Polishing a turd?.....

I run a ford 8.8 on 35s and have for about a year now with zero problems. I have 4.88 and an ARB in it. The tubes are welded to the pumkin to prevent the spinning of the tubes.

Well I am considering going 37s and I also need to change my bolt patern to match my front D44 (5 x 5.5). I was thinking of a new axle (D60 or 9") but after doing some minor research I came up with an interesting option.

I can cut off my 8.8 tube ends and weld on ford 9" ends that will use my existing brakes (e-brake and disc brake). This will also eliminate the c-clip and I will have alloys made with the wheel bolt pattern I need. I can re-use my gear and locker. Especially with the alloys, this should take a 37 (max) tire pretty easily. (31 spline)

I can pretty much have this done extremely affordably. A lot more affordable than setting up another axle.

Am I off my rocker or does this sound like a decent option?

you couls also just get 8.8 axles with 5 on 5.5. I know CRASH has some drilled for 6 on 5.5, I think they're from Dutchman....

BrettM said:

you could also just get 8.8 axles with 5 on 5.5.

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Correct...

My full size 8.8 is 5x5.5 and I think it came from an F150

BrettM said:

you couls also just get 8.8 axles with 5 on 5.5. I know CRASH has some drilled for 6 on 5.5, I think they're from Dutchman....

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Interesting. According to Currie they could not get axle shafts made for c-clip axles (I only asked about alloys).

Gil BullyKatz said:

Correct...

My full size 8.8 is 5x5.5 and I think it came from an F150

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Are they c-clip axles? BTW this axle is out on an Explorer.

Yup... They're still c-clip axles

and probably too wide for ya

5"-6" (?) wider than Explorer 8.8's

Are you running rocks? Personally I wouldn't push my luck with 37's and those shafts. Might be ok, but make a spare set of alloys a must.

Dutchman has the shafts though:
http://www.dutchmanms.com/pricesheet.html#Anchor-65137

I think the 8.8 will hold up to the 37's. Guys do pretty well with 35's on the 8.25", including my old setup. That merely leads me to believe the extra beef of the 8.8 in compairison would handle it. That, as well as the buddy I've got who beats his TJ pretty good with an 8.8, spool, and 36x13.50 Bias Iroks. Busted the spool once, and a lockright, and now runs the new E Locker. Never had an issue with the axle though. Iroks of that size fill out to 36.8" which is about that of most " 37's ".

As Lincoln stated, keeping spare shafts on hand is always a good idea. Hell, I'm on 33's with a 14 Bolt and have spare shafts.

Well, I know a guy running 38" tsl/sx's on an 8.8... Not too smart if you ask me, but he still maintains that his alloy shafts will allow for the bigger tire size. As for his ring gear, I dunno how long it will hold up to the kind of abuse those tires deliver. I've seen a guy snap a ring gear while running 8.8 gears in a 9 housing, so it's very possible.

xjj33p3r said:

I've seen a guy snap a ring gear while running 8.8 gears in a 9 housing, so it's very possible.

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those are running on the coast side of the gear which is significantly weaker.

cracker, I wouldn't run 37s on an 8.8 considering you're in California. there are too many axle-snapping trails that you will want to run. If you lived in Minnesota, I would say go for it!

Good point about being in SloCal. If he was far north as you are then the terrain he'd be getting after wouldnt nearly be as gnarly as that down south.

To comment on the XJJeeper's quote about the guy running 38" SX's on the 8.8: Lets not forget how insanely heavy that tire is. SX's outweigh their counterparts of similar dimensions by a good 20-25%. An unmounted 36x12.50 SX on the bathroom scale weighed 17lbs more than the 37" MTR that hit the scale after it. Just food for thought.

ArcticXJ said:

Good point about being in SloCal. If he was far north as you are then the terrain he'd be getting after wouldnt nearly be as gnarly as that down south.

To comment on the XJJeeper's quote about the guy running 38" SX's on the 8.8: Lets not forget how insanely heavy that tire is. SX's outweigh their counterparts of similar dimensions by a good 20-25%. An unmounted 36x12.50 SX on the bathroom scale weighed 17lbs more than the 37" MTR that hit the scale after it. Just food for thought.

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I totally forgot to mention weight issues. Thanks for bringing that up. I wasn't too sure myself of how heavy an SX was compared to an MT/R.... now I know :lecture: