Revolution Gear & Axle Dana 44 Rear Axle 4.88 Ratio Dual Drilled Ring & Pinion Set
Running 35 or 37 in. tires on a Dana 44 axle with the factory gears leaves the engine lugging below its power band, makes the transmission shift constantly and turns every grade into a downshift. A 4.88 regear brings that back. This Revolution Gear and Axle D44-488D is a new 4.88 ring and pinion for the standard-rotation Dana 44, with a dual-drilled ring gear, for the rear axles in TJ Wranglers and XJ Cherokees and the many classic Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Jeep trucks that used this axle front or rear. It is the right choice when your axle already has the larger 3.92-and-up carrier, or when you are installing a new carrier or locker built for deep gears.
The 26-spline pinion drives an 8.5 in. ring gear; at 4.88 the driveshaft turns 4.88 times per tire revolution, which multiplies torque at the wheels and offsets the taller effective gearing of oversized tires. Revolution specifies the set as standard rotation, 8620 steel and made in Korea. The D in the part number marks the dual-drilled ring gear, drilled to accept either of the ring gear bolt sizes Dana 44 carriers have used, so it is not tied to one carrier generation. Torque the bolts to the value for the size you actually install.
The Dana 44 carrier split is at 3.73/3.92. A thin 4.88 pinion head needs the taller 3.92-and-up carrier, so an axle that came with 3.73 or numerically lower gears cannot take this set on its original carrier. You have two options: add a Dana 44 open carrier for 3.92 and up or a locker sized for that range, or choose the thick-gear D44-488TD, which is built to bolt to the 3.73-and-down carrier. The carrier break guide shows how to tell which carrier you have.
Read the axle tag or count teeth to find your current ratio, then look at the carrier: if the existing ratio is 3.92 or deeper, the carrier you have is already the right one for this set. Confirm the axle is standard rotation; high-pinion reverse-rotation Dana 44 fronts need a reverse set. Use the regear after bigger tires guide to confirm 4.88 is the right ratio for your tire height and transmission.
Revolution's chart for its standard-rotation Dana 44 gear sets covers the 1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ and 1986-1993 Cherokee XJ, 1986-1992 Comanche, CJ5, CJ6, CJ7, Scrambler, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, J10 and Jeepster; 1971-1977 Ford Bronco, 1975-1978 F-150 and 1959-1977 F-250; 1975-1980 K5 Blazer, 1969-1974 Blazer, 1967-1968 C10, 1984-1994 Camaro and 1980-1982 Corvette; and 1994-2001 Ram 1500, 1994-2002 Ram 2500 and 1974-1993 Ramcharger. Many of these axles have been swapped or rebuilt over the decades, so check the tag and carrier before ordering, or send us your year and VIN and we will confirm. Browse related gear and setup parts under hard parts.
Revolution's published Dana 44 starting points are a 0.042 in. pinion shim, 14-19 in-lb pinion bearing preload, .006-.010 in. backlash, 60 ft-lb bearing caps, and ring gear bolts at 55 ft-lb for 3/8 in. or 75 ft-lb for 7/16 in. Use those as a baseline and set the final pinion depth by the contact pattern. Replace the pinion and carrier bearings, crush sleeve and pinion seal; a Yukon Dana 44 master overhaul kit covers the center section. Fill with 75W-90, or 75W-140 for heavy towing, adding friction modifier for a clutch-type limited slip. Break the gears in gently with no towing for the first few hundred miles and change the oil afterward. Recalibrate the speedometer and shift schedule for the new ratio and tire size.
| Brand | Revolution Gear & Axle |
| Part number | D44-488D |
| Fits | Revolution Gear & Axle Dana 44 Rear Axle 4.88 Ratio Dual Drilled Ring & Pinion Set |
| Type | Ring & Pinions |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
The ring gear is drilled for both ring gear bolt sizes used in Dana 44 carriers, so it bolts to either style. Torque to the spec for the bolt size you install: 55 ft-lb for 3/8 in., 75 ft-lb for 7/16 in. per Revolution's chart.
Not on the original carrier. A 4.88 set uses the 3.92-and-up carrier. Either swap to a 3.92-and-up carrier or locker, or choose the thick-gear D44-488TD that fits the 3.73-and-down carrier.
It is a standard-rotation set, which covers rear Dana 44s and the low-pinion standard-rotation fronts on the listed vehicles. High-pinion reverse-rotation fronts need a reverse-rotation set.
Yes. On a four-wheel-drive vehicle both axles must run the same ratio, so the front axle has to be regeared to 4.88 at the same time.
A Dana 44 master install or overhaul kit with bearings, crush sleeve, pinion seal and shims, the correct 3.92-and-up carrier if you do not already have one, and 75W-90 gear oil.
