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Opinions wanted Re: Axles

at the end of the day, OP needs to define his ultimate tire size and keep driving style in mind. the amount of work/$$$ required to run a slightly taller tire is a little crazy.

I keep going back and forth on selling my 44s and just sticking to 35s.
 
at the end of the day, OP needs to define his ultimate tire size and keep driving style in mind. the amount of work/$$$ required to run a slightly taller tire is a little crazy.

Funny, I was having this conversation this morning. the difference in cost between 33's, gears, a bit of fender trimming and 35's gears, rears, suspension upgrades etc. is CRAZY! The driving duties of the rig will be road trips to good technical rock crawling spots and occasional DD duty if something goes wrong with my actual DD car. I'm an east coaster, so there's many many miles between me and the good rocks. I've got Rausch Creek pretty close, but there's no replacement for Utah and Colorado even up in Minnesota there's some crazy terrain.

The more I think about it the more I want to stick to 33's. It'll make things a little bit more challenging save some $$ and keep the highway manners in check. Back in my LJ i went all types of places on 35's that people told me you couldn't go on 35's and didn't struggle all that much.

So to bring this ramble back on track... The 8.25 with good 29 spline chromoly shafts and 4.56's should be able to handle 33's with out too much issue? Should I consider bracing it? As always the ultimate goal is for it to be bulletproof.

I know the D30 with the proper upgrades should be no problem with 33's.
 
8.25 is stronger than the 30. Been running mine locked on 33's for 5 years with zero improvements.

add disc brakes to keep your axle in place if you have C-clip or axle problems and it's good to go. the stopping power is a bonus.
 
I picked up a Ford 8.8 with disk brakes for $125.00 from the JY, trussed it, welded the tubes, and added some Yukon 1541H shafts. Running on 37's !
20507275_10154835350237066_6550320467176455557_o_zpsqdbjalzf.jpg
 
If you are starting from scratch, there is no 9" vs 44 debate. yes a junkyard 3rd is nothing to brag about but a 9" opens the door for huge capacity. You can grow a 9" to be just about all the axle you need without throwing everything out like you have to do with a 44. That and if you have ever worked on either a 9" is a joy to work on compared to anything from Dana.

Nothing wrong with a junkyard 9" by any means. Not many here are going to hurt a stock 3rd member.

Meh, you want to spend money on something go with a D60 and your done. 9" are neat but they are spendy to start building.

I'd say the exact opposite. Unless it's one of the rare 35 spline stock D60's, they're not that much better than a D44 really.

A 9" can be built far cheaper than most, and beefier.

Find a 31 spline big bearing nodular housing 9" in the JY, and you'll be far ahead.

Gears and lockers are going to be similar enough between axles, but you can get used Detroits for them pretty cheap (I did). Chromos are pretty cheap as well.

An 8.8 or 8.25 would do you just fine as well.
 
So to bring this ramble back on track... The 8.25 with good 29 spline chromoly shafts and 4.56's should be able to handle 33's with out too much issue? Should I consider bracing it? As always the ultimate goal is for it to be bulletproof.

I know the D30 with the proper upgrades should be no problem with 33's.

I'm on 29spl yukons/arb,33s,4.56. Before the shafts I've taken a few surprising pucker obstacles that I had no idea a locked 8.25 could handle. It's quite capable of 35s if driven with some care, there are many that do. With that said I have full size nitto 33s and compared to a 35 not true to size your right there anyway. Btw 33s come in some awesome 10 50 options!

No axle is beyond breaking if you drive ridiculously, theres plenty examples of people proving this on purpose.

Sounds like you know where you want to go and you've got upgrade room if you like:cheers:
 
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