Been searching and researching....I need axle advice!

[COTallTodd]

Hi all,
Here's my situation....I'm needing to do regearing on my '92 that I just put together. Running 35's so therefore I'm certain I need 4:88's. I have $1500 to spend on axle upgrades and I'm wanting to swap rear for a 8.8 and leave the 30 up front.

1. Who do you recommend to do the work?
2. What are your opinions in my thinking?
3. What will give me the most on my budget?

Thanks guys!

 

[SolarBell]

1. Dutch (Since he's announced he's back in the game)
2. Good ratio, but your D30 pinion will be wee tiny.
3. in terms of what?
4. Don't go to the guy in Parker on Craigslist.

 

[SeeingSpots]

Dutch (Since he's announced he's back in the game)

Yes

Don't go to the guy in Parker on Craigslist.

Absolutely This

I have the exact setup you're looking for - D30 in the front and an 8.8 in the rear with 4.88's on a AX15 with 35"s. I love it as much as I can for being a manual off-road rig.

I might be selling this setup towards the latter end of the fall for something...ahem.....more "capable". :firedevil

If you can wait that long, I'm sure we can work out a deal.

 

[DutchVDub]

If you have an 8.25 in the rear keep it. Close enough in strength to the 8.8 and you can swap it to disc brakes easily enough.

4.88's are not a problem, I'm on furlough right now so I'm very very open if you want me to to the work. Just shoot me a PM

 

[Starboard M]

Auto or manual?

While you are regearing, think about traction devices.

What type of wheeling do you do? DD? Ever drive on the road in the ice and snow?

 

[COTallTodd]

I have a 35 rear, which is why I was wanting to do 8.8 swap. I eventually plan to do ARB lockers as I have the compressor already set up. I had talked to the guy in Parker. I had seen that he gets mixed reviews. Thanks for confirming what you did before I threw away money there.

I don't daily drive it, but do plan on wheeling my normal moderate trails for now

 

[COTallTodd]

I forgot, it's an Auto

 

[DutchVDub]

Automatic with 35's go with 4.88's for sure, 4.56's will work just fine but the extra power of the 4.88's will be nice on the highway. If you do have the Dana35 out back then either an 8.25 swap or an 8.8 swap is the way to go. ARB's are no problem for, neither is welding all the brackets for the 8.8 swap.

I'm still a big proponent of the 8.25 myself, they can be bought for cheaper and are a direct bolt in to the Cherokee. Disc brakes can be robbed off of a Liberty and are the same basic design as the ones found on the 8.8 axle. With the 8.8 you need to buy spacers and brackets, with the 8.25 you just bolt it in and then swap on disc brakes later if so desired. 8.25 winds up being a little bit cheaper that way.

FWIW, the guy in Parker looked over my shoulder as I set up a pair of axles in his garage and then decided to start doing them himself. Several people on here have had axles he set up go bad on them. I've only had 1 issue with a set I did and we sorted that out no problem. Turned out the compression spring for the pinion seal had come out and got squished between the yoke and bearing. This lead to some very hard to diagnose vibrations. I'll fully take the hit on that one, its the only issue I've had with over 200 ring and pinions I've set up. Honestly I don't keep count, but I do axles at work as needed and on the side. I have been a diesel mechanic for over 12yrs now.

 

[Gunter]

axle options are plentyful.
teh 8.8 is great
but there are many others. the isuzu rodeo and trooper all run a d44 but they are 6 lug and you would need to change out the yoke on the pinion. if a guy went waggy d44 front (6 lug) and one of these you would have a nice pair of d44's.
keep in mind toyota and many others use 6 lug wheels too.
any ranger/ford truck 8.8 with drums can be utilized as well. also available in the same Jeep gear ratios too. the self energising drums with good shoes and drums and no doubt larger than stock Jeep will have plenty of braking force.
the 8.8/web-wheelers will no doubt tell you the 8.8 is the best hands down but that is not true. even a s10 blazer ten bolt rear would be a huge upgrade over a d35.

u pull n pay sell complete axle minus drums for 130 each.web site says 99 but that price is incorrect. if you do teh sweat you can cut down costs a lot. and if you shop smart you can get axles already geared to match. but as you likely go bigger tires you need to pony up and re gear.

and you likely will need driveshaft reworking in this process as well.

I have a 35 rear, which is why I was wanting to do 8.8 swap. I eventually plan to do ARB lockers as I have the compressor already set up. I had talked to the guy in Parker. I had seen that he gets mixed reviews. Thanks for confirming what you did before I threw away money there.

I don't daily drive it, but do plan on wheeling my normal moderate trails for now

 

[Gunter]

and double check teh axle housing width.

 

[Gunter]

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0603_budget_10_bolt/viewall.html

read the whole article. i am sure one can handle 80- percent of the usual wheeling folks do. how many blazers and chevy trucks run them?

 

[DutchVDub]

With the 8.8 you will need the flange adapter from a Ford Aerostar minivan to keep your 1310 u-joints on the drive shaft. If you use the explorer one then you'll need a 1310/1330 conversion u-joint.

The 8.8 is a great axle but I'm against swapping it in as its narrower than stock and that can lead to issues if you decide to swap out the front Dana 30 later. I ran into that myself when I did and 8.8 swap out back and then went to a Waggy D44 up front. I had to convert the Waggy axle to Ford 5x5.5 using a bunch of different parts and then get adapters for the 8.8 to get it to the matching bolt pattern. Plus, for all its greatness its still a c-clip axle unless you dump even more money into it. To me the only thing that makes the 8.8 such a great swap into a Jeep is that its just as much of a potential money pit as the Jeep itself is.

A Dana30/8.25 combo will hold up to 35's very well as long as you wheel with at least 1 or 2 brain cells. I'm actually fairly throttle happy and still managed to keep them together just fine running heavy steel bead locks and 35" Krawlers while retaining the stock shafts. I did only have a factory limited slip in the 8.25 (worked very well btw) but up front was a lunchbox locker. If you're going to run ARB's front and rear you have the ability to use your lockers intelligently and really save shafts. 8.25 also uses the same length shaft on both sides so that's one less spare to carry.

 

[DutchVDub]

Let me add: with most aftermarket wheels you won't have to worry about spacers on 8.8 axle. Its about 3/4" narrower than stock.

 

[COTallTodd]

Thanks Dutch...you're my man for this!

 

[WAZZUXJ]

If you have an 8.25 in the rear keep it. Close enough in strength to the 8.8 and you can swap it to disc brakes easily enough.

4.88's are not a problem, I'm on furlough right now so I'm very very open if you want me to to the work. Just shoot me a PM

If he did have an 8.25, being a '92 XJ would mean 27 spline axles which is not "close enough in strength".

If it was a later model with a 29 spline 8.25, then I would agree, keep it.

 

[Luke95]

I did a 29 spline swap. With 34 swampers a noslip and a heavy right foot shes still holding together. and this includes 2wd launches at rock ledges. I would do that, $125 for a bolt in axle with the same strength as a 8.8 and its money you dont need to spend on brackets.

 

[DutchVDub]

If he did have an 8.25, being a '92 XJ would mean 27 spline axles which is not "close enough in strength".

If it was a later model with a 29 spline 8.25, then I would agree, keep it.

The 29 spline is stronger, but the 27 spline is no weakling either. I beat the hell out of mine welded up on 32's w/o it failing. You can also swap the 29 spline shafts and carrier into a 27 spline axle and still be less into it than an 8.8 swap.

 

[in4aride]

Ya the 8.25 is a dope axle. I pounded on mine super hard. And did the same on a welded 27 spline when I was noob toobin it :roflmao:

No you do not want a ranger 8.8. For anything other than its pinion flange. (Or Aerostar like mentioned )
Swapping to 6lug rear is dumb unles swapping front and again dumb/pointless for just running 35's.
josh in Parker is a tool. He still owes me (used to work for him. He is super shady)
Gears I liked the 456 but never ran 488.
Dutch is your man.

 

[xj-grin]

WTF, Dutch? I thought CO was going to pay Nat'l Guard salaries for road repair during the "shutdown"... /hijack

dutch does good work (just to keep on topic)...

 

[djlarroc]

I agree w/Dutch on the 8.25 vs the 8.8.

I've had 2 8.8s in my Jeeps as well as helping 2 others install theirs.

If you are only going 4:10s, the 8.8 can be found stock that way and saves you $. But seeing as you have to re-gear both axles to 4:88 anyway, then yeah, I also say the 8.25 is a better choice.

For some weird reason, after I installed my 8.8s, it felt as though the take off was different. I'm not sure why, but I noticed it, in both my swaps.