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d44 vs 8.25" what should i do?

R

robbieyukon

NAXJA Forum User
Location
olney, md
ok lets hear everyones thoughts on each rearend. which is the better unit for wheeling 35"s on a 4.0 non-HO on easy-moderate trails? i will say that i can get a 8.25 for $50 but i have seen that gears/lockers are really a lot of $$$$. thanks.
 
the 8.25 will hold up, but there are also perks to the 44. such as no c-clips and it can be geared lower, parts are also cheaper. i have an 8.25 locked up w/33's and so far so good. i am easy on it and carry spares. if you can find a 44 cheap enough i would get it instead
 
I'm not an expert by any means, but from what I've read here and elsewhere the 44 is only marginally better (re: stonger) than the 8.25. On the other hand the upgrade options for the 44 are extensive, the 8.25 is limited to a few manufacturers. I've yet to see a selectable locker (other than ARB or OX) for the 8.25. You can get just about anything for the 44, Auburn Ected, Eaton E-locker, etc. You can also stuff lower gears (numerically higher) into a 44, I believe the 8.25 is limited to 4.56.
 
yep 4.56 is the loweset. oh a plus of the 8.25 is the diff is ceneterd so one shaft works for both
 
Frank Z said:
I'm not an expert by any means, but from what I've read here and elsewhere the 44 is only marginally better (re: stonger) than the 8.25. On the other hand the upgrade options for the 44 are extensive, the 8.25 is limited to a few manufacturers. I've yet to see a selectable locker (other than ARB or OX) for the 8.25. You can get just about anything for the 44, Auburn Ected, Eaton E-locker, etc. You can also stuff lower gears (numerically higher) into a 44, I believe the 8.25 is limited to 4.56.
Click to expand...
You can get a Detroit locker for the 8.25.
 
are you dead set on using those two axles that are strictly bolt on. can u weld. if so then think about a ford 8.8 it is much stronger than both the 44 and 8.25. the welding is very limited so even if you can not weld you should be able to have someone do it very resonably
 
bj-666 said:
are you dead set on using those two axles that are strictly bolt on. can u weld. if so then think about a ford 8.8 it is much stronger than both the 44 and 8.25. the welding is very limited so even if you can not weld you should be able to have someone do it very resonably
Click to expand...
cherokee Wheeler10 said:
i have a 8.8 in the back of mine and its very nice go with a 95 or newer (i think) and get disks with it.... maybe alittle more but well worth it
Click to expand...

How predictable.

What took you guys so long?

8.25 is a good axle, as is the 44. Get what you can afford, as they are very similar. The pros and cons of each has been discussed at length. Do a search for more info.
 
and also with the 8.8's u can find one in a junk yard with 4:10's and a L/S...and if you are really lucky (this is a rare item only in rangers) u can find 8.8's with 4:56 stock

edit: another strong axle if u cant find 8.8,8.25 or a 44 is a ford 7.5 there are some options for them, u just have to look.
 
Hello?!!?!?!
Brakes!
I have had an 8.25 and a 44, and the strength is nearly equal.
The brakes on the 8.25 suck azz, to say the least.
I KNOW, I KNOW.
The 8.8 has disks, but he didn't ask about the 8.8, did he, jagbags?
HTH.
 
blackdogxj said:
another strong axle if u cant find 8.8,8.25 or a 44 is a ford 7.5 there are some options for them, u just have to look.
Click to expand...

The Ford 7.5 is not worth mentioning - it's a piece of junk that was found in Bronco IIs and Rangers. It will not hold up to 32s behind a 5.0, ask me how I know......
A good candidate for a swap axle is a Ford 9" from a 68-72 F100. It is almost a dead ringer for XJ width, and has the big bearings and brakes (11x2.5). They are all 28 spline in those years, but can be upgraded to 31 spline for about 300 bucks by calling Currie or one of the other "cool guy" axle suppliers. Remember that is going to come with 5x5.5 bolt pattern, but there's your excuse to start thinking about a front axle upgrade as well!
 
Ok bottom line if the 8.25 is a 29 spline (97-01) it's ok. If the 8.25 is a 27 spline will the cost of upgrading it to 29 spline be more than a 44? If so get the 44.
 
the D44 has better aftermarket support but the 8.25 has quite a bit available too.. the pre-96 8.25s were 27 spline and the newer ones were 29 spline... i have a detroit in my 27 spline and run 33s pretty hard.. no problems yet.. i'd prefer to stick with am OEM axle and upgrade it... if i was going to go with anything else it would be a toyota axle or ford 9"..in that order... the 8.8 really hasnt impressed me yet as a truely awesome swap.. it has its good points but it has REQUIRED upgrades as well....

for the intended use of the initial post..i would pass on the 8.25 if its not a 29-spline... otherwise the price is right....
 
well everyone has good points. i can get a 29spline for about $50 and have a friend who is a trans/rearend tech so doing upgrades will cost me less. i have looked at the 8.8 from exploders. correct me if im wrong but them seem to cost about $400 and most have 3.73 or 3.55s. so i would have to do a gear swap to turn my 34s for sure. i also live in MD where the crawling isnt like out west. we have some, but mostly medium difficulty trials. this is also a budget truck. i got the xj for $200 and got the 4" lift for free. i plan on going big time with a 6-8"LA down the road. but i fiigured i might as well do my axles right the first time. thanks for the ideas.
 
blackdogxj said:
and also with the 8.8's u can find one in a junk yard with 4:10's and a L/S...and if you are really lucky (this is a rare item only in rangers) u can find 8.8's with 4:56 stock

edit: another strong axle if u cant find 8.8,8.25 or a 44 is a ford 7.5 there are some options for them, u just have to look.
Click to expand...
:lecture: Im afraid I got to cry spobi on the 7.5 recomendation.I exploded one of those in a bone stock 85 5.0 Mustang w 26 inch tires and a 2.73 ratio.I couldnt imagine putting that boat anchor under any vehicle let alone something w 35s.Go with the 44 they are out there.If you want discs the ZJ set up should work for ya.It wiil also work on the 8.25 if you ream out the axle tube holes in the backing plates.
 
not to get anyone going or anything, i posted that beacuse, i had a bronco 2 and i put them rears to the test...and i never blew one apart or anything...i used to do compression burnouts at 65 id jam it in 2nd and then pop it back into 5th, and i never broke a shaft or fried a bearing.
 
robbieyukon said:
well everyone has good points. i can get a 29spline for about $50 and have a friend who is a trans/rearend tech so doing upgrades will cost me less. i have looked at the 8.8 from exploders. correct me if im wrong but them seem to cost about $400 and most have 3.73 or 3.55s. so i would have to do a gear swap to turn my 34s for sure. i also live in MD where the crawling isnt like out west. we have some, but mostly medium difficulty trials. this is also a budget truck. i got the xj for $200 and got the 4" lift for free. i plan on going big time with a 6-8"LA down the road. but i fiigured i might as well do my axles right the first time. thanks for the ideas.
Click to expand...

That changes things a bit, U got the XJ for $200 and can get a 29 spline 8.25 for $50 with your friend doing the work gearing and locking it, so what's the question? Go with that. A 8.25 29 spline can run 35's almost as good as a dana 44 can. U can get your 4.56 gears in there and a detroit or no-slip and have a good durable axle. U can get alloy shafts if U want from Dutchman and other sources if U want as well for about $200 or so a pair. I'd go with the 8.25, I had 1 that had 4.56 gears and was open diffed with a spare set of shafts both sides and a no-slip not installed that needed a rebuild kit and sold it all for a xj 44 with 4.56 gears and a detroit locker all installed and sold the 8.25 stuff to offset almost the entire cost. I'm now going up to a full width 9" 35 spline with a detroit and 5.43 gears on 37's. Bottom line is I want a bullet proof axle and I want to run 37's and wheel the Rubicon, Fordyce, and JV so I'm paying for it.

But bottom line is that a 29 spline 8.25 will work for U and is the best bet for your financial situation of getting it cheap and it being durable and upgradeable.
Troy
 
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