Yukon Gear Pinion Install Kit For Jeep JL Dana 44 Rear
A Wrangler JL Rubicon getting 4.88s for 37s, a Sahara with a howl from the back axle, or a Gladiator dripping gear oil off the rear yoke: those are the jobs PK D44JL-REAR is built for. It is the Yukon Gear & Axle pinion installation kit for the 220mm Dana 44 rear axle, and Yukon lists the contents as pinion bearings, the pinion seal, pinion depth shims, a crush sleeve and a pinion nut. Yukon builds these kits around Timken bearings and races and pitches them for gear installs on lower-mileage axles where the carrier bearings and races can be reused. Carrier bearings and axle seals are not included.
The 220mm number is the ring gear diameter, and it is how the rear Dana 44 is told apart from the 210mm Dana 44 that Rubicons run up front. The rear is a standard-rotation axle, so it takes standard-rotation gears and the drive side of the pattern is read on the convex side of the ring gear teeth. Its pinion is supported by an inner and outer tapered bearing with a crush sleeve between them. The inner shim positions the pinion head at the right depth, and the sleeve, once crushed by the nut, holds the bearings at a set preload. On the JL and JT the rear axle is driven every time the vehicle moves, and with bigger tires and towing the pinion bearings take a beating. Once they wear and preload drops, the pinion can move under load and the contact pattern wanders, which is the start of the whine that most owners notice first at highway speed.
Rule out tires and axle shaft bearings first; those noises usually change when you swerve, while center section noise changes with load. Our transmission versus differential noise guide walks through how to separate the two. Then pull the rear driveshaft and check the yoke for end play and rough rotation. If the yoke is tight and smooth but the seal is wet, the pinion seal leak guide covers whether a seal alone will do. If you are already digging into the drivetrain, our Wrangler JK and JL service guide lists what to check on the transmission and transfer case. When the carrier bearings are also rough or the axle has had water in it, the JL Dana 44 rear master overhaul kit is the better buy.
Yukon's fitment for PK D44JL-REAR covers the 220mm Dana 44 rear in the 2018-2020 Wrangler JL Rubicon, Sport, Sport S, Unlimited Rubicon, Unlimited Sahara, Unlimited Sport and Unlimited Sport S, the 2018-2019 Unlimited Moab, and the 2020 Gladiator Launch Edition, Overland, Rubicon, Sport and Sport S. Every Rubicon has the Dana 44 rear, but Sport and Sahara JLs were built with either the Dana 44 or the Dana 35, so confirm with the axle tube tag or build sheet. A Dana 35 JL takes the JL Dana 35 rear pinion kit, and the 210mm front uses the JL Dana 44 front pinion kit. For later years or anything not listed, send us your year and VIN before ordering.
Yukon's setup chart gives the D44 JL rear (220mm) 12-19 inch-pounds of pinion preload with new bearings (6-10 used), 0.006-0.011 in backlash for five-cut gears or 0.004-0.007 in for two-cut gears, 110 ft-lb on the ring gear bolts and 70 ft-lb on the bearing caps. Note the preload range is lower than the 14-26 inch-pound figure for the JL front, so do not reuse front numbers on the rear. Pull the carrier with a clamshell carrier bearing puller only if those bearings need to come off, set depth with the new shims, then crush the sleeve a little at a time while checking rotating torque. Popular ratios include the JL 220mm 4.88 gear set. Confirm the pattern as shown in our setup guide, fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 per your owner's manual, and break the gears in gently before any towing.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | PK D44JL-REAR |
| Fits | Yukon Gear Pinion Install Kit For Jeep JL Dana 44 Rear |
| 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.
Yukon's fitment list includes the 2020 Gladiator Launch Edition, Overland, Rubicon, Sport and Sport S with the Dana 44 220mm rear. For other model years, send us your VIN to confirm.
Yukon lists pinion bearings, pinion seal, pinion depth shims, a crush sleeve and a pinion nut. Carrier bearings and axle seals are not included.
No. The front is a 210mm reverse-rotation axle with its own pinion kit, PK D44JL-FRONT. This kit is for the 220mm rear only.
12-19 inch-pounds of rotating torque with new bearings and 6-10 with used bearings, per Yukon's setup chart.
Yukon positions pinion kits for lower-mileage axles where carrier bearings and races can be reused. If they are rough, pitted or the axle has been under water, buy the master overhaul kit instead.
