Yukon Gear Master Overhaul Kit For Dana 44 Front and Rear Diff. For TJ Rubicon Only

The TJ Rubicon is the Wrangler people keep for twenty years, and by now a lot of them have a front or rear axle that howls on the highway, weeps gear oil at the pinion, or needs new bearings because the owner is finally re-gearing for 35s. The Yukon Gear and Axle YK D44-RUBICON is the master overhaul kit made specifically for the Dana 44 axles under the Jeep TJ Rubicon. It is new, uses Timken bearings and races, and Yukon lists it for either the front or the rear Dana 44 on that model, which makes it one of the few kits that serves both ends of the same Jeep.

What the master overhaul kit does in a TJ Rubicon Dana 44

Jeep introduced the Rubicon trim on the 2003 TJ and gave it a Dana 44 at both ends with a factory locking differential front and rear, where the Sport and Sahara used a Dana 30 up front and a Dana 35 or Dana 44 out back. The Dana 44 uses an 8.5-inch ring gear. In each axle the pinion runs on two tapered bearings held under preload by a crush sleeve, and the locker carrier spins on two side bearings with shims that set backlash and carrier preload. Every one of those bearings, the pinion seal and the setup hardware are in this kit: carrier bearings and races, pinion bearings and races, pinion seal, a complete shim kit, ring gear bolts, pinion nut, crush sleeve, oil baffles and slingers, thread locker, marking compound with a brush, and a cover gasket. The kit carries one set of those parts, so rebuilding both axles takes two kits.

Symptoms this kit addresses

• Gear whine at cruising speed that changes between throttle and coast
• A growl from the front axle with the transfer case in 2WD, which means the front pinion or carrier bearings are turning and worn
• Gear oil seeping out of the pinion seal onto the yoke or driveshaft
• Clunk or slack felt at the yoke from lost pinion preload
• Milky gear oil after water crossings, a common cause of pitted races on trail Jeeps
• Noise that showed up after a re-gear done on the old bearings

How to confirm before ordering

Drain the axle and look at the oil and the cover magnet. Milky oil means water got in and the bearings should be replaced even if they are quiet today. Unbolt the driveshaft and turn the pinion by hand: rough or notchy rotation and in-and-out play at the yoke both point to pinion bearings. Read backlash with a dial indicator and paint the ring gear to check the pattern. Remember that the rear axle shaft bearings and the front unit bearings also make noise and are not in this kit; check them with the wheels off the ground before you commit to a center-section rebuild.

Fitment

Yukon lists this kit for the Dana 44 front and rear axles of the Jeep TJ Rubicon only, which covers the 2003 through 2006 model years when the Rubicon trim was offered on the TJ. Sport and Sahara TJs with a Dana 30 front need a different kit such as the Yukon TJ Dana 30 front overhaul kit, and a non-Rubicon rear Dana 44 should be confirmed by the axle tag before ordering. The JK and JL Dana 44 axles are different designs and use their own kits, for example the JK Rubicon rear kit. If you are not sure which axles are under your Jeep, send us the year, trim and VIN. Browse more axle kits in our rebuild kits collection.

Install notes

• Unplug and tie back the locker wiring before you pull the carrier so the harness is not stretched.
• Mark both bearing caps left and right; they are matched to the housing and must go back where they came from.
• Pull the old carrier bearings with a side bearing puller set to save the original shims as a starting reference.
• Install the supplied oil baffle and slinger behind the pinion races. They direct oil to the pinion bearing and should not be left out.
• Tighten the new pinion nut in small steps and check rotating torque each time; an over-crushed sleeve has to be replaced.
• Refill with the gear oil grade in your owner's manual, test both lockers before you hit the trail, and change the oil early after a re-gear.

Replacing tired rear shafts while the axle is apart? The chromoly TJ Dana 44 rear axle shafts are built for this axle.

Does one kit rebuild both the front and rear axles?

No. Yukon lists the kit for either the front or the rear Dana 44 on the TJ Rubicon, but it carries one set of bearings, one pinion seal and one gasket. Order two kits to rebuild both axles.

Will this fit a TJ Sport or Sahara?

Not the front. Non-Rubicon TJs use a Dana 30 front axle that needs its own kit. Some non-Rubicon TJs have a Dana 44 rear, but this kit is listed for the Rubicon only, so confirm with the axle tag or send us your VIN.

What is included?

Timken carrier bearings and races, pinion bearings and races, pinion seal, complete shim kit, ring gear bolts, pinion nut, crush sleeve, oil baffles and slingers, thread locker, marking compound with brush and a cover gasket.

Do I need this for a re-gear?

Yes. Most re-gears replace all bearings at the same time, and this kit supplies the bearings, shims and hardware to set up the new ring and pinion.

Does it include axle shaft bearings or the locker?

No. Axle shaft bearings, unit bearings, gears and the locker carrier are separate. This kit covers the center section bearings, seals and setup parts.