Was the Dana 44 optionally available in the '97 model year?

[Jerry Bransford]

Was the Dana 44 something that came out in time to be optionally available for the '97 TJ? I seem to recall the Dana 44 option may have come along a little later, maybe '98 but I'm not sure. If I end up having to buy a new TJ, it needs to have a Dana 44 & automatic & I would prefer a '97 over any other year for a few reasons. I don't want to spin my wheels looking for a '97 with a Dana 44 if it's going to be like searching for the Holy Grail.

[TJeeper]

I seem to recall it was rare and only came with 3.55 gears.

[Jeff Weston]

I also recall it being an available option, though was often on hold due to lack of supply.

From a dollars and sense point of view, you may be well ahead of the game if you buy a vehicle that is already 'built' and modify from there to suit. I know that when I've thought once or twice about selling, due to it basically being a museum piece in the driveway , I could only get pennies on the dollar. Obviously, if you have dreams of a one-off or custom rig, all bets are off.

Good luck Jerry. FWIW, the one time I had a theft claim, the insurance company (State Farm) made me whole and covered all modifications. Granted, they weren't on the same scope or cost as found on your Jeep, but they did cover anything part of or relating to the car (including car cover, custom stereo, tinting and even the alarm ). They did not cover other possessions covered by the homeowner's/renter's insurance.

[Joe Dillard]

I helped a few active duty friends order '97 TJ's when we were overseas on deployment. All of these friends ordered them with D44's but I forget what ratio's.

IIRC, they had to order the Sahara to get a D44.

http://www.cart-parts.com shows a few '97 TJ D44's in various ratios.

[speaceman]

Found this with a google search. I don't know how accurate it is though:

2.11. Dana 44 rear axle

(copied from old FAQ section 2.5)
The Dana 44 axle is a stronger axle designed for heavier off-road use. This option was previously only available with the Trac-Lok differential, which is a limited slip model. Mark Allen (allenm1 at worldnet.att.net) wrote:

There's been a lot of info exchanged concerning Dana 44, Trac-Lok, and axle ratios for the '97 Wrangler - not all of which has been accurate. Here's what you need to know:

- The axle ratio is determined by the ring & pinion gears. The Dana 35C axle has a 3.07 ratio, whereas the Dana 44 has a 3.55. (Editor's note: This isn't quite correct; the Dana 35C axle is optionally available with a 3.55 gear ratio.)

- The "Trac-Lok" is a limited-slip differential manufactured by Dana (Spicer) to replace the stock "open" differential. The existing ring & pinion gears are retained when the Trac-Lok is installed.

- The stock rear axle of the TJ is a Dana 35C. Prior to 7/7/96, this is the ONLY rear axle available, even with the Trac-Lok option. So if you ordered the Trac-Lok DSA option @ $278 MSRP, you have a Dana 35C axle with a ratio of 3.07, not the Dana 44.

- Starting 7/7/96, you could order the Dana 44 rear axle, code DRK @ $535 MSRP. This option includes DSA, the Trac-Lok, and has a 3.55 ratio. Note that this option is approximately double the cost of the Trac-Lok alone. Yes, you are paying more for the Dana 44 upgrade!


http://www.visi.com/~tam/tjfaq/sec2.html#sec2_11

[Jerry Bransford]

That's awesome info Shalom, nice research! That confirms the D44 was available for the '97 starting July, I never knew that so thanks a bunch!

[speaceman]

No problem Jerry.

I'm not sure your reasons on wanting a 97, but if it were me, I'd be looking for a 99 or newer. 99 had the dial A/C controls vs the 97's sliders and the 99 also had the pass. airbag switch.

At this point, you could probably find an 01 for the price of a 97, if you really looked around. I can't imagine there's much of a price difference between the older TJs at this point. (from the quick look at autotrader I took, it seems like Mileage and options have more to do with price than year.)

Why wouldn't you want to get the newest TJ you could find, if the pricing was similar?

[Jerry Bransford]

Well, I wouldn't turn a newer TJ down Shalom but I guess I was just thinking a '97 would be the cheapest. There are good reasons for going 2000 or newer, probably a 2001-2002 may be ideal since it still has the 32RH 3-speed auto tranny. It kinda all hinges on what AAA ends up paying me and what I can find within that price range.