Ford 8.8 and DS alignment,..

.. have planned to:
(1)sit the entire weight of the xj down on the Ford 8.8 axle with the U-bolts loosen and connect the driveshaft to transfer case , tighten up the pinion bolts-
(2) align as accurately as possible the DS and then tack weld my new spring-perches- I am however worried because the Ford 8.8 visibly has a narrower track and the pinion is outset an 1"inch or so, that I will have some additional problems with centering the new setup-
Any thoughts or advice,.comments as always appreciated-TIA

set the axle on jack stands. measure and mark the proper width for the perches. set the perches on and let the weight of the springs/jeep rest on the axle. bolt up the DS and with a jack raise the pinion housing to the right degree and check the perch location set right and tack them on or just weld them up. that it really. the DS will set to the pass side an inch so make sure it doesnt hit the muffler.

...yeah, as it is now the axle is more visibly toward the passenger side ,so maybe I'll just "eyeball" it and shift it back over over to the driver's side a equal ly proportionate amount-I'm useing an inexpensive incline meter to recheck after the latest changes and placeing it on the top of the transfer case and the Ford 8.8 axle for the correct angle -TIA

I had to redo my muffler to clear the DS. The Explorer axle has the pumpkin offset a bit as you discovered. It's really not a big problem. you can't set the differential directly in the middle as it will offfset the left wheel too much.