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Looking for an 8.8

chris420

chris420

NAXJA Forum User
Location
California
So I plan on installing an 8.8 and am looking for one with 31 splines and drum brakes. I was told to get one with drum brakes because the stock XJ e brake cable will work and the e brake will work a lot better than one with disc brakes. I was also told that the drum brakes work better in the XJ application than the disc brakes due with out having to change the valve in the master cylinder. Does anyone know what year explorer would have drum brakes, 31spline shafts, and 410 gears with posi?
 
Not 100%, but I think the drum versions are 28 spline.
 
whoever told you that needs to stop eating the windowsill candy.

You can get an e-brake cable kit from most Crown dealers that will adapt 8.8 discs to an XJ. Make sure you get the late-model one since the ebrake cables are routed differently on 96- and 97+.

Hell, they're really similar cable ends to the ones on ZJ discs. I have an XJ 8.25, ZJ discs, and two long-side Explorer e-brake cables on my MJ.
 
kastein said:
whoever told you that needs to stop eating the windowsill candy.

You can get an e-brake cable kit from most Crown dealers that will adapt 8.8 discs to an XJ. Make sure you get the late-model one since the ebrake cables are routed differently on 96- and 97+.

Hell, they're really similar cable ends to the ones on ZJ discs. I have an XJ 8.25, ZJ discs, and two long-side Explorer e-brake cables on my MJ.
Click to expand...

Both cables only cost about $40 too. Get discs, there is a reason almost all vehicles use 4 wheel discs now.
 
kastein said:
whoever told you that needs to stop eating the windowsill candy.
Click to expand...

LOL. judging by his screenname, i'm guessing it was magic brownies. 420 brah.


yea, i wouldnt go too far out of my way to convert to disk, but i certainly wouldn't actively search out a drum axle.
 
Pre-95 31-spline had drums. 96+ have 31-splines and discs.
 
Well the person that told me to get drums is a very well know fabricator in the 4 wheel drive industry and has been in several magazine reviews. He told me the e brake cable for disk brakes is from Locar and is about $120.00 and that disc brakes may not be better than drum. He also told me that we may need to change the proportioning valve to get the disc on the 8.8 to work correctly. We are considering budget in mind so money saved is good. So looks like pre 95 drum axles from an explorer are 31 spline correct?
 
.... :banghead:

Well apparently he still needs to learn. You know how many people have done successful disc-equipped 8.8 swaps?

You can just swap out the proportioning valve plunger and spring, which is like ten bucks at the junkyard, big freakin deal. Get one out of a ZJ with rear discs.

Someone already just told you that the cables for the setup EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET runs are like 40 bucks, and you're worrying about spending a few dollars on a proportioning valve that you might not even need (it'll work fine without, it won't kill you, it just might work better with the valve swapped) on what sounds like dodgy advise? Do you normally do this?

If you do... well... all I can say is to keep talking to that "very well know fabricator" and see where it gets you.
 
kastein said:
.... :banghead:

Well apparently he still needs to learn. You know how many people have done successful disc-equipped 8.8 swaps?

You can just swap out the proportioning valve plunger and spring, which is like ten bucks at the junkyard, big freakin deal. Get one out of a ZJ with rear discs.

Someone already just told you that the cables for the setup EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET runs are like 40 bucks, and you're worrying about spending a few dollars on a proportioning valve that you might not even need (it'll work fine without, it won't kill you, it just might work better with the valve swapped) on what sounds like dodgy advise? Do you normally do this

If you do... well... all I can say is to keep talking to that "very well know fabricator" and see where it gets you.
Click to expand...
 
you seem to have confused yourself and put your reply in the middle of you quoting me, but no, I didn't have a bad day, I had a pretty good one.

I just get confused and somewhat annoyed when someone takes an already dumb idea and uses questionable advise while ignoring and/or arguing against a better idea that hundreds or even thousands of people have sucessfully used. That would be... what you are doing right now.

Have fun with your inferior drum brake equipped axle, though! :wave:
 
kastein said:
.... :banghead:

Well apparently he still needs to learn. You know how many people have done successful disc-equipped 8.8 swaps?

You can just swap out the proportioning valve plunger and spring, which is like ten bucks at the junkyard, big freakin deal. Get one out of a ZJ with rear discs.

Someone already just told you that the cables for the setup EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET runs are like 40 bucks, and you're worrying about spending a few dollars on a proportioning valve that you might not even need (it'll work fine without, it won't kill you, it just might work better with the valve swapped) on what sounds like dodgy advise? Do you normally do this?

If you do... well... all I can say is to keep talking to that "very well know fabricator" and see where it gets you.
Click to expand...

DID YOU HAVE A BAD DAY OR SOMETHING?
 
Why are you swaping in the 8.8? Reading your Sig you already have a locked and geared 8.25.
Seems like a big swap for little if any gain.
 
REWSTER said:
Why are you swaping in the 8.8? Reading your Sig you already have a locked and geared 8.25.
Seems like a big swap for little if any gain.
Click to expand...

I recently went through the Rubicon and pulled a jeep YJ on 31's with open diffs through most of the trail. The last day that YJ went into whiskey throtle on Cadilac Hill and found itself high centered on a huge boulder with all 4 tires off the ground. The trail was backed up and there was 10 guys trying to lift the YJ off the boulder. I decided to keep everyone from hurting their backs and strapped up the YJ and yanked away until that Son of :):):):):) came off that boulder (wish someone recorded it). I bent the front bumper and frame rails on that YJ as well as blew the pinoion bearing and seal on the 8.25 and drove home smoking the gears mission accomplished. 8.25 is trashed.
 
IXNAYXJ said:
Who is it? In any event, he's mistaken.
Click to expand...

I dont want to post who it is because he does good work and they have been a great help to me and several others. Lets put it this way everyone in the Sierra Chapter probably gets product and or services from them and they stand behind everything they do. I trust the guy and the only ? I had in this post was what year 8.8 came with drum brakes. I did not ask anyone's opinion about disc brakes although it is welcomed and taken into considerration and I will discuss this with them before going to pick n pull.
 
-Your pinion bearing & seal didn't blow from pulling someone out...they were FUBAR'ed already.

-You don't need a different proportioning valve to run Ford 8.8 disc brakes.

-Parking brake cable expense is the smallest expense there is in this swap.

-While drum brakes physically have great stopping power, they aren't capable of staying in adjustment when used in watery/muddy conditions, nor do they dissipate heat as well as disc brakes.

Do yourself a favor and get a '96 and newer 8.8 with disc brakes :rtm:
 
bobnoxious said:
-While drum brakes physically have great stopping power, they aren't capable of staying in adjustment when used in watery/muddy conditions, nor do they dissipate heat as well as disc brakes.
Click to expand...

This is what most people are confused by when doing disc brake swaps.

Disc brakes don't necessarily have more stopping power, but have consistent stopping power.

If drum brakes lose any adjustment at all, there goes their stopping power. Rainy day? Prepare for premature lockups. Drive through some mud? Prepare to break down the drums and clean/adjust them.
 
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