Axle ID

[Biff]

I've been searching the forums and can't figure out this axle. Its under a 1978 Cherokee sport that I'm looking at possibly buying.
I know it should be a dana 44 but the owner said it may have been swapped, the cover looks like a 44 but the thing thats throwing me off is the drain/fill rubber plug vs a screw in type plug. Was hoping for someone to shed some light on this for me. This is the best picture i have right now, thanks for any help. http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq181/Chip_32_2003/1978%20Jeep%20Cherokee/7806.jpg

[jeeping1974]

It's a D44. Some diff covers used a rubber plug, some use the screw. There is no difference though.

[talntar]

there probably is threads for a screw in plug as well

[joe]

there probably is threads for a screw in plug as well
PO may have buggered the threads and substituted a rubber plug. From the pic, looks like it isn't working very well.

[talntar]

PO may have buggered the threads and substituted a rubber plug. From the pic, looks like it isn't working very well.

true

[Biff]

Thanks for the replies, I had never seen any Dana 44 with the rubber style plug in it.

[Wayne]

Mine has the rubber plug too. Leaks a littel bit.

[threepiece188]

It seems they started using rubber around 1979. I have several axles with rubber plugs. I think the plugs have Spicer molded into the face.

[jeeping1974]

It seems they started using rubber around 1979. I have several axles with rubber plugs. I think the plugs have Spicer molded into the face.

That they do.

[WSC]

First trip to Jiffy Lube right after getting the Grand Wagoneer running the Lube guy dropped the oil pan plug into the oil drain funnel and it skittered through a hole in the screen to never never land. Thank G I happened to be in the only place in the whole business where I could have seen it happen, just at the right moment, or I never would have known. They tried for half an hour to fit any other "real plug" they had into the engine but none if their generic plugs would thread. I think if they had believed that I was unaware that they had lost the original, they might have just cross threaded whatever into place. As it was they sent me out of there with a rubber plug with a "molly-bolt" butterfly arangement on one side. They all agreed that that was sufficient. I, being a skeptic, went to my local NAPA and picked up the correct plug... not goin' into the outback with my engine bet on a rubber plug, I guar-ran-teeeee.

Bill

[seventynine]

All of my FSJs have had that Spicer rubber plug on the rear D44s. All of them have been '79 or earlier.

[threepiece188]

All of my FSJs have had that Spicer rubber plug on the rear D44s. All of them have been '79 or earlier.
I decided to take a peek at the rear of the 77 wide track I was taking apart last night and it too had a rubber plug. That prompted me to check the 76 J10 axle I pulled a few months ago and it was wearing rubber too. I have an axle set from a 75 Cherokee that has a threaded steel plug and I noticed that the two rears from an 87 and 88 Wagoneer have steel also.
Dan