Just dropped off new parts (ARB Locker and Yukon 4.88 gears) and rear axle housing off for my 2008 JKU Rubi at the local shop and they just called to say the housing was bent about 1/2". Looking for options to use the new parts along with new Nitro 35 spline axle shafts. Anyone have a vendor/brand for bare axle housing that I can throw the parts in? Other options would be to buy a built out setup and try to sell all the new stuff but would rather not. Also wondering if the stock Dana 44 and be straightened? This is my DD and has been out of commission for three weeks. Damn!
Bent rear axle options
- Thread starter g4willy
- Start date
Honestly, I would just keep an eye out for a Rubicon rear axle take off. There are a lot of them out there, you just have to look. This will be your best bet. Having said that, if there's any chance of you being able to return what you bought and using that money to getting something better like a Dynatrac Trail 60, I would highly recommend that. The cost won't be that much more and it'll be a hell of a lot stronger than a factory 44.
jeeeep
Hooked
From what I read off Dynatrac site, it's a complete unit and all that's needed to reuse JK brakes? all other existing components - shocks, CA's etc will bolt up to it?
how is this compared to the pro-rock 44?
Yup, you can literally get one ready to bolt up and go. You won't get the profiled differential or tubes that are as thick as a ProRock 60 but, for the how much you save, a Trail 60 is a good buy and one that will be A LOT stronger than a factory 44.
A ProRock 44 is a front axle. The trail 60 is a rear axle. You can get a ProRock 60 too but, that costs more money.
Thanks for the input. I have been looking around the Denver area for the past day and think I may have found an axle for a 2013 JKU. Hoping it is off a Rubi as it already has the Currie track bar bracket welded on which I think I can use with RK 2.5 Stock Mod kit that is coming. Also has 5.13 gears in it and a nice Tereflex diff cover. Also reaching out to the vendor I got the parts from to see if I can return and have him order me a Dynatrac. Worst part is that it has been snowing for three days in CO and I have been driving around (or trying) in a rental Prius. Great mileage but absolutely sucks with anything over 1/4" of snow.
Being that your shop had to order the parts, I can't see why they wouldn't just shelve them/sell them to someone else. Being that you've already bent this axle, you have to think that you'll just do it again. For the price, I think you'll find that getting a Trail 60 is a much better way to go.
piginajeep
The Original Smartass
You can get the prorock upgrade to the trail 60. It's a couple hundred bucks. It's the route I plan on taking
CrazyLarry
New member
Just looked at the prices for dynatracs complete axles and man why are rear axle assembly's so much more than their fronts
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
They're not, they're cheaper.
If you do that, you just ordered yourself a ProRock 60
What he said ^^^ The rear axles are a lot cheaper than the fronts.
piginajeep
The Original Smartass
If you do that, you just ordered yourself a ProRock 60
What he said ^^^ The rear axles are a lot cheaper than the fronts.
Then I would need a full width front to match.
Ah, that is true. You can get a Trail 60 in a standard JK width :yup:
About 3" wider. When I was running a ProRock 60 front axle on Moby with a factory 44 in the rear, I had to run 1.5" wheel adapters to convert the 5x5 bolt pattern to a 5x5.5 and that got it to sit at about the same width. I plan on doing the same thing with Rubicat but the other way around - a ProRock 60 in the rear with a ProRock 44 up front with 1.5" wheel adapters.
bl17z90
New member
Is there a specific reason you decided to convert to 5.5 instead of just getting a set of 5x5 1.5" spacers?
Well, to be honest, I would have really preferred to run an 8-lug but they weren't available at that time. I went 5x5.5 as a front ProRock 60 has manual locking hubs and requires a larger opening at the center of the wheel. A full float rear ProRock would require it too.
CrazyLarry
New member
If you do that, you just ordered yourself a ProRock 60
What he said ^^^ The rear axles are a lot cheaper than the fronts.
yeah sorry I was looking at the full float rear 60 which is $7300
CrazyLarry
New member
are you going to use the stock knuckles and hub assemblys?