At the axle crossroads

As anyone who talks to me enough I've been throwing around all sorts of ideas for the next step in my axle setups. Before I get into it here's my reasoning for my choices... I want narrow (stock or +2 width) I don't want big diff's, anyone who wheels with me knows I'm not a skinny pedal assassin. I also will be running 37's on steel bead locks. There is no bigger tire need past that. I run tight trails and nothing too extreme. I enjoy trail riding more than vertical rock climbs and the 3 story 50mph hill climbs. The name of the game in the New England area is wheel speed I don't do it much but when it's really needed I'll take care of business. Well without further delay here's my options.

Tire's will be 37x12.50R15 Maxxis Creepy's weighing in at about 90lbs without wheel so it wont be a light setup

Option 1:
Keep my modified 30 (it's sleeved, C's trussed, hydro assist, all 1/4" mounts) and add.....
Arb 30 spline
Reid 30/44 knuckles with 44 outer parts
RCV shafts with warn hubs
Cryo treat my Ring and pinion
and get poly performance's upgraded balljoints
Truss in addition to my axle sleeve.

Rear Axle
Keep my 8.25
Arb (29spline)
Superior 5x5.5 shafts
Disk brakes
Cryo treat ring and pinion

Option 2 (I have a 79 bronco 44 front right now that I have ZERO into)
Narrow/retube it
35 Spline ARB
Jana 44/50 kit 5:13 or 4.88's again
Rcv's with warn hubs
truss, and reuse OTK steering, trac bar

Rear axle
Reuse 8.25 and modify the same as option 1 or

9" with Detroit and 5:13's with drums for now.



I don't want to miss a year of wheeling building another axle set but then again I don't want to break shafts and r&p's from just rolling around. I compared both options and it's all going to be about the same + or - a few bucks. I also have a 4:1 so gearing isn't that huge of an issue. HELP! Please no one ton comments, it's just not a route I'm interested in.

ZOMG D44

^^^ I knew you'd be the first to reply. btw nice avatar

go with the 44/9"

no use even trying to run 37s on a turdy

cheapcherokee93 said:

no use even trying to run 37s on a turdy

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it'd be fun for about 40 seconds.

built to XXXX 44 (meaning every most awesome part that you can possibly put on it) minimum.

i used to run 37" creeps on a 44. but i had a baby foot back then.

sam's baby foot is a normal person's moderate foot.

but 44/9, kinda wish i jana'd my 44. make sure that 9 has at least 33 spline shafts too.

If I did the 9 it would be a 35 spliner

build the 44/9

9s front and rear!

Justpunchit said:

If I did the 9 it would be a 35 spliner

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then bam. do it up. for the amount of money you'll be into that 44 though..... jussaying. i coulda built a 60 for what i have into my 44.

Adam said the magic number...60.

XJLI said:

then bam. do it up. for the amount of money you'll be into that 44 though..... jussaying. i coulda built a 60 for what i have into my 44.

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but wouldn't you have better ground clearance/lessweight with the 44 over the 60?

yeah....but who cares about ground clearance if your breaking stuff. the added strength of the 60 will give you piece of mind and added insurance of a bigger tire size in the future. and probably just a better investment overall if you pay the same to build either axle.

I'm suprised we made it all the way to post 11 before the one ton discussion started.

Im not going to anything bigger than a 37" I was at that size once and then I went back to 35's and initial cost of the 44 I have now is zero, I really cant find free 60's anywhere.

billyjp2 said:

I'm suprised we made it all the way to post 11 before the one ton discussion started.

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Sigh... me too haha

If cost is equal, I'd build the 44/9. Keep wheeling the XJ as is while you're building, then swap em in. That'd keep downtime to a minimum and give you a set of axles that'll be much less worrisome.

As far as wheeling 37s on a 30, a guy did it on Ultimate Adventure, with an LS1.

hey thats right! that red one!

37 On the Turd will be pushing it for sure.

About the only thing left housing wise would be to Tie the diff cover to truss and maybe add the gurld mod Jana Did on Pirate.
with the full case locker and cromo shafts you have 2 Fuses the hubs and ring gear.
I like to see some one try to throw a 8 inch HP toyota ring gear in a D30.

I would go 44/9 inch.