Time to upgrade...

So I am thinking its time to upgrade my axles. I did some searching and didnt find a specific answer. I was thinking I would go with a ford 8.8 out back, but I know it is narrower than the d30, so I was curious if there was any axle I could throw in up front that would stregthen the front end a bit and match the width of the rear end. I already have tires and wheels, which i forget the #s, but the backspacing puts them out quite a bit (about 6 in), so having a narrower axle wont do any harm, might even help a bit. I just dont want the rear end narrower than the front. I dont know if it would cause any problems at all for a daily driver, I kinda doubt it would, but I want to keep it proportional front to rear. I know I could do spacers and all for out back, but I figured I might as well throw this question out there. The main reason I want the 8.8 rather than rebuilding my current 8.25 to take the 29 spline axle shafts is that I want to regear to 4.88s when I do, since I am running 33x12.50s now and hopefully within a couple years I will be on 35s, so instead of regearing twice, i would take care of it all at once and deal with overly deep gears for a while. Its either that or droppign money into the 8.25, picking up gears and a carrier for a 29 spline, swapping out axle shafts, and gaingin the strength associated with the 29 spline, and when I go to 35s dealing with the 4.56s till I take this XJ off the road completely and make it my trail rig.

Any recomendations?

Scott

The 8.8 is only 1.24" narrower. 5/8" per side you'll never notice it. Haleyes has 30's with stock rims on his 96 & it doesn't look any different than stock. JIM.

If you add Superiors new Super 88 kit (c clip eliminator and alloy axles) it adds an 1 1/2" to the width making it the same as stock. Should be good for at least 37" then.

i dont think you would want to narrow the front axle. it would be even harder to stuff tires.

my .02

-Tim

G.Nenzel said:

If you add Superiors new Super 88 kit (c clip eliminator and alloy axles) it adds an 1 1/2" to the width making it the same as stock. Should be good for at least 37" then.

Click to expand...

CRASH said:

Click to expand...

You thinking that 37's even on 1541 axle in a trussed 8.8 would not survive? I have 35's on that combo and am always reading that 37's should be fine.? I would never do the super 88 kit just because the axles are special builds and good luck finding on on a trip if you break (yeah I know chromo but still) one. Or what if your locker /gears gernade and takes the axle splines with it.. Good luck finding a replacment within a few days time.

Just put wheel spacers (Quality ones) on the rear.

DO NOT narrow the front end. If you ever go any long arm lift besides TNT's you will Really be rubbing those arms with the tires...not to mention wider is type better then stock, so narrower is the wrong direction.

Yeah, from everything I have done thus far I realize that wider is better, is there any rear axle I could work on fitting that would be no narrower than stock, maybe a little bit wider if anything, that will accept 4.88s? Something other than the 8.8? I will probably just go for the 8.8 out of a newer exploder and get the disks with it. I guess I will either just deal with getting wheel spacers (even though for some reason I hate the idea) or I will deal with the difference in width for the time being

37's, in the rocks, require 35 spline axle shafts.

So I might be upgrading to an 8.8 locked and 30 up front locked. I know for a DD on 33s 4.88s are a bit deep, but would I be miserable with this setup or would I be able to get by on it? Hopefully upgrading to 35s soon as I said, but for at least 8 months I will be on the 33s. Going to 35s I would need a bit more lift and other stuff, so that wont be for a while (currently only 3.5 in and trimmed fenders). Any recomendations on if I should go for it or just hold off for the time being?

G.Nenzel said:

If you add Superiors new Super 88 kit (c clip eliminator and alloy axles) it adds an 1 1/2" to the width making it the same as stock. Should be good for at least 37" then.

Click to expand...

CRASH said:

37's, in the rocks, require 35 spline axle shafts.

Click to expand...

i agree with both, the 8.8 with aftermarket shafts will hold up well to 37's, i've seen it before in a rig with an 8.8 running a set of dutchman shafts. of course depending on driving style no axle is bulletproof ESPECIALLY a 1/2 ton axle and especially in the rocks, so yeah CRASH is right, no matter how easy you drive stuff is gonna bind up and maybe cause a problem, but IMO the 8.8 should handle it well as long as you are a crawler and not a dumbass

I have an 8.8 out back of my XJ and you have to look really hard to tell that its narrower. Seriously you dont need wheel spacers to "even" them out.

Ok, so I guess it really isnt anything i will be worried about, my main concern right now is that the 4.88 will be too deep for 33s.