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Would YOU trust it?

X

X-defector

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Parker CO
Ride: 97 Cherokee 4.0 AW4 with 3 inches of spacer/shackle lift and tcase drop. Otherwise stock, but should soon have front and rear bumpers, winch, sliders, and some belly armor. Plan is to ultimately have DD / light expo rig capable of doing moderate trails. 31s on the list (doubt I'll go bigger).

I have the TurdyFive in back. I'm easy on the skinny pedal. I'm sticking to 31s. Should I worry about it, and go through the expense of replacing the rear axle? Or will that Turdy be just fine on only 31s and conservative driving?

Got a lead on an 8.8 for a great price from a very generous gentleman in my neck if the woods, he's even willing to help me get it into the XJ for free, providing I get down and dirty in helping (which I will of course do). Just wondering if it's worth the expense and trouble to get that 8.8 if I'm not gonna run into trouble with the Turdy anyway.

Thoughts?
 
Short answer to the thread title, IMO: No.

If you've got stock gears, grab a 29spline 8.25. Direct swap (assuming you don't have or are getting rid of ABS). Even for a first timer this swap won't take but a few hours.
If you're going to be swapping gears, grab an 8.8 with 4.10s. It should bring you back close to stock with a little more gusto with those 31s.
 
I broke my dana 35 with 32's, making a u-turn on a gravel road. One tire started to spin a little, and then grabbed.. BOOM. Busted a shaft and a spider.

You're going to lose your ABS, but its worth it. RCman is dead on with grabbing a stock 29 spline 8.25 and throwing it in.
 
i have 33" baja claws on my turdy5 and have wheeled it fine for a year,granted i go in mud. I want to get an 8.8 to throw in when it gets warmer out.
 
I ran a D35 with 31" tyres and 3.55 gears in moderate desert/mountain wheeling for about a year or so. It held up to that without issue, but when the opportunity presented itself to swap in a D44 I grabbed it. If you've got the option to eliminate that possible (and likely) potential point of failure, go for it.
 
You could run the D35 with 31's forever and never have a problem, or you could abuse it a little and break it. You're no worse off than a guy with a D44 and 37's, or a guy with a D60 and 42's. It's all relative. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

But, if I was going to do a stronger axle I wouldn't bother with the 8.8, I'd swap in a 29 spline 8.25 and forget about the ABS........much easier.
 
get a new axle, or AAA, its your choice.... ...i dont like being towed home myself... driving on a d35 is like driving without a liscense, or insurance. YEAH, tons of people do it...
 
another vote for the 29 spline 8.25. i swapped one in for my 35 when my LSD started to literally break into pieces. much cheaper and easier.
 
Im throwin a vote in for the ford 8.8. Just cause, you get the disk brakes (if you pull one with the disks) and the stronger axle. If you go for locker in the future, it seems that there are more choices available for the 8.8, and cheaper it seams?? (haven't done much shopping, but just from scratching that surface..... looks so.)
 
You can do a disc brake conversion in a D44 or 8.25
 
If you're not going above 31s, I'd go with the 8.25. The housing is smaller so you'll bang it around less and it'll be plenty strong for 31s. An 8.8 may have more lockers available, but the 8.25 has enough that you won't feel like you're missing out. It's got a Detroit, ARB, Aussie, etc available. You can convert to discs if you want. It'll bolt right in so you'll be back on the road faster.
If your brakes are that bad, you may have other issues in the system. Mine were great all the way to 30's. From there I went to 33s and that's the first time I wished for stronger brakes.
 
If your lucky you'll stumble across a d44 which is far stronger and has 11"x2.5" drum (don't quote me on that) brakes and is a direct bolt in also. I got my d44 and a 50% off sale weekend and re-geared with a powertrax no-slip and I was amazed at the traction and strength the axle provided.

Drum brakes can be great if you stay on top of the maintanence and adjustment they will perform well, having said that I have a rear disc set-up from an explorer waiting to go on my D44. Disc brakes self adjust and don't need to be cleaned anywhere near as much as drums and will work even after they've been dunked in mud on the trail a few times and wont give you any greif miles down the road.

At any rate, all the options you have (even a 27 spline chryco) are better than the turdy five your currently rolling the dice with.

My .02
 
I have an MJ that came with a D35 that I'm running 31's on. I never had a problem with the axle but I just like tinkering so I threw in an 8.8 that cost me $42 to purchase at the junkyard and about another $50 for metal, hole saw (to make new perches), and a new soft brake line. I love the disc brakes on it. I did all the work myself and it wasn't that hard. If you don't have the tools or skills yet to do all the work yourself it'd be much easier to do the 8.25 as stated by most folks here.
 
i picked up and 8.25 27 spline complet drum to drum for 75 bux. and the 27 spline is just fine and you can find them all day long, and im running 33's with 4.56 gearing
 
Another vote for the 29 spline 8.25.

They're a dime a dozen in the junkyards.

I've got mine, (factory) with 3.55's, an aussie, and zj disks.

I like it so much that I might get a new one with 4.56's, and swap the other stuff in.
 
8.8 is the strongest 5on4.5 axle for the XJ but not as wide as the stock axles but that sould not cause a problem. The 8.8 is a little work to through in and could take a weekend to do. If I was not going anything larger than 31's I would just through in some cromo shafts and a truss and beat the shit out of it.
 
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