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8.25 locked with stock shafts?

R

rmz45099

NAXJA Forum User
Location
OC, CA
I have a 8.25 29 spline rear that is geared to 4.56. I'm running 33-10.5 km2 tires and mostly do trail runs with a little rocks mixed in. (All the big bear trails, been to Moab once with this rig and plan on taking it back, plan to do most the trails in the Sierras, to give you an idea of what I put the thing threw.)
I have a Spartan in the d30 with stock shafts and haven't broken yet ( luckily) although I am easy on the pedal and don't do anything that I think might break it. Ill crawl up and find a good line rather then mash the gas hence why I want another locker to make the crawl easier.

Question is how strong are the stock 29 spline 8.25 shafts when the diff is locked?

If they will hold up well id rather invest the money into the front shafts first and eventually do the rear later, but if they are weak like stock d30 shafts ill do he rear with my locker install since ill be in there anyway.
What are some of your guys experiences with the 29 8.25 locked with stock shafts?
 
I wheeled my 98 with a lincoln locked back for years. Never once had a problem. Open front with one broken shaft. 33x12.5's
 
You should be fine running the stock 8.25 that way. If you're worried about it, find a spare shaft here for sale, but many people have run that setup for years without issue.
 
35x12.5r15 general grabbers tire and wheel combo ways around 100 pounds per corner. I'm more worried about my front 44 than I am about the 8.25 and its power trax no slip
 
Its all gonna depend on driving, and the situation so to speak... But for the most part you should be ok, good thing is the aftermarket shafts for the 8.25 are pretty cheap, less than half what your fronts will run.

If it makes you feel any better, I ran 36" iroks on a 8.25 with a lock right. The guy I bought it from claimed it had aftermarket shafts, but I never verified that. Ran it like that for almost 2 years with no issues.

Cherokee I'm building now I have a set of 36" iroks again that I will run once I get another set of wheels, I'll be running on a 29 spline 8.25 with an Aussie and 4.56's, however I got a deal on some alloy USA shafts so I'm running those. Heard a lot of people have pretty good luck with the 8.25, I know I have
 
I have an 8.25 29 spline with 4.56 ARB and 33 MTR. No problems. I have 2 spare shafts just in case. From what I read before I switched to that axle from a D35 is the 8.25 29 spline is really close if not even to the XJ Dana 44 in strength.
 
cal said:
You should be fine running the stock 8.25 that way. If you're worried about it, find a spare shaft here for sale, but many people have run that setup for years without issue.
Click to expand...
x2
Rod Knee said:
I'd be more worried about your locked D30....
Click to expand...
x2




having a spare shaft and wheel bearing is good practice. luckily they are equal length. you can potentially break it... but i had to get stupid with mine on 35s to finally kill an 8.25. 29 spline is a stout axle.
 
Thanks everyone for the input I see that shaft for the 8.25 are fairly cheap but from everyone elses experience it seems that the stock shafts are pretty strong with my tire and wheeling style. So I'll invest that money into a set o front shafts first then in a few months get the rears for the next fluid change.
I'm pretty set on ten factory shafts for both axles maybe g2 if I can get a better deal threw a connection.
 
I'm having great luck with my 8.25, just rebuilt it this year with 4.56's and a Detroit, stock shafts. Same size tires as you, 33x10.5 km2s. It's a great axle.

I prefer the strength of a full case, so maybe in the future you should upgrade to a Detroit like mine or an ARB. I used to have an Aussie and the action/operation was way louder and clunkier than the Detroit.

Locker porn--
Untitled by Sean Mitchell 707, on Flickr
 
Ya eventually ill put a selectable in the rear buy I don't have the cash for an arb at threw moment and likely wont for some time. And having just paid for the gear install less then 6 months ago I'm sure the r and p is in good shape so a full case locker is out of the question right now also especially since I can do the Spartan in the driveway. I should have saved my penny's and did a Detroit at the time I geared it but live and learn.
 
Wheeled hard for years on a locked 8.25 with 4.56's and 32's. Moved up to 35s and still had no problems for a while. Finally ended up breaking a few teeth off the ring gear after maybe 4-5 years of abuse, but the shafts were fine.

I upgraded to Yukon shafts when I installed the rear discs and new ring gear. They were only $180 or so for the pair, so it was worth it for peace of mind.
 
Buy a set of stock shafts as spares for now. If you feel you need/want something stronger, I think chromo's are only 120$/ea. At that point your locker/R&P will be the weak point though.
 
The 8.25 is a solid axle. IMO just as good as a D44. Only thing the 8.25 doesn't have going for is the aftermarket the D44 has.

You'll be fine on that axle. Like someone said buy a set of spare axles from a junkyard and carry one of them with you on the trail.
 
I'm running same differentials D30/Chy 8.25 29 spline Detroit Lockers on 33x12:50's with stock axles. No problems so far, but I'm not a hard core "Rock Crawler" either mostly trail use from a 3-8-9 level for a reference.

I mostly 4 wheel alone with my wife and I on mountain closed forest service roads. I should say not closed but marked "Impassible" due to extreme wash outs in prior years and no money to repair or replace. Some are quite difficult and challenging to make it through them, lots of winching required. I do carry a spare shaft for each differential for the wife to install if needed :)>)

JMHO as always and YMMV
 
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