72 Dj-5 Dana 44 - Is It The Same As 74 Cj-5?

Hi, I'm Jen. I have a 74 CJ5. The Dana 44 on it comes from a 72 DJ5. I learned this from Dana after trying to replace the rear drums and the parts for a 74 CJ5 not fitting the backing plate.

So I know the two axles have differences.

But what about the differential? Is that the same? I'm trying to switch out backing plates.

Thanks!

 

Hi Jen - welcome from Boston!

Is your Jeep four wheel drive? Very little info exists for the DJ models. There were not many made that were not postal models. Tell us more about what you have and its history.

 

Hello from another DJ5 owner!

The DJ's tend to be 3-7 years "older" than their year of manufacture. By the time Jeep was buying axles that had 11 inch brakes, the DJ line still had 10 inchers running on them. Most DJ5 jeeps were 2WD only, and many had Trak-Lok (an early form of limited slip) installed.

Between the two of us, I find it sadly sad that somebody put a DJ axle into a CJ. The CJ line was always "better" than the government issue model. We're all more used to seeing the DJ underbelly being ripped out and swapped with a 4WD setup from the CJ5.

 

Hi Jeff!

Yes, my CJ5 is 4 wheel drive, though I've rarely engaged it since I live in the city and my Jeep is for just tooling around, etc.

I'm not sure how a postal Dana 44 ended up on my CJ.

I was trying to redo the brakes and the parts wouldn't fit. Found the BOM on the axle, looked it up and it didn't seem to exist in the database. I contacted Dana Aftermarket Twitter and they're the ones who told me the axle came from a 72 DJ5.

So.... I'm trying to switch the backing plates so I can fit the drums and shoes. But, I can't get that one pin out the differential.

So I was looking for a diagram of the axle/differential to help me. And I can't find one.

Are there any resources?

I can provide more information, if need be.

Thanks?

 

I have no idea why someone did this. I mesn, yes, I'm used to weirdness with owning a vehicle made the same year I was born. But this is...wtf?

If you could point me to a diagram of the axle/differential for 72 DJ5 I'd be super grateful!

I do, however, love my CJ!

 

Is it a flanged axle or is there a big nut in the center? If it’s flanged I see no reason the later 11 inchbacking plates wouldn’t fit. Iirc the flanged ones have a different bolt pattern I suspect you could drill the two holes that are different if need be.

 

What is the inside diameter of the old drums? Agree with Jeff, if it's a Jeep axle the 11" backing plates from a 1972-75 CJ-5 should fit. Pictures would help. You can drag-and-drop pictures into your reply, as long as they aren't huge. 640x480 or 800x600 are good sizes for posting pics.

 

Yes they should fit. But it's getting the original rear ones off that's posing a problem.

I need a diagram of the DJ5 differential.

 

Ok I'll get some shortly. Weather here has suddenly turned sour.

 

Seems likely it will be flanged. The '53-71 service manual specifically includes the DJ when describing/showing flanged axles.

 

How's this?

How do I get these backing plates off?

 

Looks like it didn't post. Here's the link.

72 DJ5 axle

 

Flanged Dana 44. It's flanged because the wheel flange is forged as one piece with the axle shaft.

To remove the backing plate, the axle shaft has to come out. There is a '74 TSM here: Jeep® Parts Manuals online

'72-75 are all the same with respect to the axles and brakes. You can buy the '72 TSM on CD-ROM for about $20 from RockAuto. Some things will be specific to '72, like the heater, emissions systems, fuel tank, etc.

You sure you have the wrong backing plates? 1972 used a plain drum, not finned like the ones you show. Could be right - Jeep switched to finned drums in '74-75 and the nominal size (11"x2") is the same. Just checking that maybe you think you've got the wrong backing plates because these finned drums look larger or don't fit to the edge of the backing plate?



This is CJ-5 from 1972.

 

So I'm coverting the front to disc brakes so I'm taking the backing plates from the front to put on the back.

But I think that look you posted will help me take it the axle shaft. I was having trouble with that.

Thanks!

 

NP. Suggest you read the TSM about the axle removal. The fronts come off after you remove the spindle.

You will be missing the emergency brake parts if you use the fronts on the rear. Try Bronco parts sites for those - I recall they have the lever and bar. These are 11"x2" Bendix brakes, same as what Ford used. Rear cylinders are different from fronts.

Just a comment - whatever drum brakes you have on the rear now would be fine with front disks. The front wheels do the majority of the braking, and I expect you would not notice any difference in braking strength between whatever the DJ brakes are and moving the fronts to the rear.

 

Thanks for all this advice!

 

I looked at my Dana this morning. I can see that your cover is *different* than mine. Granted, I have a 1974 model... I have to agree with the flanged axle part - I've got that setup as well. I never bothered pulling out the rear axles/bearings for now. Call it living dangerously. But I had the 10 inch rear drums. They are not fluted, and there are other oddities.

The 10 inch DJ emergency brake parts (lever and bar between the shoes) are hard to come by, and the auto-adjusters are made of unobtanium. When I moved my front axle to the newer 1975 version, it already had the 11 inch brakes (1974 was the last year of 10" hardware) and the 11" hardware is so common, you can get it almost anywhere.

 

I can deal with having an emergency brake. It doesn't have one now, for reasons I don't know.

The front axle has 11 inch brakes that are fluted.

 

Not having an emergency/parking brake? Illegal in many locales, including Massachusetts. Even if permitted, I would make an effort to have one.

Never heard them called fluted. Maybe it's colloquial. Always been finned for me. They are technically fins meant to dissipate heat. Flutes are decorative. Pardon my nit picking.

 

I'll have to check the laws here but it's GEORGIA so it wouldn't surprise me if it's not illegal. Regardless, it currently doesn't have one. Probably because the axle is from a DJ5.

Sorry, fluted is just my language. I understand why it's finned.