96 grand cherokee axle swap?

Did the 96 grand come with a dana 44 in the front or was it independent ? what about the rear? and how wide?Im going to look at a grand that a tree fell on for the engine and was wondering about the drive train?

 

Front should be a Dana 30, rear should be a Dana 35 with 3.73 gearing

 

The rear could be a 44 also. I can't remember the year but some had a rear 44 with an aluminum pumpkin. Don't even think about swapping these in as they are very problematic and the gears are different than standard 44's. The axle assembly's will be wider, and the front pumpkin will be a driver's side drop vs. the stock passenger side drop in a CJ.

 

all V8 grand cherokees have the D44A (or d44hd) . It DOES NOT share ring/pinion with the std d44. Its not an upgrade from a real d44. the I6 grand had the POS d35. The standard iron d44 was never/has never been offered in a grand cherokee.



The front is a d30, but that doesnt' matter to you, because the differential is on the drivers side anyway.

 

My 1993 that had a V8 has a 35 in the rear and a 30 in the front.

 

hmmm, I've heard that was possible in the first year, but you're the first person who I've heard that actually had the v8/35 combo.

 

I believe the front axle in a Grand is driver's drop so it won't line up with a CJ transfer case. On top of that it uses a two piece long side axle with a vacuum disconnect and unit bearing hubs with no manual locking hub. If it were my decision, I'd stay away from the axles.

 

Make me the second.