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which axle

M

mike86xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Winnipeg,Manitoba,Canada
what axle would be a better choice?

xj cherokee d44 (very scarce around here)

full size cherokee d44 (a few to be found, about $100 canadian)

early explorer/ranger 8.8 w/drum's (tons of early pre disc ones, $75 canadian)

late explorer/ranger 8.8 w/disc's (hard to find cheaply)

the biggest tire I would run is 35's (31's right now 32-33 in near future)
havent broken anything yet (d35) but i'm hard on stuff, and trying to do it on a very tight budget, so I cant afford stuff like alloy shafts

thanks for any help
Mike
 
I like my 12 bolt it is very very close to stock width and nobody wants them. It would be the same pattern as a waggy 44 so if you decided to swap in a front 44 boom matching bolt patterns again.
 
I'd go to a yard and look for a Jeep YJ. They all came with 44's in the rear if they were sold in canada.

someone feel free to slap me if i'm wrong.

That be perfect for the swap too, ~60wms, probably could find the same gear ratio? who knows. Anyway it'd just be welding perchs on so it isn't that bad.
 
Depends on what you're trying to do. The XJ axle would of course bolt right up and you'ld be done. The fullsize cherokee would be 6x5.5" pattern and possible more options for upgrades. 8.8 has disks and can be had brand new for $450 around here.Don't get the older one as they aren't 31-spline.

FSJ and 8.8 will require you to weld new spring and shock mounts on.
 
Last edited:
I'm looking for something of about the same width, I dont feel confident enough yet to try narrowing an axle.
I can do perches and shock mounts thats not a problem

all the newer (mid 90's and up) stuff goes to the wrong yards (too expensive for my budget)

yj's are pretty scarce in the yards here but i'll keep my eyes open

is there any difference between yj, xj cherokee and fs cherokee d44, other than width and shock/spring placement? is one stronger than the other?

the fullsize cherokee's/waggy's had either d44's or amc 20's right?
how do i tell the difference (as long as it looks diff than a d44 i'll have no problem)

thanks for all the help
Mike
 
the j trucks used the same axles as the cherokee/wagoneer right?

I may just buy a whole fsj for the axles I know where one is that hasnt moved in about 5 years.

what kind of problems would there be with axles that have sat that long?
 
Last edited:
Majo said:
I'd go to a yard and look for a Jeep YJ. They all came with 44's in the rear if they were sold in canada.

someone feel free to slap me if i'm wrong.
Click to expand...

SLAP!

LOL

D44 rears are as rare in Canada as they are in the US. If you go looking you'll eventually find one but they are not common by any stretch.


r@m
 
mike86xj said:
is there any difference between yj, xj cherokee and fs cherokee d44, other than width and shock/spring placement? is one stronger than the other?

the fullsize cherokee's/waggy's had either d44's or amc 20's right?
how do i tell the difference (as long as it looks diff than a d44 i'll have no problem)
Click to expand...

YJ and XJ D44s are pretty much the same IIRC. No comment on the FSJ stuff as I've never used them. Local guy here has a set under his Samurai and as far as I have heard they are a "standard" D44 - nothing funky.

The Jeep D44 to stay away from is the ZJ/WJ with the aluminum diff housing. Weak POS. Also, Quadratrac equipped FSJs will have a passenger offset rear diff.

AMC 20 has a large round cover, D44 is sort of square/stop sign shape.

HTH

r@m
 
I may have found a 8.8 with disks for a reasonable price
and front and rear waggy d44's for $150 canadian for the pair

I dont know which way to go now

if I do the 8.8 what kind of upgrade path do I have for the front, keeping the same bolt pattern (I need it to be reliable on 33's and maybe 35's in the future)

if I go the waggy 44 route I would need to fab up the bracketry for the front (which kinda worries me)

I have no problem changing to a different bolt pattern but i want to do it all the way not 1/2 way.

no matter what I will have to do the front bracketry eventually, so if there is a good axle to use that has or can be changed to the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern let me know.

any suggestions would be great

Thanks
Mike
 
go with the 8.8, it's a solid axle for a very good price. make sure it's out of a 95+ ex. though.

on the front upgrades, throw TJ parts in your 30 or better yet warn upgraded tj parts and you can run 35s all day long :farmer:
 
toyota truck rear. strong, small, light, ...
 
I'd do the front and rear waggys for $150. That way you're getting rid of the D-30 front at the same time, which you should do if you are hard on stuff AND run 35's. TC
 
8.8 the rear and waggy the front. Resell the waggy rear if you can't work a deal.

I say this because the 8.8 already has rear disks therefore ultimately cheaper. At least that is the theory...

r@m
 
Mixing the 8.8 with the Waggy will give you two different wheel bolt patterns, 6 lug and 4.5" 5 lug. Keeping both waggys would be a simple and low buck way to go. TC
 
keep the waggys front and rear... and do a front leaf swap.... your good to go....
 
yota is the same bolt pattern...
 
Heck, just drop the XJ on the waggy frame and be done with it...
 
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