how's this for a rearend option?

[moparjim1987]

I was thinking about this the other night and there might be another rear axle option for the jeep crowd. the dodge 9 1/4 came in dakotas and durangos, with the later axles being 6 bolt. if the dakotas from 87 to 90/91 came with the 9 1/4 AND 5-bolt axles, the rear end would be perfect for cherokees and grand cherokees and they're dirt cheap. also, the pinion depth is the same as the 8 1/4 so they can use the same driveshaft to reduce some costs there. the biggest thing would be the width of the axle but for off roaders, that might not be a problem. that is why i said about the dakota piece because it is roughly the same track width as an XJ. its just some food for thought.......arty:

 

[98XJeep]

what after market options are there for that axle? that might be a big factor

 

[Mopar It]

same as others, i had one on my dodge half ton that i wheeled and it had 3.55's stock, a limited slip, and it turned my 35x14.50 tsl ssr's through any obstacle without a single disturbance in that rear end, its tough

 

[moparjim1987]

well, i know that they have some aftermarket axle upgrades, gears to 4.88, posi tractions and lockers, and after i just logged off, i remembered that you can get a hub kit for i think a dana 30 or 44 that converts them to the 5 on 5 bolt pattern so you could even use the axles out of a 1/2 ton truck and have them narrowed possibly. the 8.8 may be a bolt in axle but it isn't very strong, and they could get expensive to find someday, meanwhile the 9 1/4 is still being made in 1/2 tons and light duty 3/4 tons so there isn't going to be a shortage of them soon..

I had one in my old '87 3/4 ton dodge power ram. 160,000 on the original gears, still goin strong as a plow truck (sold it and bought my jeep, have yet to have any dissappointments....) i even beat the hell out of it religously with 33x12.50x16.5's and never broke.

My point in all this is, it may take a little more work, but it is way stronger and keeps a shorter driveshaft whichb on any jeep is a good thing!!!:guitar:

 

[5.2poweredxj]

I don't know if the dakota in 87-90/91 came with 9.25. Those years you could get a standard option for a v8 so why would they put that big of rear end in it?

My dads 92 had a 8.25 but was 6 bolt.
But his new truck a 2000 has the 9.25 with 6 bolt

I just check every year rear option on dakotas on car-part.com they don't list and option for 9.25 until 1998.

 

[moparjim1987]

well, i know the 84 and older dodge trucks have the 9 1/4 rear with the 4 1/2 inch b.p. and bigger brakes than the cherokees have. the biggest thing would be the width but if the cherokee rear is narrow enough, the truck rear could be narrowed to fit.

 

[whompinxj]

So you would need a bigger wheel to fit the brakes?

 

[RyanM]

You talking about a Ramcharger??

 

[J-Roc]

older dodge dakotas came with a 8.25 rear end... and it was 27 spline because my buddy bought a lockrite for his 89 dak.

 

[alex22]

Has anybody used a 8 3/4 out of the older dodge vehicles? I know that they have the same lug spaceing as the jeeps. There is one in an old truck sitting in my garage, and I believe there is a disk conversion avaliable.

~Alex