Yukon Gear Master Overhaul Kit For Dana 44 Rear Diff For Use w/ New 07+ JK Rubicon
JK Rubicon owners usually come looking for this kit for one of two reasons: they are re-gearing for bigger tires and want every bearing new while the rear axle is apart, or the factory rear has started to whine on the highway or leak at the pinion. The Yukon Gear & Axle YK D44-JK-RUB is the master overhaul kit for the Dana 44 rear axle in the 2007-2018 Wrangler JK Rubicon. It is new, built with Timken bearings and races, and carries the seals, shims and hardware to set the center section up from bare housing.
The JK rear Dana 44 runs an 8.5 in. ring gear on a standard-rotation pinion. Inside a Rubicon rear, the carrier is the factory selectable locker rather than an open differential, which is why Yukon lists a dedicated Rubicon rear kit instead of one kit for every JK. The pinion turns on an inner and outer tapered bearing loaded by a crush sleeve, and the locker carrier rides on two side bearings with shims that set backlash and preload. This kit replaces all of those wear parts: carrier bearings and races, pinion bearings and races, the pinion seal, a complete shim kit, ring gear bolts, a pinion nut, a crush sleeve, the oil baffles and slingers that sit behind the pinion bearing races, thread locker, marking compound with a brush, and the cover gasket.
Pull the rear cover and check the gear oil for water (milky) or metal. With the driveshaft unbolted, spin the pinion by hand and feel for notchy spots, then check for end play at the flange. Paint the ring gear and read the pattern. Axle shaft bearings at the outer ends of the JK rear housing make noise too, and they can be checked by spinning each wheel with the vehicle raised; if they are rough, add the JK rear axle bearing and seal kit to the same job.
Yukon lists this kit for the Dana 44 JK Rubicon rear. Nearly every 2007-2018 JK was built with a Dana 44 rear, but fewer than a thousand early 2007 JKs left the factory with a Dana 35 rear, and the Sport and Sahara trims use a different Dana 44 rear carrier than the Rubicon. Non-Rubicon JKs need the Yukon non-Rubicon JK rear kit. The front axle is a separate job: the JK Rubicon front Dana 44 is reverse cut and takes the JK Rubicon front overhaul kit. The JL and TJ use their own Dana 44 designs and different kits. Check the axle tag on the rear housing or send us your year, trim and VIN to confirm. Browse the rest of our axle parts in the rebuild kits collection.
If you are setting up new gears, the Yukon pinion install kit for the JK Rubicon rear is the smaller option when the carrier bearings are still good, but most re-gears replace both, which is what this master kit covers.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | YK D44-JK-RUB |
| Fits | Yukon Gear Master Overhaul Kit For Dana 44 Rear Diff For Use w/ New 07+ JK Rubicon |
| Type | Differential Overhaul Kits |
| 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. This kit is built for the Rubicon rear Dana 44 with the factory locker carrier. Sport and Sahara JKs need the non-Rubicon JK rear kit (YK D44-JK-STD).
No. It includes Timken carrier and pinion bearings and races, pinion seal, shim kit, ring gear bolts, pinion nut, crush sleeve, oil baffles and slingers, thread locker, marking compound with brush and the cover gasket. Gears and the locker carrier are reused or bought separately.
Yes, this is the bearing and hardware side of a rear re-gear. Buy the ring and pinion in the ratio you want and use this kit to install it with all-new bearings.
No. The JK Rubicon front Dana 44 is a reverse-cut axle with its own bearings and kit. This kit is for the rear axle only.
Use 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil as listed in your owner's manual. Change it again after the first few hundred miles, since new gears shed fine material while they break in.
