Revolution Gear & Axle Dana 44 Thick Gear Rear Axle 5.38 Ratio Dual Drilled Ring & Pinion Set
A 5.38 Dana 44 is a crawler and big-tire ratio. Owners shopping for it are usually running 37 inch or larger tires on a TJ, XJ, early Bronco, CJ or full-size Jeep, or building a low-geared trail rig where slow, controlled torque matters more than highway cruise. The Revolution Gear and Axle D44-538TD is that 5.38 ratio for the standard-rotation Dana 44, made with a thick ring gear so it mounts on a 3.73-and-down carrier. If your axle still has its original 3.54 or 3.73 carrier, or you already run a locker built for that carrier, this set lets you go all the way to 5.38 without replacing it.
In the Dana 44, the pinion drives an 8.5 inch ring gear and the tooth ratio sets how many driveshaft turns it takes to spin the tires once. At 5.38 the pinion head is the smallest in the range, which is why deep Dana 44 gears normally ride on the taller 3.92-and-up carrier. Revolution's thick-gear design adds the height to the ring gear instead, so the set fits a carrier from the 3.73/3.92 break and below. The listing for D44-538TD shares the family specs: standard rotation, 26-spline pinion, 8620 steel, Korean manufacture, 10-bolt cover axle, and a ring gear dual drilled for 3/8 or 7/16 bolts. Because the pinion is small, setup accuracy and break-in matter more at 5.38 than at milder ratios; a sloppy pattern on tiny pinion teeth is what chips gears on the trail.
Run the numbers first: mph x ratio x 336 / tire height gives engine rpm at a 1:1 gear. With 37 inch tires at 65 mph, 5.38 works out to about 3,175 rpm at 1:1 and around 2,200 rpm in a 0.69-0.70 overdrive, which is why 5.38 suits big tires but feels busy on 33s. Our gear ratio guide for bigger tires has a full chart. Next, check the carrier: if the axle came with 3.92 or deeper gears it already has the tall carrier and you need standard-thickness 5.38 gears, not this set. Lockers and carriers labeled 3.92-and-up will not fit a thick gear either; the carrier break guide explains why. Front and rear should match, so if the front is a Dana 30, read the Dana 30 vs Dana 44 front comparison before buying both sets.
Revolution lists this gear family for standard-rotation Dana 44 axles across 1997-2006 Wrangler TJ, 1986-1993 Cherokee XJ, 1986-1992 Comanche, CJ5, CJ7 and Scrambler, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer and J10, 1971-1977 Bronco, 1975-1978 F-150, 1959-1977 F-250, 1975-1980 K5 Blazer, Ramcharger and 1994-2002 Ram 1500/2500, plus a few Chevrolet car rears. Factory axles changed by year and option code, so read the axle tag, confirm the 10-bolt cover and the current ratio, and send us your year and VIN if anything is unclear. It does not fit reverse-rotation (high-pinion) front Dana 44s or JK/JL Dana 44s. See more gear sets and carriers in our hard parts category.
Use Revolution's Dana 44 setup numbers as the starting point: 0.042 inch pinion shim, 14-19 in-lb bearing preload with new bearings, 0.006-0.010 inch backlash, ring gear bolts at 55 or 75 ft-lb by bolt size, and 60 ft-lb bearing caps. Confirm with a contact pattern on both sides of the teeth. Replace the pinion and carrier bearings, races, crush sleeve and seal during the job. At 5.38 the axle shafts see more torque, so worn or stock shafts are worth replacing; for a TJ rear see the 1541H alloy TJ/XJ right rear shaft, and for an early Bronco front the 4340 chromoly inner shaft. Fill with non-synthetic 80W-90 or 85W-140 GL-5 for break-in, keep it under 60 mph with cool-down stops for the first 100 miles, avoid towing and off-road use until the 500-mile fluid change, and read our Dana 44 rebuild guide for what else to inspect while the axle is apart. If 5.38 is too deep for your tire size, the 4.88 thick-gear set fits the same carrier.
| Brand | Revolution Gear & Axle |
| Part number | D44-538TD |
| Fits | Revolution Gear & Axle Dana 44 Thick Gear Rear Axle 5.38 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.
Not if your Dana 44 currently has 3.73 or numerically lower gears. Revolution states the thick ring gear fits 3.73-and-down carriers, so the original carrier or a locker made for that carrier can be reused.
5.38 is typically used with 37 inch and larger tires or on dedicated crawlers. On 33s it usually spins the engine too fast at highway speed, so check cruise rpm with mph x ratio x 336 / tire height.
No. Carriers and lockers sold for 3.92-and-up ratios are the taller design. A thick gear needs a 3.73-and-down carrier or locker.
No. The D44-538TD is standard rotation. High-pinion front axles need reverse-rotation gears.
Yes. On a 4x4 both axles must run the same ratio or the transfer case and driveline will bind in four-wheel drive.
Use non-synthetic 80W-90 or 85W-140 GL-5, drive 15-20 miles at a time with cool-down stops for the first 100 miles, keep it under 60 mph, avoid towing and wheeling, then change the oil at 500 miles.
