'89 YJ front Dana 44
('65 Ford "Closed Knuckle" 8-Lug 3/4 Ton)

Purchased this axle for $75.00
Who wants a closed knuckle anyway?
So I figured what do i have to lose
and decided to narrow it myself.
     (well almost by myself)
After cleaning and inspecting I
decided it was in good condition,
had 19-spline shafts and a 4.56 ring
and pinion.
I installed 2, 15 x 10" steel wheels
to take measurements off of and
decide how much to narrow the
housing.
I left the drivers side alone and
shortened only  the passengers
side, (6" exactly).  So the driveshaft
isn't exactly aligned fore/aft, and it's
a little closer to the engine oil pan,
but it's not very far off.
After removing the brake drum,
spindle, kingpins, knuckles and axle
shaft. I marked the housing in-line
with the kingpins, (so i could get the
caster back correctly). measured
twice and cut the closed knuckle
and 6" of housing off with a hacksaw.
I carefully cut and ground most of
the tube off the knuckle/ball, it has
about a 2 1/2" shoulder thats pressed
into the tube.  I took it to a local
machine shop and had them machine
the rest of the tube off the ball
shoulder down to 2.000" (the same
as the inner diameter of the housing)
I re-installed the knuckle in the tube,
by lining up the caster marks and
hammering  it into place with a 10 lb.
sledge.  (it fit very very tight)

I took it down to another
local welder and he put
a great weld on it (3/4 ton
44 tubing is almost 1/2"
thick) it's not coming
back off very easy.
I will post pictures later...

The pearches, spring
pads, and differential
housing reauired some
grinding. it was a spring
over and I wanted a spring
under. I also custom made
some U-bolt pads to get
the springs as close
to the housing as possible.
I put it all back together and
so it was time to try to align
it, (and see how for off the
knuckle is) I just used a tape

These 2 pics
during the
installation,
they are
after i
norrowed
the housing
but before
welding the
pearches
and hangers.

measure and a couple levels. First I mounted the wheels (no tires) and hooked up my factory YJ
tierods and adjusted the toe in-out. Then i put levels on the outside of the wheels check the
camber (leaning in or out) Then i took a guess and went to NAPA and got a couple camber shims,
(they are tapered shims that bolt between the spindle(backing plate) and knuckle, they are
orange in the picture). You have to know what degree shim to order, i guessed and was wrong
the first time (NAPA let me return them and get some others).  So you can install this shim about
6 different ways getting more or less camber, but it also adjusts toe in-out. (it took quite a few
times to get it right)  Next was the axle shaft, (narrowing only the one side means only one
custom $haft) I took the factory shaft to the machine shop and they cut it in half, took out 6
inches machining male and female ends before welding it together. I plan to have one custom
made, I'll probably wait until I'm broke in the woods. Anyway I installed some tires and a drive-
shaft and i was ready for a road and trail testing,  It works fine and I'm already planning some
upgrades, first on the list is a locker, I'll get a "Lock-Right" or maybe that new "Gearless locker"
after the first of the year.

Other stuff:
1.  Replaced all 4 kingpin bearings and races, (from NAPA) and then reshimed the kingpins.
2.  Replaced felt wipers and seals that keep dirt out of Knuckles. (from J.C. Whitney)
3.  Cleaned and regreased wheel bearings.
4.  installed Superwinch locking hubs.
5.  welded lower shock mounts behind axle and out of harms way.
6.  Installed extended steel braided brake lines.
7.  Drilled holes through the wheels, mounted the tires and installed some beadlock screws.
8.  I'm still experimenting with caster, closed knuckles don't have a vary tight of a turning
radius so I'm going to put some shims between the springs and axle pads to make some
negative caster. (It's a trail Jeep, tighter turning is more important the street manners).

"Future Plans" Locker and 30-spline axle shaft along with some Warn Locking Hubs.......

Well that's basically it.  (I have more pictures to add and i'll re-write some of this later, I know
i'm not the most literate "Jeeper on the Trail")

This is the first time i ramped it after
the Dana 44/Shackle reversal swap,  it
had no lockers, and my winch wasn't
installed but it did OK,  I think it scored
about 850 or 900, the rear tire missed
making it onto the ramp by about
3 inches or so.

Jeepers since 24 November 1999
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