running 37s on a DD?

i am wanting to set my 2000 cherokee up to run 37s and still use it as a DD. mi know i will have to address steering, axles, braking, gearing and such. will it be nessesary to go full-width?

in the rear i want to run an XJ D44 with the super 44 kit. but i am not sure what to run for my front axle.. i want to keep it spring in the front.. but im not sure if there is a stronger axle that i can just swap in with out changing to leaves.

also i dont play on alot of rocks.. most of the trails around me are more mud and water crossings with some rocks mixed it.. but nothing like out west.

so what would a good setup be that will do well as a DD and still perform off road. or does this combo not go together?

also i did search and i read alot of posts but my questions were not answered 100%

2000Cherokee said:

but i am not sure what to run for my front axle.. i want to keep it spring in the front.. but im not sure if there is a stronger axle that i can just swap in with out changing to leaves.

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A front TJ D44 will bolt right up.

Come on now Terry... be nice. Everyone knows TJs had 60s.

I am preparing for 37's on my cherokee.. though, it has 1 ton axles, 10 inches of lift, a bit of sheet metal cutting to do and she'll be good to go.

ImGonnaSnap said:

I am preparing for 37's on my cherokee.. though, it has 1 ton axles, 10 inches of lift, a bit of sheet metal cutting to do and she'll be good to go.

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10" of lift and you think you're actually gonna have to cut?

2000Cherokee said:

in the rear i want to run an XJ D44 with the super 44 kit. but i am not sure what to run for my front axle.. i want to keep it spring in the front.. but im not sure if there is a stronger axle that i can just swap in with out changing to leaves.

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Super 44 kit? Why don't you run a 60 or a 9" or even an 8.8. You said you will not be in the rocks and if you are shopping the junk yards you could easily come up with a 60, 8.8" or a 9" instead of the $ on the super 44 kit. I think an 8.8" could save a lot of $ and easily take the 37s with the new england muck (don't run a traction bar with an 8.8 though). Save the money for the front axle.

are you prepared to dump over $10k into axles, tires, suspension, etc?

if no, forget this whole idea, 33s are a good size for a DD/wheeler with a 30 front and 44 rear

if yes, we can give you some good advice

i just dumped my 37 ssr's for some 35in radial muds for daily driving. 37's are cool but you will definitely have to drop some scratch to make it acceptable for daily driving. you want at least 5.13's and those won't fit in an 8.8,30,35,8.25 so you'll have to go 9inch or 60. i run a 60 in the back. then you'll have to fab up something for the front on a hp 44 out of a bronco or something so you can carry around a spare that will work. lotsa money, lots and lots.

What do you plan on wheeling in that you would need 37's for? I know guys all over New England that don't have any problems running 33's on some very difficult trails.

Besides, how much experience do you have off road and working on rigs? Are you just going to pay someone to build this up for you, or are you doing it yourself? Is your rig stock, or is it already pretty well built and you truly need the upgrade? What are you running right now? Just a few questions that might help give people a better idea of what you're trying to do.

And it sounds like you already run trails with your rig, however it's set up now, but just remember that XJ's are pretty capable off road vehicles when they're stock. Don't underestimate what it can do with little to no modifications.

More important, do you have any experiance driving a lifted xj. They don't drive like stock with 37s on them. stay with 35s. Not that its much different, just a little easier on parts. Put the 44 in the rear with 4.56 gears. Run the stock front end, and be happy.

ipkyss said:

More important, do you have any experiance driving a lifted xj. They don't drive like stock with 37s on them. stay with 35s. Not that its much different, just a little easier on parts. Put the 44 in the rear with 4.56 gears. Run the stock front end, and be happy.

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and gentle

BrettM said:

are you prepared to dump over $10k into axles, tires, suspension, etc?

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I was prepared for $10k, but... :shiver:



:laugh3:
TIM

I run 37's and it drives very nicely on the street , and could easily be a daily driver. However, I have 5.13 gears, a 4.6L stroker, a rear Tera60, a front HPD44 with Warn shafts and CTM's, and a custom suspension.

I'd stick to 35's. It will make your axle choices easier, save you some money, and will make virtually no difference in your trail capability.

as far as doing it myself i am going to do as much as i can.

How much fabricating is involved in putting an 8.8 in the rear?

Money wise i am going to be buying parts slowly and putting them aside and when i have everything than i will build it. or i will get enough parts so that i will be to the point where i can at least get it set up to do DD and very minor trails. both me and the people i wheel with are starting our rigs at the same time and we should all be finished at the same time..

i want to build it right and the way i will like the first time around so i dont have to keep on building it. because in the end that will end up costing me more than just the build the axels and stuff..

as for driving off road i have been wheeling it for about a year and a half now.. it is very capable as it is now. its just i have been doing light to moderate trails..

what would be the best yet still economical way to build the front and rear axles.. if those two things go hand and hand... and would a D44 still be a good axle to run in the front? and what is a good site to buy upgraded shafts and such for axles..

as for the lift i am thinking of getting the RE 5.5 and at some point getting the TNT long arms.

for steering i was looking at the OffRoadOnly U-Turn Steering kit..


and i know that this will not sound right but... what would be the minimum that i would need to do to get my jeep up and running with 37s and be able to drive it and run the occasional trail while i save for the rest?


Thanks

The minimum to run 37s would be to run 35s if using the stock axles under the xj. To run 37s look towards full size bronco axles (hp44 and 9") ----my future setup hopefully. To be honest 37s are not needed. 35s will get you there if you know how to drive. There is a lot of fabrication involved in throwing a hp44 and a 9" under the cherokee even though this route would be the easiest for axles. You should do a lot more research and a whole lot more wheeling before going bigger as 35s+ is a totally different animal in a cherokee. Have you even locked your rig and geared it yet???

Good luck and don't rush into it as you will screw it up if you do. I have been researching mine for at least two years and will be researching it as much as possible until it is done. =========Kyle

im not going to rush into it. i know i have alot more research to do..

i dont care how long it takes to save up the money but i want to build it once and be done with it..

OK, so you're asking us to spend some of our time educating you on what's needed to succesfully run 37's........and I completely understand wanting to conserve funds, and being willing to build it up right the first time. How about you tell us first why you want to run 37's, what type of wheeling you'll be doing, and what kind of performance and reliability you're after?

Keep in mind, there is nothing low budget about running 37's on an XJ, and using it as a DD costs even more.

i want to run 37s for the same reason that most people run 37s.. i am after as much clearance as i can get under the lowest point(diffs) of my rig. but at the same point i am going for looks as well. but i care more about functionality.. and alot of the trails around me are mud with alot of smaller rock scattered here and there that you cannot see. and i dont want to catch one on my diff and screw it up..

and alot of the rigs in my area are running big tires. so i figure they have good reason to and one guy said that i should go for as much clearance as i can get..

the main reason is i wan to get as much clearance under my rig as i can and you cant beat the look

From a newbie to a newbie, take my advise, listen to the XJ Gods (Goatman, Okie Teri, BrettM, Jes, Crash and the other Moderators). They know what they are talking about. They have pretty much guided me the whole way and I am very happy with their advise.

I am not the biggest fan with the full size axles (the Bronco axles recommended above). For what is out here in the west, I think they are too wide (but they are good axles though if shortened).

2000Cherokee said:

How much fabricating is involved in putting an 8.8 in the rear?

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My first project after my lastara Pro Comp lift was my 8.8(out of an 96+ explorer) and a Slip Yolk Eliminator. After 3 days I had it up and running and it was real easy. I don't weld so I made my buddies help with the welding and I did all the labor myself. The axle (with 4.10 gears) was $300 and the SYE was $250 with a drive shaft for $100 (I know, CHEAP!). There are a lot of opinions on this board about the 8.8, but if you can get through all the :bs: , you will realize that it is really strong and comes set up for disc brakes. It can easily handle 35s on it and MAYBE a tad more. Don't worry that it is a C-Clip axle. It is tough and if you brake it your disc brake will hold your wheel on :laugh3: . You can get this all going (if you do the labor) for under $800. Do searches here on and you will find half a million threads on the 8.8 install.

As far as the front end, from very RECENT experience, that is what takes MOST of the research and money. I chose a HP D44. You can easily get an D44 out of a Waggy 80-84 from a junk yard and fix it up cheap (it is a low pinion but it will do fine, ask BrettM). It is the correct width and all you need to do is set up the brackets (Claytons, Rubicon Express). I think the cheapest I could have got this going would have been $800 (never mind gearing). I went high pinion and did locker and Cromo shafts and high steer so I spent probably 3 times this. This axle is great for 35s and some people get away with it on 37s (Goatman but he also recommended 35s). Do searches here on and you will find a bunch of threads on the Dana 44 front axle. My favorite and the most useful thread was Crash's http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52219

Let us say you did the front and rear axle for $1600 bucks. Not too bad. They can do well with 35-36s and you have not broken the bank. Don't forget to budget gearing and lockers which can add up to another $800+.

I am sure some one will have another opinion than I but if you want to set up some great axles for a great price, I would suggest this route, especially if you will be using it as a daily driver.

I think an XJ with 35s can look as good as an XJ with 37s too.

-Cracker

thanks for the link it helped alot...

also in all of the threads that i have read. people say that one axle is good for tires from 35-36" tires and then they say that you need a whole different axle to run 37s.. would i be better to stick with a 36" tire? its right in the middle of 35 and 37? and i was considering running TSLs and they dont come in 37s. would i have to do the same amount of work to run the 36s? i want a capable rig that is reliable..