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8.8 info once again

2jeepowner

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Minnesota
I've done numerous searches and haven't come to the answer I am looking for. I just got a 8.8 to swap into my 1988 XJ. I've read that some people cut off their spring perches and others leave them where they are on the ford axle. Is one or the other better? Does the location of them change? Also, what is the next best way to measure where my shock mounts should be on the axle if I don't have my old one to compare it to? I have a 3" lift on the jeep also, will the pinion angle be significantly different? Any information would be helpful.

Thanks
 
If your gonna add lift, which I'm sure you are, go to the Dodge Stealership and buy a set of Mopar Performance perches for around $9 for the set. They are real beefy, you'll like'em.

Then when you weld them and the shock mounts on, put them at 5-7*, depending the amount of lift. This will reduce driveline vibes.
 
2jeepowner said:
I've done numerous searches and haven't come to the answer I am looking for. I just got a 8.8 to swap into my 1988 XJ. I've read that some people cut off their spring perches and others leave them where they are on the ford axle. Is one or the other better? Does the location of them change? Also, what is the next best way to measure where my shock mounts should be on the axle if I don't have my old one to compare it to? I have a 3" lift on the jeep also, will the pinion angle be significantly different? Any information would be helpful.

Thanks
Explorer axles are spring under, XJs are spring over. Yes, you have to change them unless you're building a low rider.
 
2jeepowner said:
I've read that some people cut off their spring perches and others leave them where they are on the ford axle.
Personally, I think you should clean all the brackets and perches off the axle before you intall new ones. You don't want all that in the way while setting the axle up for your rig ...

2jeepowner said:
Does the location of them change?
I'm assuming you are talking about your spring perches. Yes, the width is different center to center. Plus, you'll want to set them so your pinion is at the proper angle for your lift. This will eliminate the need for degree shims.

2jeepowner said:
Also, what is the next best way to measure where my shock mounts should be on the axle if I don't have my old one to compare it to?
Find another XJ and measure. I took my measurements by measuring how far the shock mounting bolt was from the spring perch ... and used that measurement. This is not a very critical measurement. One tip though ... raise your shock mounts up on your axle so they do not hang below the bottom. If you wheel much, you know this is a common place to get hung on ... you'll no longer have this problem if you do this.

HTH ...

Les
 
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