Something Just Broke

FWIW someone just posted a flanged offset D44 in the classifieds, but it's a long way from you.

 

"Stronger axles may be in my future but I'll probably just break the next weakest link"

I would bet the real damage was done before you owned it, and the previously stressed/fatigued part just gave way now. You will probably never break another axle in normal use.

 

Upgrade and economical .... hmm.

The original Dana 44 from a 70.5-71 would be your best bet. If you can find one from someone that does not know what they have, or is pricing at private-party levels, it could be economical. Most '71s will be 3.73 ratio, not 4.88, but there still a large fraction that were 4.88s. The 4.88 gears are more desirable.

Likely the easiest route that's a real upgrade would be to convert this axle to full-floating, with custom axle shafts. You mount spindles and hubs on the axle ends and use flanges to connect the full-floating axle to flanges or Warn hubs on the rear hubs. Not original, but could be made as good as original. Probably not as economical as finding a flanged axle at a good price, but it eliminates the scarcity issue, and would be a significant upgrade over the tapered axle. There are other issues and choices with this route - ask the V6 guys with experience here if this option appeals to you. An 11" brake conversion would be a major upgrade too.

A Dana 44 rear axle from a '72-75 Jeep is also a flanged axle, but centered. However, you could convert to a Dana 20 transfer case from the Dana 18, and use the matching front open Dana 30 axle from the same vehicle, along with that vehicle's 11" brakes. But it would be pretty different from what you have, and the Dana 20 does not have as good a low range ratio as the Dana 18. But it's a quieter and more durable transfer case.

Or you could fix what you have. There are plenty of these axles out there, and they serve their owners well in most cases. Convert to a PowerLock, add 11" brakes, and don't hammer on it, and you'd be fine. Nobody would know it's the wrong axle but you and your buds at earlyCJ5.

 

"I reversed the drum to use as a slide hammer."

Well, okay, but remember drums are cast iron and fragile to impact.

 

That's old Jeeps. Something was wrong. When I got mine, I took my son, he was driving and some smoke came from the dash. The wires were not well fixed and... That was 3 years ago. I had to attach the Jeep to my car, and find a guy to repair, bring it to his shop.
He was a Willy specialist, (the WWII we see on D Days show) but he was employed, so the repair was made in his mother garage, black market.
Many components were burned, it took some months to repair all.
Then other problems, gearbox, fuel gauge...

What I can say : it costed me time and money, but now - I can repeat : now - my Jeep works perfectly.
It is happiness when I use it. Don't forget to grease the parts with a grease pressure pump, and put grease where it must be.

So, repair, be patient ... the DAY will come.

 

Over all it looks like you have nice Jeep other than your incorect rear axle. The correct offrset flanged D44 are quite desirable and can command some $.
The knob on the left of your dash, the red one, It's pretty much unobtainium. The roll cage must have protected it from a drivers knee. The gas pedal is the good one for a CJ5. Put a rubber boot on your transmission shifter, it keeps the water out of your transmission.
A lot of people have problems with the single stick shifter on the transfer case. Usually cleaning all of the mud off of the linkage and using lots of lubricants will get them going again. Sometimes a bit of adjustment is needed. A friend has to crawl underneath his with a hammer to get it into 4 low.
Keep asking questions, all of us are happy to see another Jeep on the road.

 

You seem to be an energetic type of person, keep doing it. I think I read that the shifter boots on MBs and GPWs were leather. A few years ago I cut up some elk hide gloves I had to make some boots for my twin stick transfer case and for my PTO shifter. Maybe not the best looking things but they work better than anything I can get from Omix Ida.
I went out to my parts pile this afternoon, or perhaps it was yesterday afternoon after I look at the clock. All I have is a centered flanged D44. The only parts that are left is the housing and the axle shafts. Nothing that will help you.

 

It seems to me that by removing the backing plate bolts you should be able to remove the axle with the flange, backing plate, etc as a unit. The only thing holding it into the housing would be the interference fit of outer race of the bearing. I think... Then you could take the whole mess to a shop and they could press the axle out of the flange.

 

Focker you must live by me. I'm in Kennewick and that's Brians ad your copying to this forum About that axle. I have a puller you could borrow. and I have some dana 41 rear axle shafts you could have for free I think they are the same and I think they are 10 spline. But right now I'm on the Columbia boating and don't know when I'm heading in.

 

Hi Focker,

I'm in East Wenatchee if I'm closer than WorkinProgress. I have a puller to borrow, but no extra axles