Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Dana 44 Standard Rotation in a 4.88 Ratio
The YG D44-488 is the gear set people order when a standard-rotation Dana 44 is turning tires much bigger than the factory ever planned for, usually 35 to 37 in. rubber on a K5 Blazer, early Bronco, Scout II, Ram or a Wrangler TJ with a Dana 44 rear. If the rig will not hold top gear on the highway, needs a downshift for every grade, or the old ring and pinion has started to whine or shed teeth, a 4.88 set is the steepest common street-and-trail ratio for this axle. This is a new Yukon Gear & Axle high performance ring and pinion, part number YG D44-488.
In a standard-rotation Dana 44 the pinion sits below the axle centerline and drives an 8.50 in. ring gear on its drive side when the vehicle moves forward. At 4.88:1 the driveshaft turns almost five times for every turn of the tires, so the engine stays in its torque band with heavy tires and the transmission is not forced to hunt. Yukon builds this set with a 26-spline pinion and 10 ring gear bolts, and the ring gear is double drilled so it accepts either 3/8 in. or 7/16 in. bolts, which matters because different Dana 44 carriers use different bolt sizes. Yukon notes it fits the 4-series carrier, the case Dana uses for 3.92 and numerically higher ratios. Because the 4.88 pinion head is small, setup accuracy and break-in carry more weight here than with a mild 3.73 or 4.11 set.
First make sure the axle really is a standard-rotation Dana 44 and find the current ratio from the tag or a tooth count; our axle ratio and code guide walks through it. Use the gear ratio guide for bigger tires to check that 4.88 is right for your tire size and transmission rather than 4.56. If you are chasing a noise, the Dana 44 problems guide separates gear whine from bearing and spider gear failures. Then look at the existing carrier: an axle that left the factory at 3.73 or lower has the 3-series carrier, and this set will not mount on it.
Yukon's fitment table for YG D44-488 is long and mostly classic 4x4. It includes Chevrolet and GMC K10, K20 and K30 and K5 Blazer front axles through 1980, many 1960s Chevrolet and GMC Dana 44 rears, 1971-1977 Ford Bronco fronts, Ford F-100, F-150 and F-250 Dana 44 fronts and rears from the 1960s and 1970s, Dodge W-series and Ramcharger fronts, 1994-2001 Ram 1500 disconnect fronts and 1994-2002 Ram 2500 fronts, 1971-1980 Scout II front and rear, Jeep CJ5, CJ6, Commando, J10, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, 1986-1993 Cherokee XJ rear, 1986-1992 Comanche, the 1997-2006 Wrangler TJ rear, plus Camaro, Corvette, Isuzu Rodeo and Jaguar Dana 44 rears. It does not fit reverse-rotation high-pinion fronts, which take the Dana 44 reverse-rotation 4.88 set, or TJ Rubicon axles, which use the TJ Rubicon 4.88 thick set. A TJ with a Dana 30 front needs a matching 4.88 front, covered in our TJ Dana 30 4.88 regear guide. Because Dana 44 variations are so wide, check the axle tag and spline count, or send us your year and VIN and we will confirm before it ships. More axle parts are in hard parts.
If your axle currently runs 3.73 or lower, plan on a 3.92-and-up case such as the Yukon YC D706025 open carrier or a traction upgrade like the Eaton Detroit Truetrac for 3.92-up 30-spline fronts.
Install the gears with new pinion and carrier bearings, races, a fresh crush sleeve and pinion seal; the YK D44 standard-rotation front overhaul kit covers 30-spline fronts. Yukon's published setup chart starts a Dana 44 pinion at a 0.042 in. depth shim with 14-19 in-lb of preload on new bearings, then backlash and the contact pattern are dialed in with the carrier shims. A Dana 44 carrier shim driver makes seating the outer shims far easier without damaging them. Our backlash and pinion depth guide explains how to read the pattern. Fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 GL-5 gear oil, adding friction modifier for a clutch-type limited slip, and follow the new gear break-in procedure: easy heat cycles for the first miles, no towing, and an oil change after a few hundred miles.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YG D44-488 |
| Fits | Yukon Gear High Performance Gear Set For Dana 44 Standard Rotation in a 4.88 Ratio |
| Type | Final Drive Gears |
| 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.
4.88 is usually chosen for 35 to 37 in. tires, or for 33s on a heavy rig with a small engine. If you run 33 to 35 in. tires on a lighter vehicle, compare against a 4.56 set before ordering.
No. Yukon lists it for the 4-series carrier used with 3.92 and higher ratios. An axle that came with 3.73 or lower gears needs a 3.92-and-up carrier, locker or spool.
The ring gear is double drilled for either 3/8 in. or 7/16 in. bolts, so use the bolt size that matches your carrier. Always use new ring gear bolts with thread locker.
No. This is a standard-rotation set. Reverse-rotation high-pinion fronts, such as many Ford Dana 44 fronts, need the reverse-rotation 4.88 set.
Yes on any 4x4. Front and rear ratios must match, or the driveline will bind and wear the transfer case when 4WD is engaged.
Pinion and carrier bearings and races, crush sleeve, pinion seal, ring gear bolts and shims, all of which come in a master overhaul or install kit. Reused bearings are the most common cause of noise after a regear.
