date since Im thinking about going up another inch or so.
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
I did my own labor on mine. Have $160 in the truss and track bar bracket from Artec. Made my own LCA skids and C gussets from scrap. The only reason I would consider an aftermarket housing is if I didnt have fab skills and/or if I wanted caster correction, which I might do at a later date since Im thinking about going up another inch or so.
I have already built my own LCA's and installed those. I will be pulling the axle and welding on the truss/gussets from ARTEC myself so mimimal cost to me on that part. My 4.10's are fine with 35's so no cost there. Only thing left is RCV's and balljoints (synergy are only $200) if/when I break the factory shafts so I think I'll stick with this D44 crowd as long as I can.

I appreciate everyone's advice and knowledge...great info in this thread.
 
Well, the problem is that they don't cost over $2k in the real world. A guy on the Forum just got a TF R44 with TF ball joints installed for $1,700. I got mine around the same price with Synergy ball joints. I was able to sell off the stock housing for $800, so in the end I was out your $900. Cha-Ching! I'd bet one could even sell off a tock D30 housing and recover at least something.

When I had my stock axle sleeved & gusseted back in '09 the only housing available was the standard Pro Rock 44, way stronger but at that point they didn't offer the Unlimited with corrected angles. Had the PR Unlimited been available it'd have been under there in a heartbeat.
Mostly the latter. I wanted the angles corrected and before it broke at the center section I wanted to get it out of there and sell it off. I recouped $800 for the stock housing, so I was only out around $900 for the TF R44. I was recovering from rotator cuff surgery so I had to farm out the install to a local guy who did a splendid job of it.
I got my pricing by looking at Synergy and TF websites respectively. I never count on deals from anywhere until I actually get them. If you plan for full retail and its less bonus, if you plan for a deal and its full retail then you might not have enough to make the purchase.

So to reinforce my point, you didn't have any issues with your stock axle but wanted the aftermarket housing for peace of mind. The way I look at it, either way you are beefing up what you've got. If you go to a PR44 or similar then you get beefy mounts, stronger tube, and a stronger housing. If you truss, gusset, etc your stock housing you are also reinforcing everything there. Either way you go the weak point on the axle is either the shafts or the ring/pinion. I'm only running a 1310 front shaft so hopefully that's my fuse.

I think if you can do you're own welding then upgrading the stock housing is plenty good. Artec's prices must have gone up because I spent 300$ on both the front and rear kits but either way you're looking at 300$ and some time in the garage, plus an aftermarket cover if you can do it yourself.

If you need to spend the money to have somebody do the work then after recouping funds from the sale of your stock front axle I can see where you'll be about even with the aftermarket housing.

I can also see where if you're replacing the D30 you might be better off with the aftermarket axle.

I'm only at 3" of lift and see no reason to adjust my C's for better angles. My caster is still good enough to keep the road driving nice and the pinion angle is still close enough to keep me from shredding u-joints or getting vibes.
 
It happens, even on 37's. This is a rear D44, Ten Factory Chromo's. The ring gear blew up big time. Shafts were fine. Rear end bounced and I didn't let off the throttle enough. You would think the axle shaft would go first but in this case it didn't . Possible bad gear set up, yes, but this wasn't the first wheeling trip on it and it showed no signs of being bad prior to.



I still think nicely set up D44's are solid for up to 37's but wheeling style does matter.
In the rear, yes. My post was referencing the high pinion front, not the low pinion rear. I have seen a fair share of low pinion rear failures.

Also, interestingly enough, I've seen two superior 35 spline rear shafts break in the same day (JK44 rear, 42's) and the R&P was fine. It was a cryo treated R&P (heattreater's rig).
 
You say 37 max now, but I know guys that said 35s max, they they went 37s and are now planning on 40s. I'm of the opinion of future-proofing and over building your rig. I'm going to keep my stock 44 with 35s and build a 60 front and 14 bolt rear slowly, then when the jeep is paid off swap in the tons, bigger lift and bigger tires. It may be 40s, it may only be 37s depending on funds at the time, but I will be built for 40+.
 
My opinion is that it comes down to disposable income. As do most decisions with building vehicles. If money is no object then by all means build yourself some custom Rockwells and call it good. But if you are pinching pennies for months to scrape together enough cash for a new headlight bezel, putting your money towards buying PR44 or better makes absolutely no sense when you can throw an artec kit at it and some new axles and be just as strong. So check your wallets, if they are so thick its hard to sit down go with new but if you open it up and a dust bunny falls out, well, there you go. Personally I believe a truss is greater than a PR44 any day of the week and twice on Sunday but that's just me.:)
 
EDIT: and this ^^^^^^^^^^

This is a great thread so far, but like everything it's what if what if what if.

What your choice really boils down to is WHAT IS YOUR DRIVING STYLE?

If you are easy and light on the skinny pedal you can run 40's on your built 44's.

Have a friend who ran MOAB very recently on 40's. Stock rubi 44's, the only upgrades were gussets, ball joints, & skids. Yep stock axles shafts. He had no problems anywhere. So it can be done but not necessarily advisable for ???? Someone with the wrong driving style?????

At the same time plenty of people break their 44's on 35's. Heck even 60's with 37's with their driving style. So if you are light and easy on the skinny pedal 37's will be no problem on built up 44's.

So before you go overboard like some people do be realistic on your driving style and what you need.
Personally I'm a do more with less and prove people wrong type of person. Example, my last JKU sport was lifted on 35's. I've done more difficult and technical trails/ obstacles in my current stock JKUR than my old Jeep. I'll do the same with my axles, when the time comes 37's on my 44's and build the axles up slowely over time.
 
^^^ Very good points.

I was on 35" KM2's when I ran Holy Cross. I walked up every obstacle minus Cleaveland Rock (didn't even waste y time there) while a guy with a Hemi swapped JK on 40"+ tires and the entire TeraFlex parts catalog struggled on every obstacle. He didn't try Cleaveland Rock either.
 
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