Yeah ditch all that crap... You dont need it. And get new perches, beacuse its much easier to weld nice new well cut steel.
Word of advice... I just installed an 8.8 in a buddies XJ. He got quite a bit of extra lift in the rear due to the thicker 8.8 tubes, and the taller spring perches. In hindsight, I would have taken the grinder to the spring perches to bring the leaf mounting height down alittle bit. As it is now...we had to add some coil spacers to level his jeep out...and its still tail happy.
For the vent tube...if you are replacing an 8.25, the vent tube/brake hose bolt will work in the 8.8. Same threads, and the length is good. I installed the russell stainless line from the rubicon express kit, and that vent tube bolt worked great as a hold down.
Oh and ditch that cover ASAP! Friggin thin as paper. Even the D30 cover is more stout.
Justin
P.S... THalladay: That axle looks familiar...I think I just had a peek at that yesterday!