Yukon Gear Chromoly Right Rear Axle for Jeep JL/JT Rubicon Dana 44 - 32 Spline - 33.9in Long
A bent rear shaft after a hard landing, a passenger-side rear wheel that wobbles at speed, or a twisted spline after a rock-ledge launch on 37s are the reasons JL Rubicon and Gladiator JT owners end up here. The Yukon Gear and Axle YA WD44JL-32-33.9 is a single right-hand rear axle shaft for the M220 Dana 44 rear axle, made from 4340 chromoly with 32 splines and an overall length of 33.9 inches. It is the passenger-side shaft only, so you buy it to replace the one side that failed or pair it with the left side for a full upgrade.
The M220 is Dana's 220 mm ring gear rear axle, the new-design Dana 44 used under every JL Rubicon and every Gladiator. It is a semi-float axle, which means each shaft does two jobs at once: it carries the weight of that corner of the vehicle on the outer bearing and it transmits torque from the carrier side gear to the wheel. The inner end slides into the side gear on 32 splines, and the outer flange carries the wheel and brake rotor. Because the shaft is loaded in bending and torsion at the same time, larger tires, lockers and heavy trailers are what push a factory shaft past its limit. Yukon makes this one from 4340 chromoly with cold rolled splines and induction heat treatment, which is the combination that lets a shaft flex and return rather than take a set or snap at the spline.
Lift the rear, pull the wheel and put a dial indicator on the flange face while you turn it. Measurable runout on the flange, or a flange that wobbles visibly, points to a bent shaft rather than a bearing. A gritty or loose feel with a true flange is the bearing, and that job needs the M220 rear axle bearing and seal kit instead. A whine that changes between throttle and coast comes from the gears or carrier bearings, which the JL Dana 44 220mm rear master kit addresses. Our chromoly versus stock shaft guide helps decide whether to replace one side or both.
This shaft is listed for the right-hand rear of the Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon and the Gladiator JT with the Dana 44 M220 rear axle and 32-spline shafts. It is not for the Dana 35 rear used under many Sport and Sahara JLs, and a non-Rubicon JL that came with a Dana 44 rear takes a different shaft, such as the non-Rubicon JL Dana 44 replacement shaft at 32.3 inches. The flange is double drilled. Before ordering, read the axle tag, count the splines on your old shaft and measure it end to end. If anything does not line up, send us your year and VIN and we will confirm the match.
Pull the wheel, caliper and rotor, unbolt the retainer plate at the end of the tube and slide the old shaft out with a slide hammer if the bearing is tight in the housing. The M220 outer bearing is pressed onto the shaft and held by a pressed ring, so plan on a press and a new bearing, seal and retaining ring rather than reusing the old ones. Compare the old and new shafts side by side before anything is pressed off, including flange drilling, studs and the ABS tone ring arrangement. Slide the shaft in carefully so the splines do not cut the new seal, torque the retainer and brake hardware to the Jeep spec, and top off the rear with the gear oil grade listed in your owner's manual. If the opposite tire spins freely in this axle, an Eaton ELocker for the M210 and M220 is a common next step, and the Hardcore JL Dana 44 rear cover protects the center section on the same trail.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YA WD44JL-32-33.9 |
| Fits | Yukon Gear Chromoly Right Rear Axle for Jeep JL/JT Rubicon Dana 44 - 32 Spline - 33.9in Long |
| Type | Axles |
| 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.
No. YA WD44JL-32-33.9 is the right-hand, passenger-side rear shaft at 33.9 inches. The left side is a different shaft, so order the side that failed, or both sides if you want matched chromoly shafts.
Only if the truck has the M220 Dana 44 rear with 32-spline shafts, and the length still has to match. Many non-Rubicon JLs have the Dana 35 rear, which takes a completely different shaft. Check the axle tag or send us your VIN.
The listing describes the chromoly shaft itself. Plan on pressing a new outer bearing and retaining ring onto it with a new seal, which is what the M220 rear axle bearing and seal kit supplies.
For bigger tires, a rear locker or heavy towing, yes. 4340 chromoly with rolled splines and induction hardening flexes and returns where a stock shaft tends to bend or twist at the spline.
Use the grade and capacity listed in your owner's manual for the rear axle, and top it off with the truck level once the shaft and seal are in.
