Master bearing kit for the Jeep Wrangler JK rear Dana 44: Timken carrier and pinion bearings, crush sleeve, pinion nut and gasket for a regear or rebuild.
Regearing a Jeep Wrangler JK for 35s or 37s, chasing a rear-end whine that starts around 45 mph, or tearing into the rear axle after a pinion seal let the oil out on the trail? This Motive Gear RA28RJKMKT master bearing kit is the full set of wear parts for the rear Dana 44 under the 2007-2018 JK Rubicon, two-door and Unlimited, with Timken tapered bearings throughout.
The JK rear Dana 44 uses a different housing and pinion setup than the Dana 44 rears that came before it in the TJ, so a generic Dana 44 bearing kit is the wrong part. The pinion runs on an inner (head) bearing and an outer (tail) bearing, squeezed together through a crush sleeve to a set preload. The carrier, which holds the ring gear and on the Rubicon the factory selectable locker, rides on two tapered carrier bearings with shims that set ring gear position and backlash. Big tires multiply the load on all four bearings, and once they wear the pinion can move under throttle and the gear pattern drifts off the spot it was set to. That drift is what you hear as whine, and it is also what chews up a new ring and pinion if the old bearings are left in.
Put the rear axle on stands, pull the driveshaft and turn the pinion by hand: rough spots or notchy rotation mean the pinion bearings are worn. Push and pull the yoke for play. Drain the oil and look for metal flakes rather than fine haze. Then road test and note whether the noise follows throttle or coast. Our pinion bearing noise guide explains what each noise points to, and the JK regear kit buyers guide covers when a bearing kit alone is enough and when you need gears too.
This kit fits the rear Dana 44 on the 2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Rubicon, two-door and four-door Unlimited. It is a standard-rotation rear axle kit; the JK Rubicon front Dana 44 is reverse rotation and takes a different kit. Non-Rubicon JKs also have a Dana 44 rear, but kit makers list it separately from the Rubicon rear and it takes its own bearing kit, so if your Jeep is a Sport, Sahara or other non-Rubicon trim, use the bearing kit for the JK non-Rubicon rear Dana 44 instead. It does not fit the 2018-up JL, which uses a different axle design. If you are not sure which axle you have, check the axle tag on the housing or send us your year, trim and VIN. See every differential and transmission rebuild kit we carry.
Timken tapered carrier bearings and races, Timken head and tail pinion bearings and races, a crush sleeve, a pinion nut, a pinion seal, a cover gasket, thread locking compound, and marking compound with a brush for the gear pattern. Pinion depth shims are not part of this kit, so keep your original shim pack.
Remove the old pinion head bearing with a bearing separator and press the new one on square. A clamshell puller like the Dana 44 clamshell carrier bearing puller pulls the carrier bearings without damaging the carrier or the locker. Start with your original pinion shims, then check the pattern. Yukon's published setup chart lists a higher pinion preload for the D44 JK than for an older Dana 44, starting around 20 inch-pounds with new bearings, so crush the sleeve slowly and check rotating torque with an inch-pound wrench after every few degrees of nut rotation. Never back the nut off to reduce preload; replace the crush sleeve instead. Our crush sleeve vs solid spacer guide explains why.
If you are regearing, pair this kit with a ring and pinion like the 4.56 gear set for the JK rear Dana 44. Fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil, and follow the new ring and pinion break-in procedure before towing or wheeling.
| Fits | Rear Dana 44, Jeep Wrangler JK (2007-2018) |
| Part number | Motive Gear RA28RJKMKT |
| Bearings | Timken tapered carrier and pinion bearings |
| Includes | Timken tapered carrier bearings, Timken front and rear pinion bearings, pilot bearing where applicable, crush sleeve or preload shim pack, pinion nut, cover gasket or RTV, marking compound and brush |
| Condition | New |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. This kit is for the JK Rubicon rear Dana 44. Non-Rubicon JK rears are listed separately and need the non-Rubicon JK rear kit. Check your trim or the axle tag, or send us the VIN.
No. The JK Rubicon front Dana 44 is reverse rotation with different bearings. This kit is for the standard-rotation rear axle only.
Yes. New gears on old bearings is the most common cause of a regear that whines within a few thousand miles. The old bearings have worn to the old gears and lose preload once they are disturbed.
No. Use your original pinion depth shims as the starting point and adjust from the pattern. Most shops keep a shim assortment on hand for regears.
No. The 2018-up JL uses a different rear axle design with its own kits. This one is for the 2007-2018 JK.
Use 75W-90 gear oil, or 75W-140 if you tow or run big tires hard. The factory Rubicon locker does not need friction modifier.
