NEW GUY here + need some assistance!

[Akira]

What are the improvements that the 8.8 has over the Dana 44?

 

[IXNAYXJ]

Neither JPFREEK or CRAWL magazine have covered it yet...

Fixeded the grammar so it imakes sense, and CRAWL did a write up two months ago. But yes, the Super kit is cool...still it's a bunch of dough where an old-fashioned c-clip 8.8 is a pretty stout axle.

-----Matt-----

 

[IXNAYXJ]

What are the improvements that the 8.8 has over the Dana 44?

Did you watch the video I posted?

The biggest advantage the 8.8 has over the D44 IMO are the disc brakes. Having run them for a while now, I dont think I could ever go back to drums. Both are comperable in strength (people will debate which is superior for the rest of time) but the 8.8 have 31 spline shafts vs 30 for the D44. The benefit of the '44 is that it is a bolt-in, versus the 8.8 needing some modification. The discs are worth it to me, though.

That being said, what axle do you have now? If it's an Chrysler 8.25, I ran that axle with 33's for a while with zero breakage. However, if you're going to regear, it makes sense to do both the axle and gears at once.

-----Matt-----

 

[supsa]

Paul gots all the info . You got you rig running?

 

[IXNAYXJ]

Paul gots all the info . Your got you rig running?

Huh? :dunno:

-----Matt-----

EDIT: Even after your edit, that makes no sense.

 

[Akira]

Yea I did watch your video! Freckin SICK and sounds GREAT! Looks like Im going with the Flowmaster 40! Awesome! Other then a AFE air intake my XJ is unforunately all stock!!!=( Which definately includes having a rear Dana 35 right now!haha sucks.....
But I'm thinking it just might be easier to get that dana 44 so that I can simply bolt it on... Yea know!

 

[IXNAYXJ]

Yea I did watch your video! Freckin SICK and sounds GREAT! Looks like Im going with the Flowmaster 40!

I meant it more as an 8.8 testament, but thanks.

But I'm thinking it just might be easier to get that dana 44 so that I can simply bolt it on... Yea know!

Not a bad way to go, but I do think the 8.8 is a better long term value. Either way, it's a great step towards the trail rig you've got in your mind. Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out, and thanks for being recpetive to input.

-----Matt-----

 

[Akira]

Hey, THANKYOU for the INPUT!!!!! Check out the pics I just put up on a new thread, let me know what you guys think!!!
Its that 400 priced one that I mentioned earlier in this thread.
Thanks

 

[mud1059]

Fixeded the grammar so it imakes sense, and CRAWL did a write up two months ago. But yes, the Super kit is cool...still it's a bunch of dough where an old-fashioned c-clip 8.8 is a pretty stout axle.

-----Matt-----

It was 3am. Gimme a break I appologize for being wrong about CRAWL. I didn't realize!

Have you ever broken a shaft on a c-clip axle? I did on an old Chevy....scared the hell outta me. Heard the clunk, drove 100 more yards and then my ass dropped and my tire/axle went flying past me down Meridian in Puyallup. Never again.

 

[WaXJ_Skier]

Fixeded the grammar so it imakes sense, and CRAWL did a write up two months ago. But yes, the Super kit is cool...still it's a bunch of dough where an old-fashioned c-clip 8.8 is a pretty stout axle.

-----Matt-----

it's cool but it's not that cool because you don't have one yet right?

 

[JBweld]

Have you ever broken a shaft on a c-clip axle?

Yeah Matt, you're not mentioning a major difference between the 8.8 and the 44. The dana axle is a semi-float design. No C-clips.

That doesn't mean a Ford 8.8 isn't a good swap. It's a good axle for NW wheeling. But keep in mind that a broken axle could be more of a problem with the 8.8.

I'm planning on adding discs to my 44. With the 33 spline alloys, the week spot is probably the pinion. Not good.

 

[Avanteone]

Yeah Matt, you're not mentioning a major difference between the 8.8 and the 44. The dana axle is a semi-float design. No C-clips.

That doesn't mean a Ford 8.8 isn't a good swap. It's a good axle for NW wheeling. But keep in mind that a broken axle could be more of a problem with the 8.8.

I'm planning on adding discs to my 44. With the 33 spline alloys, the week spot is probably the pinion. Not good.

Yes, of course the c-clip is a disadvantage, on paper. 1st: The 8.8 is disk brakes, a broken axle shaft in an 8.8 does NOT mean you're gonna get passed by your tire 2nd: I've YET to see an 8.8 break at the clip. I've seen a couple break the shafts further out (and they were V8's, big tires, etc). AND the Superior Super8.8 kit eliminates the C-clips and adds alloys shafts for not much more $$$ than alloy shafts by themselves.

J

 

[WaXJ_Skier]

Yes, of course the c-clip is a disadvantage, on paper. 1st: The 8.8 is disk brakes, a broken axle shaft in an 8.8 does NOT mean you're gonna get passed by your tire 2nd: I've YET to see an 8.8 break at the clip. I've seen a couple break the shafts further out (and they were V8's, big tires, etc). AND the Superior Super8.8 kit eliminates the C-clips and adds alloys shafts for not much more $$$ than alloy shafts by themselves.

J

IIRC Superior has not had to warranty any super8.8 kits because nobody has been able to bust it yet. I think I read that on their website

 

[mud1059]

lol what a can of worms! Without strength a factor, I'm going to throw down some notes to summarize everything - this is all off the top of my head, if I'm forgetting something, throw it out there!

D44 ~$400
Pros:Semi floating, direct swap. Ground clearance, Discs can be had off a Crown Victoria ~$100
Cons:drum brakes, Hard to come by - making cheap spares scarce, and shock mount = anchor!

8.8 ~$400
Pros: Easily found, disc brakes
Cons: 4.88 cap, ground clearance, not direct swap, $500+ Superior kit can fix last two issues AND comes with sexy alloy shafts: not same width and C-clip axles.

There you have it.

 

[Avanteone]

8.8 ~$400
Pros: Easily found, disc brakes
Cons: 4.88 cap, ground clearance, not direct swap, $500+ Superior kit can fix last two issues AND comes with sexy alloy shafts: not same width and C-clip axles.

There you have it.

You can go deeper than 4.88 in the 8.8, I'm running 5.13's. The superior kit is not NECESSARY to be plenty strong. And, once you to the Super 8.8 kit you end up back out close to stock width... actually slightly wider. Also, if you're gonna try and compare apples to apples, throw in the $400 TERA disk brake upgrade for the D44.... or take away the $400 for the 8.8 disk brake axle and figure $50 for the cost of a drum brake unit.

J

 

[mud1059]

You can go deeper than 4.88 in the 8.8, I'm running 5.13's. The superior kit is not NECESSARY to be plenty strong. And, once you to the Super 8.8 kit you end up back out close to stock width... actually slightly wider. Also, if you're gonna try and compare apples to apples, throw in the $400 TERA disk brake upgrade for the D44.... or take away the $400 for the 8.8 disk brake axle and figure $50 for the cost of a drum brake unit.

J

Like I said, I was going off memory. Is it the D30 that has the 4.88 cap?
I'm pretty sure I said I was leaving out strength. I did that because it can be argued till the sun goes down. The rest of what you said makes no damn sense.

 

[WaXJ_Skier]

can this be taken to the tech forum where it belongs?

 

[cherotron]

Yeah, I remember trying to rock your rig out of the snow...not fun. You've also got the Wrangler transmission and I kept missing reverse; apparently it's a little different than an AX-15.

-----Matt-----

no no, it's the ax-15. assgas:

 

[IXNAYXJ]

Yeah Matt, you're not mentioning a major difference between the 8.8 and the 44. The dana axle is a semi-float design. No C-clips.

...where an old-fashioned c-clip 8.8 is a pretty stout axle.

I did mention it, but having run an c-clip 8.25 for a couple years and now a c-clip 8.8 for a while, it's just not too big of a concern to me. Certainly I'll agree that semi-float is the better way to go, but there are other considerations I place more value on.

-----Matt-----

 

[CanMan]

C clip or not, you still have to pull the cover to get the broken shaft out anyways.