Yukon Gear 4340 Chrome-Moly Replacement Rear Axle For Dana 44 / 30 Spline

If you keep breaking rear shafts in a Jeep with a 30 spline Dana 44, or you are building a custom-width rear and need a shaft you can size yourself, this is the part people search for. Yukon Gear and Axle YA WD44-30-32.0 is a 4340 chromoly Dana 44 rear axle shaft, 30 spline, supplied 32 inches long and designed to be cut to fit applications from 26 to 32 inches. Yukon lists it for 30 spline Jeep Wrangler TJ, Cherokee XJ, Comanche MJ and JK non-Rubicon rear axles. It is a bare shaft: unlike a complete bolt-in assembly, the bearing, retainer and any tone ring are installed by you or your shop.

What the rear axle shaft does in a Dana 44

A rear Dana 44 is semi-floating. Each shaft is splined into a side gear in the differential and rides on one wheel bearing pressed onto its outer end, so it both turns the wheel and holds up that corner of the vehicle. Most broken shafts snap at the spline or just inboard of the bearing when big tires bind against a locker. Yukon builds this one from 4340 chromoly with cold roll formed splines and induction heat treating, a real step above a factory shaft and above Yukon's own 1541H alloy line. It is meant for the Jeep that already has a locker, lower gears and bigger tires.

Symptoms that call for a stronger shaft

• A rear shaft that has already broken or twisted at the splines, especially with a locker or spool.
• The vehicle will not move in gear while one rear wheel spins, a classic broken-shaft sign.
• Wheel wobble or rotor runout after a trail hit, from a bent shaft.
• A housing that has been narrowed or widened, so factory length shafts no longer fit.
• Repeat wheel bearing or seal failures caused by a worn bearing journal on an old shaft.

How to confirm it before you buy

Pull the wheel, brake and the four retainer nuts and slide the old shaft out. Count the splines: this part is 30 spline only, which rules out the 32 spline JK Rubicon rear. Measure your old shaft from the flange face to the spline tip, or for a custom housing have your shop work out each side's length, and make sure the length you need falls between 26 and 32 inches. Yukon also lists a 2.783 inch brake offset, so compare that with your rotor or drum setup if you have changed brakes.

Fitment

Yukon lists YA WD44-30-32.0 for the Dana 44 rear with 30 spline axles. Its technical notes say it will work for TJ, XJ, MJ and JK 30 spline applications and does not fit Scout, CJ or Wagoneer. The flange is triple drilled for 5 x 4.5, 5 x 5 and 5 x 5.5 inch bolt patterns, so it covers the TJ and XJ pattern and the JK pattern on the same shaft. If you are not sure which axle or spline count you have, send us your year and VIN before ordering. For a ready-to-install shaft on a stock TJ or XJ, compare the Yukon 1541H left rear shaft for the TJ and XJ and the matching right rear shaft. More axle parts are in our hard parts catalog.

Install notes

• Have a driveline or machine shop cut the shaft to your measured length; do not guess, as a shaft of the wrong length will not seat correctly in the side gear and housing end.
• Press on a new wheel bearing and retainer ring with a hydraulic press, and transfer or replace the ABS tone ring if your vehicle reads one from the axle.
• Use new axle seals, and slide the shaft in level so the splines do not cut the inner seal.
• With chromoly shafts the weak link moves to the carrier. If the factory open unit is tired, a new Yukon 30 spline open carrier case with a Dana 44 30 spline spider gear kit restores it.
• Refill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil, plus friction modifier for a clutch-type limited slip.

Does this axle come with a bearing and retainer?

No. It is a bare 4340 chromoly shaft. Press on a new wheel bearing and retainer ring, and move over the ABS tone ring if your Jeep uses one.

Do I have to cut it?

It ships 32 inches long and Yukon designs it to be cut to fit 26 to 32 inch applications. If your old shaft is 32 inches you may not need to cut it, but measure first.

Will it fit my Jeep JK Rubicon?

No. The JK Rubicon rear uses 32 spline shafts. This shaft is 30 spline and Yukon lists it for TJ, XJ, MJ and JK non-Rubicon applications.

Which bolt pattern is it?

It is triple drilled for 5 x 4.5, 5 x 5 and 5 x 5.5 inch patterns, so it covers the TJ and XJ pattern as well as the JK pattern.

Will it fit a CJ or Scout Dana 44?

Yukon's notes say it does not fit Scout, CJ or Wagoneer axles. Those need a different shaft.