Good luck on the Xronco build…

On a D44 the stock ujoints are a weaker part than the shafts. Seen about 3x more problems with ujoints than shafts on other trucks.

Been running the Long Field super u-joints w/ full circle clips + stock shafts for ~4yrs now on 2 different trucks without any breakage/problems on a lot’s of stuff from the Rubicon 3x, AZ trails, Hammers, Moab 2x, Sierra trails, etc. Not much into mud bogging but I'll mix it up in the slop.

I carry a spare set of shafts but have’nt needed to use them yet, IMO the alloy stuff is just marginal stronger and something else is likely to give way; hubs, gears, joints, etc if the shafts don’t go.

For >35’s, mud, throttle assaults I would be looking for something strong than a D44. Pretty much everybody that was doing that stuff in my bronco club switched out the D44’s and beefed up the 9’s with nodular housing, studs, big spline stuff, etc.