Guys runnin 36/37" tires (both w/ stockish and non stockish axles)

[CheapXJ]

I've gotta make a decision.

I've been running my 30/44 combo open w/ 36's and even without the added stress of lockers, I'm just afraid to throttle out of stuff for fear of destroying them little axles at every turn.

the front has 760 joints w/ the caps welded on, the rear is just an XJ D44.

I really wanna go w/ either a 3/4 ton 8-lug D44 or D60 front and a 35spline 60 or 70 rear. I'm basically at the point where I'm gonna dump money into something, and I wanna make sure I do it right. and no more of this open diff crap either.

I'm also thinkin that when the 36s no longer hold air (which will be fairly soon if I keep slashin 'em up) I'll go to 38.5 SXs and try my damnedest not to go bigger.

the other thing is, I kinda want gears that are deeper than 4.88s I'd settle for them, but I really wanna step to 5.38s (which would be ideal for the 38.5s IMHO)

[BrettM]

sounds good! get on it!

[BIG98XJ]

Ive got 37" SSRs on a 29apline 8.25 with a detroit in the rear and powertrax no-slip up front w/yukon shafts. Dont know if you know bout south east trails but I have been to beasley and tellico with noi breakege, and trust me i`m not the easiest person on the right foot either!

[Rawbrown]

don't know if you are aware, but like the super 35 kit that upgrades a dana 35 from 27 to 30 spline shafts, there is also a super 44 kit that upgrades your dana 44 from 30 to 33 spline shafts.
guys are running this setup in competition rigs on 37"s without any problems.
it comes with a detroit locker and is soon to be released with an ARB.

[scampbell53]

I've got a narrowed 60 front, You will have to run 38's or you will hit everything under the sun. I ran 36's for a while and I had to work hard to keep the front diff out of the rocks. It also doesn't leave a lot of room to work with under the front. My drivers side tube is appx. 4" long so it doesn't leave a lot of room for spring perches and bracketry. I have 5:13 gears and really wish I had someting lower.

[hjeepxj]

Do it Ryan! :agree:

[CheapXJ]

don't know if you are aware, but like the super 35 kit that upgrades a dana 35 from 27 to 30 spline shafts, there is also a super 44 kit that upgrades your dana 44 from 30 to 33 spline shafts.
guys are running this setup in competition rigs on 37"s without any problems.
it comes with a detroit locker and is soon to be released with an ARB.

look at the name...

for that much $$$, I could build a shaved welded 70 w/ 5.38 gears.

and I don't want "custom" parts.

[CheapXJ]

I've got a narrowed 60 front, You will have to run 38's or you will hit everything under the sun. I ran 36's for a while and I had to work hard to keep the front diff out of the rocks. It also doesn't leave a lot of room to work with under the front. My drivers side tube is appx. 4" long so it doesn't leave a lot of room for spring perches and bracketry. I have 5:13 gears and really wish I had someting lower.
have you shaved it?

I'm considering leaves on all 4 corners, so I don't need room for bracketry.

[Maximus]

Big98XJ, WHat gears are you running? I heard that the 29sp will only go to 4:56. Have you found something different?

[XJoachim]

No matter what you put in the d30 it will leave you with a max. gear of 4.88. If you go big the go big. I switched to D60 front and D70 rear, 35 splines all around and 5.86 gears. I daily drive it with 37s and off road i just ordered my 18/38.5-16.5 boggers with trailready beadlocks. The gearing is a bit low for the 37s but perfect for the big boggers. I had 38.5 SXs before with my D30 and 30 spline D35. I destroyed gears, lockers, u-joints and axle shafts with them and never regretted the upgrade.

If you want to go big (tires) then do it right. I dumped as much as 2500 $ in the front D30 in one year with the big tires. It was not a question of "Will it break" but "When will it break".

Keep the D30 if you're going not bigger than 35s and a not too aggressive tire. Otherwise get the real stuff with real brakes that will lock up even a 40" tire. :D

[Fryphax]

I ran 36x12.50x15 TSL radials on heavy ass chrome mods and I actually carried two spare axle shaft u-joints if I was going to be wheeling for a day. Even a D44 front would be a huge improvement.

I just sold my 36s and am swapping a FF D60 rear with discs, HP D44 front and going to 38.5s. So your plan sounds good to me.

[BIG98XJ]

Yeh I`m only running 456s(perfect for 35s)little low geared for 37s but not too bad

[scampbell53]

No shaved 60's here. But with the 38.5's I haven't had any problems. It will clear everything at tellico.
The big thing for you is to really think about what tires you want to run. Anything bigger than 35's and you definately don't want to keep the 30.
My buddy polished his 30, this weekend he broke a superior shaft (lots of large pieces) beat the crap out of his ball joints, and destroyed his ring and pinion. They are going to warranty the shafts but it doesn't replace his ring and pinion.
morale: everyone always wants to go bigger, so save up and you will save money in the long run.

[CheapXJ]

No shaved 60's here. But with the 38.5's I haven't had any problems. It will clear everything at tellico.
The big thing for you is to really think about what tires you want to run. Anything bigger than 35's and you definately don't want to keep the 30.
My buddy polished his 30, this weekend he broke a superior shaft (lots of large pieces) beat the crap out of his ball joints, and destroyed his ring and pinion. They are going to warranty the shafts but it doesn't replace his ring and pinion.
morale: everyone always wants to go bigger, so save up and you will save money in the long run.
I'm already runnin 36s, but I'm used to runnin 33's and usin lotsa skinny pedal.

of course... I just found a killer deal on a matched pair of rockwells, 6mos retired w/ spicer u-joint axles.

started doin some research, and supposedly with shaving you can get the diff clearance down to only 5.5" below the axle centerline, sock 6.71:1 gears... should be good for some 48s on 20" wheels.

I ain't breakin rockwells! :D:D:D

[BrettM]

go for the rockwells if you dare! you will need major "frame" reinforcements and will have to lift HUGE to clear the toploader on those things. I've heard the diff clearanc of a shaved rockwell compared to a D44. I wouldn't go bigger than 40s personally.

[BUCKYXJ]

I vote a 14bolt rear easier to find spare parts are in every salvage in america and I have two of them hehe.
DIG IT!

[ashmanjeepxj]

I've got a narrowed 60 front, You will have to run 38's or you will hit everything under the sun. I ran 36's for a while and I had to work hard to keep the front diff out of the rocks. It also doesn't leave a lot of room to work with under the front. My drivers side tube is appx. 4" long so it doesn't leave a lot of room for spring perches and bracketry. I have 5:13 gears and really wish I had someting lower.

ONLY the 1978-79 F350 Dana 60 fronts have a longer tube on the short side for the axle tube, this gives you more room for control arm brackets then a 1980+ king pin ford d60. Or If you do leafs Like I did the stock leaf perch width of this vintage d60 is 31.5in, perfect for the jeep Xj or YJ frame widths! Newer 1980 d60s are at 36in so youll have to make outborad mounts and will be less flexy if you do leafs.

Gearing will be your problem.. I have Bullet proof axles, spools, and good gears for highway driving but, no crawling gears!! I dont want to buy the $$$ 4:1 kit for my NP231 and the cost of flipping a d300 is getting clost to just getting an atlas!!

Gearing gets expensive! I look at my toyot and for $700 I can get a 4:1 t-case gear but its not that cheep and easy in a jeep.

Decide your tranny t-case gearing needs before deciding your axle options. A d300 would be nice, cheep 4:1 options like a toyota case, gears not chain drive, and is twin stick, if you did the d300 then swapped in a chevy/dodge passenger drop front axle, youd have your gearing done and your axle done!!!

[CheapXJ]

so much to consider...

but I like the cheapness, and toughness of the rockwells + XLs/XZLs, 3 of my 36s have fawkin sidewall plugs in them already and they still have at least 75% tread left.

I'm not ready to mess with the drivetrain. if pondering a front 44 lead me to seriously considering rockwells (which I still am), I don't need a 401/th400/np203/205 thrown in there yet!

I'm figuring that if I keep the stock rockwell drums, forego the pinion brake, remove EVERYTHING that is not needed. run a crossmember with a center-mounted bumpstop above the chunk, I wouldn't have to worry TOO much about clearance.

I'm thinking that MAYBE an oil pan from a 4wd eagle w/ a 258 might help out a little bit in the clearance department with the rockell. it's only 9" above the axle centerline, and if I run 7"-9" lift with the rockwells and 48s (maybe 48s)

basically, there's a pair of rockwells 13 miles from me for $750. that's DAMN hard to pass up, and considering the price of the tires and wheels, this is lookin better every minute.

the 60/70 w/ 38s is past the point of being street legal, so if I gotta trailer it, I might as well go all out.

[gearwhine]

Ryan, you need to sit down and think about this dude. Rockwells are massive. I don't think you need to worry about clearance...you'll figure a way for that, but that weight is going to kill every part of your suspension in no time at all. It will also kill your whole "frame" if you're not careful. All your suspension mounting points need to be beefed up.

If you do in fact go for rockwells, pay the money you save for a solid suspension (good traction bar if you're keeping leaf springs, and getting rid of all rubber will be a good idea, with VERY solid links), and some kind of bracing (roll cage). The cheapness of the rockwells does come at a price.

And also...look where you live...there is not much in PA that needs bigger than 38's. if you get 44"+, everything will become so damn boring. The 38's will still keep much of the trails at paragon/rausch creek challenging. I'd say stick with your 70/60, 60/60, etc. something a bit more timid. And something you can still drive on the road, even if it's illegal. Later pronmonger. _nicko_

[CheapXJ]

And also...look where you live...there is not much in PA that needs bigger than 38's.
i can go to NJ and drive over a certain white 2-door XJ http://home.ptd.net/~naumiler/flipoff2.gif

[ZachMan]

Yeh I`m only running 456s(perfect for 35s)little low geared for 37s but not too bad

Got pics?

[Fryphax]

I have pics of mine, but everyone has already seen them im sure.

If I were you, I would go with the rockwells, cage it, reinforce the frame, do whatever you need to do as cheapy as you can. $750 for a set is a deal I wouldn't pass up. besides, I've never seen an XJ on rockwells.

[BrettM]

besides, I've never seen an XJ on rockwells.

there's a reason :D




not that it couldn't be done, just easier on some other vehicles.

[Fryphax]

Sure it would be easier, but if everyone took the easy way out we wouldn't be where we are right now, would we. I know the XJ unibody is not designed for that much axle or tire, but you have to realize this is a guy running 36s on 4" of lift. The unibody wasn't designed for that either. Cheap seems like the type of guy who will push the envelope far beyond common belief, and do it right.

I'd like to see this project done just so I can learn something from it, as many others im sure. Plus, how badass would that be.

[BrettM]

oh, i wasn't disagreeing with giving it a shot, you'll notice I was the first to jump in and say DO THE ROCKWELLS. just be sure to do them right, and be ready for the massive amount of work it will take.

[offroadman83]

Hey fryphax--------cherokees on rockwells--------
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18687