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Guy welding 8.8 for me - can I determine correct angles without the XJ?

Thetastycat

NAXJA Forum User
Location
TN
Hey all - the guy that's regearing an 8.8 for me is also going to weld on the new spring perches and shock mounts. He says all he needs to know where to put them is the old 8.25, so my plan was to pull it out of the XJ and bring both rears to him.

BUT

The XJ's been lifted 6.5", now has an SYE, and will have an 8.8 instead of an 8.25, so the angle needs to be a lot different than stock. Is there ANY way for me to figure out what angle he should weld everything at without him actually having the XJ there and basically installing the 8.8? I can always have him just weld them at stock angles and use shims but it would be great if I could tell him what angles to weld everything and I wouldn't need shims. But I can't figure out any way to determine the correct angles without actually installing the 8.8 - and I haven't figured out all the brake stuff yet with the new rear being discs, etc., so it doesn't really make sense for me to drive the jeep to him, and then he'd charge me a bunch of labor for dropping the 8.25/putting in the 8.8 which I was going to do anyway, not to mention that I'd have no rear brakes for the ride home and I'd have to figure out how to plug the rear lines up so even the FRONTS would work correctly.

Maybe there's an approximate angle he could weld them on at so at least I wouldn't need really big shims?

Sure appreciate the help!
 
Not really, but it would be in your best interest to do it right the first time.
 
BTW, why are you swapping axles? There really isn't a benefit to the 8.8 unless yours is a 27 spline, but that's easily changed.
 
Not a bad question - this is my first XJ and I just got it, and unfortunately I'm finding that POs cut a LOT of corners wherever they could. It's got a ton of miles but it's really in good shape, so I'm wanting to build it ONCE and do it right. 8.25 is a lot better than the d35 but it's stock with 3.07s since it's an AX15, so I've got to regear anyway, and figured why not spend $150 for a junkyard 8.8 to get an even stronger rear that's got discs on it.

Yeah, I know it would be best to do it right the first time, but short of paying him to do the entire swap (which I don't even know that he'd be willing to do), I just can't figure out a way to do it. I don't even have a new rear driveshaft yet because I don't know how long it will be - was just going to measure once I got the 8.8 in.

Is there some way I can figure this out that I'm not thinking of yet?
 
If your re-gearing to 3.07 you making another mistake, disc's for the 8.25 are a dime a dozen right now.
 
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