D44 Sport and Rubicon Axle differences....?

[JohnWick]

I have tried to search a few times for this and have had a tough time finding a definitive answer.

What are the specific differences between the Dana 44 in the Sport and the Rubicon? And to muddy the water, the Max Tow-equipped sport gets(I think) the Rubicon axle assemblies.

I'm wondering what the specific differences are.

I know the Rubicon/Max Tow axles are wider overall(half inch or inch maybe if I remember right).

What else?

Housing differences - center section size, axle tube diameter and/or wall thickness?

Axle shaft differences if any - diameter, spline count?

Differences in the diff carrier or gearsets?

Obviously the sport doesn't have the lockers.

Are Max Tow axle assemblies identical to the Rubicon assembly minus lockers?

Thanks for any info. I get questions and involved in discussions and sometimes I scratch my head without the right info.

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[vicsvx]

If what I read in the past is accurate...

Rubicon has thicker tubes, 35 spline axles and 1.5 wider track and oem lockers (obviously) . Other than that, they are the same .

Rubicon axles will fit any other trim gladiator.. And only the front axle is a direct swap from the JL, while the rear has different mounting brackets.

Diesel rubicons have 3.73 gears vs the gasser 4.10

As for max tow...I think they are the same as gas rubi but without the lockers.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Hootbro]

If what I read in the past is accurate...

Rubicon has thicker tubes, 35 spline axles and 1.5 wider track and oem lockers (obviously) . Other than that, they are the same .

Rubicon axles will fit any other trim gladiator.. And only the front axle is a direct swap from the JL, while the rear has different mounting brackets.

Diesel rubicons have 3.73 gears vs the gasser 4.10

As for max tow...I think they are the same as gas rubi but without the lockers.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

That is pretty much how I understand it with one exception, the "thicker tubes" I have yet to see definitive data on that. Not saying it is not true, but all the talk I have ever read on people quoting "thicker tubes" on the wide axles has been hearsay with one person making the case they heard it from a contact at Dynatrac making the claim. There has been no blueprint or picture data with measurements showing this that I know of.

 

[vicsvx]

That is pretty much how I understand it with one exception, the "thicker tubes" I have yet to see definitive data on that. Not saying it is not true, but all the talk I have ever read on people quoting "thicker tubes" on the wide axles has been hearsay with one person making the case they heard it from a contact at Dynatrac making the claim. There has been no blueprint or picture data with measurements showing this that I know of.

Same...I was just regurgitating what I have read many times... But Maybe it is true for the diesel tubes? They are a bit heavier

 

[JohnWick]

If what I read in the past is accurate...

Rubicon has thicker tubes, 35 spline axles and 1.5 wider track and oem lockers (obviously) . Other than that, they are the same .

Rubicon axles will fit any other trim gladiator.. And only the front axle is a direct swap from the JL, while the rear has different mounting brackets.

Diesel rubicons have 3.73 gears vs the gasser 4.10

As for max tow...I think they are the same as gas rubi but without the lockers.

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Thank you. That's basically been my understanding.

Last week a guy told me that the Rubicon axles have a larger center housing to fit the bigger ring and pinion and I'm pretty sure that's untrue. But, I didn't know for certain.

 

[Mr._Bill]

My understanding is that they are all the same Dana D44 axles. The only variations are the width, lockers, and LSD.

My High Altitude has the wide axles with LSD.

 

[mdyucca]

If swapping out sport axles for the wider Rubicon axles this requires a longer Rubicon tie-rod.

 

[81Mojave]

4WD Autos have CVs

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Gonna dig this up from the past. Might swap a Rubi front axle into the sport. Am I asking for trouble if I don't put a rubi rear axle in too?

 

[ChrisNLA]

Gonna dig this up from the past. Might swap a Rubi front axle into the sport. Am I asking for trouble if I don't put a rubi rear axle in too?

What kind of Sport?

Assuming the gearing matches, the only other different is track width (1.5" wider for a Rubi/Macks Toe/Mojave and some others).

I mean there is a locker but that's a matter of a switch...

So - you could end up looking like a lot of older half ton 4x4's that had skinnier tracks in the rear vs the front

 

[vicsvx]

Only real issue you'll run into is gearing. Does the rubi gearing match your current sport gearing 4.10 vs 3.73

 

[Alpine Warthog]

It will match up gearing wise. So it's just a bolt up... do the driveshaft, control arms, a rubi draglink and bleed the brakes. Wire up a 12 volt switch for the locker.

 

[Hootbro]

It will match up gearing wise. So it's just a bolt up... do the driveshaft, control arms, a rubi draglink and bleed the brakes. Wire up a 12 volt switch for the locker.

If you got the Max Tow on your Sport with 4.10 gears, you have the wide axles already and putting in a Rubicon take off axle in the front should be no issue.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

If you got the Max Tow on your Sport with 4.10 gears, you have the wide axles already and putting in a Rubicon take off axle in the front should be no issue.

Wish I had a max tow. I'll have the rear axle regeared to match the new axle before the front axle goes in.

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

If I recall correctly the confusion comes from the original marketing where they said that Rubicon's came equipped with "heavy duty" dana 44's.

But if you look at everyone's build sheets, they all say "heavy duty dana 44 front/rear axle".

I think someone on here actually got measurements from a busted axle tube (maybe on an FSD thread??) and found that they were the same thickness.

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