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27 to 29 spline axle swap

balloo93

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Austin, Tx
I've been looking everwhere online but have yet to get confirmation on this. If I were to pick up a PowerTrax No-Slip for teh 29 spline ChryCo 8.25 axle, can I swap the newer 29 spline axles intyo my 27 spline 8.25?

The No-Slip would replace the side gears, so that's not really an issue. I assume I would need new (29 spline sized) axle bearings, but would I need different sized inner axle seals?

I don't plan on going nuts with offroading and am happy to run 31's. The 29's would probably last me a LONG time without issue. I could also upgrade to the Yukon 29 spline units and not worry about them at all.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
You'd want to get a carrier from a 29-spline axle, and when you put the locker in, get a rebuild kit that will have everything you need.

You will also need to get the axleshafts, but the should be about all you need.

Fergie
 
i went with dutchman axles for my 8.25 and put new gears and an arb in so everything was replaced. i have an '94 xj so my old axles were 27 spline and everything fit in. so you will need a new carrier.
 
If you don't mind the work, it might be cheaper to just find a 29 spline 8.25...install the locker...and then swap out the the entire assembly. And those axles are more than enough for 31" tires...no need to spend money on alloys unless you really want them. Just pick up one extra shaft for a spare (the 8.25 shafts are identical side to side) and you are good to go.

Nay
 
Nay said:
If you don't mind the work, it might be cheaper to just find a 29 spline 8.25...install the locker...and then swap out the the entire assembly. And those axles are more than enough for 31" tires...no need to spend money on alloys unless you really want them. Just pick up one extra shaft for a spare (the 8.25 shafts are identical side to side) and you are good to go.

Nay

Believe it or not, I'm having trouble location a good 29 spline axle around here. There are only a couple of junkyards near me and the "jeeps-only" yard is silly-ridiculous with it's prices! I've got a guy that gets me stock parts pretty cheap, so I might have him pick me up a carrier and just start getting the parts together slowly.

Thanks guys! I was hopeing to avoid the new carrier, but that's still not an impossible swap. I'm going to start weighing my options on using aftermarket 27 spline axles. The Aussie Locker guys have Emailed me back and said they are working on a 27 spline lunch-box locker for the 8.25. So maybe that'll be the next direction.
 
balloo93 said:
Believe it or not, I'm having trouble location a good 29 spline axle around here. There are only a couple of junkyards near me and the "jeeps-only" yard is silly-ridiculous with it's prices! I've got a guy that gets me stock parts pretty cheap, so I might have him pick me up a carrier and just start getting the parts together slowly.

Thanks guys! I was hopeing to avoid the new carrier, but that's still not an impossible swap. I'm going to start weighing my options on using aftermarket 27 spline axles. The Aussie Locker guys have Emailed me back and said they are working on a 27 spline lunch-box locker for the 8.25. So maybe that'll be the next direction.
Where is here? Cause in about a month I will have an 8.25 29 spline available for sale :D
 
That's what I'd wait for: a 29 spline 8.25 that has already been locked and regeared and is now for sale. Lots of people stick with the 8.25 for awhile and modify it only to move up to a beefier axle later. Just bolt it in and save some $$$ in the process.

BTW, have you ever been on car-parts.com? That gives you access to yards all over the country. Look for an 8.25 with 4.10 gears, which will be perfect with your 31's, and a D30 with 4.10's to match. Some of those deals are good enough to make it cost effective even with shipping.

Nay
 
Ralph said:
For 31" tires. just stick with your 27 spline shafts. Throw in a No-Slip and be done with it.

I was pretty sure they don't offer the N0-Slip for the 27spline 8.25. They do for the 29 though. About my only cheap locker options are the Powertrax Lock-Rite, I think the Detroit EZ locker, or wait for the Aussie unit to come out. I have heard nothing but good about the Aussie lockers so I'm partial to that idea.

Right now it's more a matter of time/money than anything else. I had kicked around the 8.8 option but I just don't want to mess with the axle width difference. Besides, that's more axle than I would ever need.

On a side note I'm from Austin, TX. Been awhile Ralph, ever sinse the TX chapter shut down I've been spending more time on another board. I just started lurking over here again.
 
I'll throw in my $0.02 since I haven't chimed in for quite a while.

I put a Lock-rite in my '94 ChrCo 8.25 w/ 27 spline axles. Truly, this was an easy task. Compared to putting my Cheap Bastards Club lift kit in with all of the XJ's 10 years of rust :smsoap:, this was a rewarding experience.

It sounds like you intend to wheel as much as me, which is to say, infrequently. I've only had the opportunity to take it off road one time. However, I took it to a trail that I'd been on before and it was kind of boring. There was a lot less excitement because the rear was always hooked up. I had no slippage.

With respect to road going manners, I would say that if you are going to be bothered by some clicking then the No Slip may be the way to go. If you are looking for a quick and cheap method to get traction, I'd recommend the Lock-rite to you and say welcome aboard to the Cheap Bastards Club. I've put about 1K miles on the XJ since the locker install and I've had no probs. I don't beat on the old gal anyway so it hasn't really impacted my driving style on road. At slow speeds you will hear it clicking away out back, especially if there is any differentiation between the axles. But the rest of my heap rattles and creaks anyway, so it's no big deal to me.

So that seems more like $0.25 instead of $0.02. I hope there was something useful in there for you.

Happy trails
Jeep'nD
 
Jeep'nD said:
I'll throw in my $0.02 since I haven't chimed in for quite a while.

I put a Lock-rite in my '94 ChrCo 8.25 w/ 27 spline axles. Truly, this was an easy task. Compared to putting my Cheap Bastards Club lift kit in with all of the XJ's 10 years of rust :smsoap:, this was a rewarding experience.

It sounds like you intend to wheel as much as me, which is to say, infrequently. I've only had the opportunity to take it off road one time. However, I took it to a trail that I'd been on before and it was kind of boring. There was a lot less excitement because the rear was always hooked up. I had no slippage.

Happy trails
Jeep'nD

I wheel mine evry chance I get, but I do wheel it conservatively. I have this little place about 10min from home that I use as a proving ground and as a stress reliever. I've been thinking locker because on a small section of rock shelves and on a bigger rock garden section, I have been maxing my articulation and loosing traction on the rear. Realize this rock garden isn't really that bad, but I don't want to get into it and not be able to get out! I also avoid the knee deep mud for the same reason.

She does fine in the ruts and easier obsticles, but I'd like the ability to power over things rather than manouver over things! lol.
 
my.02,

had you paid attention to ebay, I just sold a 27 spline no-slip. i ran it for 4 years. but now where the .02 turns into a few extra bones... the no slip sells for around $380-400. but a 29 spline case sells for another $130ish. so now your up above $500. a little secret, you can get a detroit for less than $500... (gasp). regaurdless, you have to pull the carrier and either replace it with one that fits 29 spline shafts, or have your old case machined. considering thats all they do is open up the journals a little bit.
and a side note. when someone says alloy shafts, everyone thinks CrMo 4340. which is a great option for a full floating axle only. CrMo does not hold up well to bending stresses, which is why it is not used in a semifloat rear axle. instead, MFG's use 1541h alloy, which is approximatly 20-25% stronger than OEM 1040 steel. and that is what dutchman makes there shafts out of.
 
Yeah, I check out the PowerTrax site again last night and they do offer onne. i had checked that site a coupl eof yeras ago (maybe 1.5 yrs) and they had no part number for the 27spline. I never checked again after that.

Now that you all have shown me the light, I just might start setting aside the cash for the No-Slip, run the stock axles until the $$ come about for the Dutchman axles.

Deffinately my mistake. How are you guys liking the No-Slip? How much is Tire Wear affected by it, steering on curves or taking corners? I know you're supposed to coast around them, but obviously there are time when that can't happen.
 
You get used to it.
I couldn't tell you about the wear difference....or maybe I can.
Since I went to a locker I find bigger rock piles to crawl over...and they sure do suck the life out of a set of AT's!
And I love it!
Of all the hobbies I have had (and do have) Jeepin' is the most cost effective.
So a new set of tires every now and again....maybe two years...is not such a big deal.
Rick
 
Has anyone ran the 29 spline locked on 35s. I have heard the 29 spline is close to the same strength as a 44. I am curious if anyone has any input on the 8.25s ability to stand up to abuse with 35s
 
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