Yukon Gear Pinion install Kit For Dana 44 JK Non-Rubicon Rear Diff
This is the Yukon Gear & Axle PK D44-JK-STD pinion install kit for the rear Dana 44 under the 2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Sport, Sahara, X and other non-Rubicon trims, in both the two-door and the Unlimited. It is the kit to buy when the pinion side of the rear axle needs new bearings, whether that is a whine that showed up around 40-50 mph, a pinion seal that keeps leaking, or a regear for 33s or 35s on a low-mileage axle whose carrier bearings are still in good shape.
The pinion is the small gear that the driveshaft turns, and in the JK rear Dana 44 it is held by an inner bearing behind the gear head and an outer bearing near the yoke. A collapsible crush sleeve sits between them. Tightening the pinion nut crushes that sleeve until the two bearings have the right amount of preload, and a shim behind the inner bearing sets how deep the pinion sits into the ring gear. Those two settings decide the gear contact pattern, and they are exactly what you are resetting during a regear.
The PK D44-JK-STD replaces only that pinion side. Quadratec lists the contents as Timken pinion bearings and races, a pinion seal, a crush sleeve, a pinion shim kit and marking compound with a brush. The carrier bearings and races are not in the box, so the plan is to reuse carrier bearings that are still in like-new condition. If the carrier bearings are worn too, the full bearing kit for the JK non-Rubicon rear is the better buy.
Put the rear on stands, drop the driveshaft, and rock the yoke. Any clunk or play is the pinion bearings. Turn it slowly and feel for a gritty or notchy spot. Pull the fill plug and check the oil for glitter and flakes. Then spin the carrier by hand with the cover off: if the carrier bearings feel smooth and show no pitting, this kit makes sense. If they are rough, or the Jeep has high miles, replace both sides at once rather than pairing new pinion bearings with worn carrier bearings.
Fits the rear Dana 44 on 2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK non-Rubicon models, two-door and Unlimited four-door. It does not fit the Rubicon rear, which uses its own kit (the PK D44-JK-RUB), or the 2018-up JL, which has a different axle design. A very small number of early 2007 JKs were built with a Dana 35 rear, so check the axle tag or the cover before ordering. If you are unsure, send us your year and VIN. More rear axle parts are in our axle rebuild kits section.
Record backlash before you pull anything apart, and save the old pinion shim as a starting point. Press the old inner bearing off the pinion, drive the races out of the housing, then seat the new Timken races fully. Assemble with the original shim, the new inner bearing and a new crush sleeve, then tighten the pinion nut a little at a time while checking rotating drag with an inch-pound torque wrench. Yukon's setup chart for the D44 JK lists 20-30 in-lb with new pinion bearings and backlash of 0.006-0.011 in. Quadratec lists the pinion nut size as 1-5/16 in., so have that socket ready. If you go past the preload number, replace the crush sleeve and start again rather than backing the nut off. With the carrier back in, paint the ring gear with the included compound and check the pattern, adjusting the pinion shim if needed. Fill with 75W-90 gear oil, or 75W-140 if you tow, and add friction modifier only if the axle has the clutch-type Trac-Lok limited slip. If you are regearing, a matching set such as the JK Dana 44 rear 4.56 ring and pinion goes in at the same time.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | PK D44-JK-STD |
| Fits | Yukon Gear Pinion install Kit For Dana 44 JK Non-Rubicon Rear Diff |
| Type | Ring and Pinion Install 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. It covers the pinion side only: Timken pinion bearings and races, pinion seal, crush sleeve, pinion shim kit and marking compound. It is meant for axles where the carrier bearings are still in good condition and can be reused.
No. The Rubicon rear uses a separate kit, PK D44-JK-RUB. This one is for 2007-2018 JK non-Rubicon models, both two-door and Unlimited.
A regear always resets pinion depth and preload, so most builders replace the pinion bearings and crush sleeve at the same time. If the carrier bearings are also worn, buy a full bearing kit instead.
Yukon's setup chart for the D44 JK lists 20-30 inch-pounds of rotating drag with new bearings and 0.006-0.011 in. of backlash. Check with an inch-pound torque wrench and bring the nut up slowly.
Use 75W-90 gear oil for most driving or 75W-140 for towing and hot climates. Add friction modifier only if the rear has the Trac-Lok limited slip.
