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Should I Keep 8.25?

D

dwhiddon

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Prattville AL
I have a 99 cherokee that came with 8.25. I have 32's on it now but I hope to go to 35's when these wear out. Anyway, I'm getting ready to buy lockers and 4.56 gears. Should I upgrade what I have or look for a D44 to build? Thanks.
 
I would keep the 8.25 unless you are going bigger than 35s or deeper than 4.56 since you can only gear it to 4.56.
 
Keeping the 8.25 limits your choices of lockers available for it.

You would have a stronger rear PLUS more choices of lockers with the D-44.

The 8.25 is almost as strong as a D-44 though.

Jeff-97XJ
 
I was thinking I might be able to find a 44 or 8.8 that already had gears and locker installed. I could probably buy it for less than it would cost to buy a detriot and gears and installation. Anything wrong with this line of thought?
 
Keep it. D44 isn't that much stronger.
 
dwhiddon said:
I was thinking I might be able to find a 44 or 8.8 that already had gears and locker installed. I could probably buy it for less than it would cost to buy a detriot and gears and installation. Anything wrong with this line of thought?
Click to expand...


If you are lucky and find a setup that has gears you want and lockers already installed, then economics would dictate that you make the change. When I get ready to do my rear (it is a stock 8.25) I would love to find a D-44 set up the way I want. Takes a lot of luck though.

Hope this helps-
Jeff-97XJ
 
dwhiddon said:
I have a 99 cherokee that came with 8.25. I have 32's on it now but I hope to go to 35's when these wear out. Anyway, I'm getting ready to buy lockers and 4.56 gears. Should I upgrade what I have or look for a D44 to build? Thanks.
Click to expand...


You may want to consider converting your 8.25 to 29 splines if it's not already.

-Billy
XJDB.com
 
Not that I'm saying that I did the right thing or not, but I just got an 8.25 for much less than a 8.8 or 44 and I'm hoping it'll last till I go bigger next year. I am running 33s right now but am going up to 35s and believe the 29 spline 8.25 will stand up to the abuse since I'm not a heavy footed wheeler. Just my .02.
 
It's 29spl already, it's a 99.

I swapped an 8.25 for my D35 in my truck, but I'm thinking about pulling it for a D44. With the 8.25, the limit is 4.56, like azxjman said. With the front 30, though, some people say that the (pinion?) gets weak with 4.88s, so 4.56 may be the practical limit.
 
He's right about the pinion, it gets pretty small. 8.25's and 44's are pretty much the same, except the 44 isn't c clip. I wouldn't trust either of them past 35's on the rear and that's with a set of alloys. I'd say build whatever you can do the cheapest/ easiest.

Sean
 
I'm looking for the 8.8 the 95 and newer if looking for the right one you can get stock 4:10s in it with disk breaks. the width of it is perfect for the XJ and all you have to really do is the leafspring perches and those aren't that bad. I'm sticking with the frount d30 and just upgrade the gears to 4:10s wanted to or say thought I needed 4:56s but after driving my buddys YJ that we just swapped out his stock axles with the 30 and 35 out of a 4banger yj that comes stock with 4:10s they turned his 33's just fine. it had good power to it even. much beter over the stock gears. Just my two cents.
 
I run 33x13.5's on my 29 spline 8.25 and I'm not scared ;)

I also happen to have a set of Dutchman alloy shafts for it (finally got the splines to fit)

The 8.25 is a good unit. 35's? You're close to the limit, but if you upgrade shafts I'd say you'd be set with zero worries:)
 
Ditch it, ditch it, ditch it They're noisy with deep gears and I don't like c-clips in general, they're just annoying to work on. After watching my friends pull their 44 shafts by just removing the brake drums and then undoing the 4 retaining bolts, I realized that it was time to upgrade. I ended up skipping over the 44 and going 60 'cause I didn't see the point in swapping in an axle that was only marginally stronger, if at all. When it comes down to it, the guts of an axle all cost about the same. Gears for a 44, 8.25, 8.8, 60 etc all cost right in the same general region of 150-200 depending on quality/brand/ratio. Lockers are the same way. So the way I see it, the only difference money wise is how much the "new" housing is gonna cost and what it'll take to set it up width/bolt pattern wise. HTH

Ary
 
Ary'01XJ said:
Ditch it, ditch it, ditch it They're noisy with deep gears and I don't like c-clips in general, they're just annoying to work on. After watching my friends pull their 44 shafts by just removing the brake drums and then undoing the 4 retaining bolts, I realized that it was time to upgrade. I ended up skipping over the 44 and going 60 'cause I didn't see the point in swapping in an axle that was only marginally stronger, if at all. When it comes down to it, the guts of an axle all cost about the same. Gears for a 44, 8.25, 8.8, 60 etc all cost right in the same general region of 150-200 depending on quality/brand/ratio. Lockers are the same way. So the way I see it, the only difference money wise is how much the "new" housing is gonna cost and what it'll take to set it up width/bolt pattern wise. HTH

Ary
Click to expand...


try new gears;) whoever {SHHHHHHHH!} beat the shizzle out of those gears was the reason my shafts were so tough LOL!!

I'm just jokin...Ary is right about the 44 and 60 though, except most mere mortals think a 60 with anything smaller than 36's is gonna require tons of shaving...
 
TOZOVR said:
except most mere mortals think a 60 with anything smaller than 36's is gonna require tons of shaving...
Click to expand...

I am not afraid of the grinder, torch, welder, or sawzall. Needless to say, the 60 will be undergoing an atkins diet. Nothing but beef for this axle :greensmok

Ary
 
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