isuzu dana 44

pootie

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Location
charlotte
OK, i overheard a guy talking to a buddy of mine and he said he bought a isuzu 44 with factory 4.56 gears. I stopped by a junkyard near my house today and they have several rodeo's in the back, but no way of cataloging any parts. They offered to sale me an axle cheap enough, if i find the one i want. My question is this, is there a way to look at the vin-code (or axle code) and determine the ratio without having to jack-up everyone in the yard? I tried to look under them today, but since most didn't have tires, i was only able to get the tag off of 2; 4.10 and 4.30.

Thanks
 
I'm running an Isuzu 44 under my xj w/4.30 gears. I searched pullapart quite a few times looking for brake parts. Every one that I have looked at has been 4.10 or 4.30. I thought that I had heard about the 4.56's before but have yet to see a rearend with them.
 
KrawlDaddy520 said:
I'm running an Isuzu 44 under my xj w/4.30 gears. I searched pullapart quite a few times looking for brake parts. Every one that I have looked at has been 4.10 or 4.30. I thought that I had heard about the 4.56's before but have yet to see a rearend with them.
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I've got a 4.10 rear isuzu 44 also, I was under the impression that the 44s came in 4.10/4.30 flavor but that the 4.56 was really common in the isuzu corporate 12-bolt...

I know last year there was a dude with a welded 4.56 12-bolt for sale down towards hickory
 
yeah, i have a isuzu corp. 12 bolt for sale. it's complete, even comes w/ 12 lug nuts, 4.56 gears, disc brakes, 6 on 5.5", 58" wide, set up for soa, and welded. i can let it go for $75.

i didn't weld it solid though. i picked 2 teeth on the spider gears and welded the gap. did the same to the opposite side. it allows for some turn, but then locks in. worked really good for me.
 
pootie said:
OK, i overheard a guy talking to a buddy of mine and he said he bought a isuzu 44 with factory 4.56 gears.
Thanks
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"Factory" Isuzu Dana 44's NEVER were offered with 4:56 gears, 4:10 or 4:30 were the only "Factory" gear sets offered in the Isuzu D-44. You can get aftermarket 4:56 gear sets for it, but none came from the factory that way.. Forum member Lorenzo had a 4:56 aftermarket gear set put in his Isuzu D-44, stock was 4:30, I'm putting 4:56's in my Isuzu D-44 this winter..
As stated 4:56 gears a commonly found in the Isuzu Trooper 12 bolt third member style rear ends 1988-1997, in 1998-2002 the Trooper gear set was changed to 4:30's
So depending on what your application is and you want a "Factory" Isuzu 4:56 gear set your going to have to use a Trooper 12 bolt rear. Now here are a few more option: 1988-1991 Trooper 12 bolt were the first years Isuzu offered this set up (commonly called 1st
Gen Troopers,leaf srung) next are 92-94(Gen 2 coil srung) same set up maybe a little beefier housing as well as being approximately 2" wider than the gen 1's...95-97 Still Gen 2 but another suspension redesign, again same 4:56 gear but again a beefier housing and almost "THREE" inch wider track.
It sounds pretty confusing but remember the third member gear set can be removed from any 1988_-1997 and placed in any year

Hope this helps
 
that helps a lot.

the reason i am looking for factory 4.56's is simple. I need to regear, already have a 4.56 front, and it is cheaper to buy a junkyard rear (with disc brake upgrade) and cut it down to length than it is to completely rebuild what i already have.

next question. How does the 12-bolt rearend compare to the 44 as far as strength is concerned? can the shafts be cut and resplined?
 
pootie said:
next question. How does the 12-bolt rearend compare to the 44 as far as strength is concerned? can the shafts be cut and resplined?
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The 12 bolt is just as strong if not stronger than the D-44, I've carried one of each out of a pull-a-part and the 12 bolt was much much heavier... cutting and resplining shafts are above my paygrade..... So this is just my opinion, but I don't see why not.. I believe yota axles are cut and resplined all the time and the 12 bolt Isuzu is the same type axle, third member set up..
 
i almost did this swap a couple of years ago and discovered that isuzu dana 44 rears did indeed come with factory 4.56 gears. they were behind the 4 cylinder passports and rodeos but all had drum, not disc brakes.

search www.car-part.com for a 1996 isuzu rodeo/honda passport with a 4 cyl and you can find them all over the place.
 
well, that certainly makes this more interesting. Since i am wanting to narrow it to cj-width, it all depends on wether the 12-bolt shafts can be cut/resplined for a reasonable price. The information i have found leads me to beleive the 12-bolt is a strong enough axle, and the practically free disc brake upgrade kinda seems like a no-brainer.
 
jeepman13 said:
isuzu dana 44 rears did indeed come with factory 4.56 gears. they were behind the 4 cylinder passports and rodeos but all had drum, not disc brakes.
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Well shiver-me-timbers:popcorn: you learn something everyday, but I've read a lot of discussion on Isuzu D-44 rears and I've never head of such a thing....... I checked out car-part and that's what is said...... Sooooo if this is true boy it's going to same me some cash... There's a couple 96 Rodeo 4x2 four bangers at the yard I got to... So this Saturday I'll have to check the tags on the rears and hopefully I'll have my 4:56's really cheap :huggy::huggy:
 
Check with user JoeD4x4 on here. He's usually got a plethora of isuzu parts laying around and if he doesn't have it chances are theres about a 99% chance he can steer you in the right direction if it's isuzu related
 
Josh C said:
Check with user JoeD4x4 on here. He's usually got a plethora of isuzu parts laying around and if he doesn't have it chances are theres about a 99% chance he can steer you in the right direction if it's isuzu related
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I'm going to Joe D's tomorrow anything you want me ask him???
 
(26-spline 12 bolt axle) shaft diameter, measured at the splines, just behind the splines, and about 4" behind the splines. if i buy one of these axles, i need to narrow it 2-4 inches, per side. I cannot find anyone who can tell me they can be replined, they all just say "bring it by and we'll take a look at it". I don't want to buy it, and then find out i can't make it work for me.

side note. anyone know of a shop who can roll splines? have found a few who can cut them for me, but my guess is these things have rolled splines. And cutting new splines in will not leave much material to engage the side gears.
 
pootie said:
(26-spline 12 bolt axle) shaft diameter, measured at the splines, just behind the splines, and about 4" behind the splines. if i buy one of these axles, i need to narrow it 2-4 inches, per side. I cannot find anyone who can tell me they can be replined, they all just say "bring it by and we'll take a look at it". I don't want to buy it, and then find out i can't make it work for me.

side note. anyone know of a shop who can roll splines? have found a few who can cut them for me, but my guess is these things have rolled splines. And cutting new splines in will not leave much material to engage the side gears.
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What are you going to be putting the axle under and more importantly what is your overall desired axle width from rotor to rotor?? The reason I'm asking, the 1st Gen trooper 12 bolts 88-91 are pretty narrow. I just measured mine and it's ruffly 60"s from rotor to rotor...

All this cutting and resplining sounds like it's more trouble and expense than it's worth. IMHO...
 
I will probably cut it down to 54" WMS-WMS to make it the same as a widetrack CJ axle. I have found an axle (89 trooper), complete from lugnut to lugnut for a very reasonable price. I think i can buy it and narrow it cheaper than i can regear, rebuild, and replace a broken axle shaft in what i already have. plus it will come with disc brakes. The way I see it, it will cost a lot to fix the amc 20 that i have. if it cost a couple of hundred to narrow these shafts, it will be worth it. i will end up with a stronger axle and better brakes for less than i can fix the junk i have now.
 
I see now, for sure the 12 bolt is much stronger/better than the AMC 20, disk brakes are nice tooo, FYI if you are going to lock it other than welding, Aussie and ARB are your only two options both can be found at independent4x.com and I'm sure Matt (the owner) can take care of your axle shortening only problem I see is his shops in Richmond VA. I'll give Joe D. A call and let you know later today what he says about local shops. I also sent you a PM
 
The rear i found has already been welded, but i am considering an aussie since it will hopefully be driven to and from the trails. I sent independent4x.com an email almost a week ago and haven't heard anything. Thanks for the help. Any info you can get me on those shafts will be greatly appreciated.
 
sorry to hi-jack, but why dont you just get a d44 from a 72-75 CJ and regear it? For the cost of shortening and resplining axles, you could regear one...

if no luck local, Moser can probably do them relatively cheap and quick...
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
For the cost of shortening and resplining axles, you could regear one...
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Moser's website list a custom length alloy axle shaft for $345 per pair. http://www.moserengineering.com/axles/custom-alloy-axles/custom-alloy-26-spline-axles.html if i have to buy two new shafts at that price, it will still be cheaper than a ring-pinion, master install kit, and labor. and i get disc brakes.

I haven't ruled out any options. But the biggest things working against the cj dana 44 are: narrow track width (would need to purchase spacers to get 54" WMS-WMS), would need new gears (isuzu has 4.56 from factory), would probably need new bearings installed, drum brakes.
Like i said earlier, i found a 12-bolt for a very good price. It has the gear ratio i need and it has disc brakes. I think my buddies and I could handle shortening the housing so there will be no great expense there. Just trying to find the best way to get the shorter shafts.
 
just got off the phone with moser. They can't promise anything, but said if i send them an axle-shaft to take measurements from, and they can use the blanks they have in stock to build from, I can get two new shafts for $345. I think this is a good deal. I get the length i want, i get the bolt pattern i want, and i get a quality axle from one of the top manufacturers in the business.

I still want to find out how much it will cost to respline before i hand over the credit card.
 
sorry to hijack the thread, but i'm trying to find a 60 inch wms to wms rodeo axle, i pulled one from a 95 and it was 58" wms to wms, what vintage do i need to be a pullin from...and how's the aftermarket support compared to say, a 70's waggy 44. thanks in advance. the reason i ask is that i have a waggy front on my cj; 61ish wms to wms, should i even worry about the difference in width. thanks in advance, and sorry for my ignorance.
 
jeepman13 said:
i almost did this swap a couple of years ago and discovered that isuzu dana 44 rears did indeed come with factory 4.56 gears. they were behind the 4 cylinder passports and rodeos but all had drum, not disc brakes.
search www.car-part.com for a 1996 isuzu rodeo/honda passport with a 4 cyl and you can find them all over the place.
Click to expand...
beat me to it.
heckyl said:
sorry to hijack the thread, but i'm trying to find a 60 inch wms to wms rodeo axle, i pulled one from a 95 and it was 58" wms to wms, what vintage do i need to be a pullin from...and how's the aftermarket support compared to say, a 70's waggy 44. thanks in advance. the reason i ask is that i have a waggy front on my cj; 61ish wms to wms, should i even worry about the difference in width. thanks in advance, and sorry for my ignorance.
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peter (streetdoc) couldn't this be the 58" from 95 actually the early 95 which is NOT the same as the 96-97?
I believe the 96-97's are 59 and half or close.
The 98+ are 62-63 I believe but you don't want those because of the funky gear set up.
I don't think there is a wider isuzu D44.
you could get a 12 bolt from 92-97 and they are 61" but coil sprung.
there are a few of us Isuzu nuts on the board - Eli just wishes he was one.
:fuck-you: Just pickin Eli :huggy:
 
i thought the 95 - 97 isuzu corp. 12 bolt was 63" wide. i know the 88 - 91 were 58". and i THINK the 92-94 were 61"
 
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