8.8 and Lift update/Problems *Pics*

[St3mpy]

Ok, so I've got pics on my 8.8 install. So far my main problem is that the perches welded on are way to small. My main question is my pinion angle. What should it look like a full droop? is that too much of an angle? Right now the u-joint by the t-case is resting on the yoke as you can see in the pic. BTW, this is with the s-10 conversion, so this is about 4 inches of lift

New Perches

too small perches

 

[cracker]

Ok, so I've got pics on my 8.8 install. So far my main problem is that the perches welded on are way to small. My main question is my pinion angle. What should it look like a full droop? is that too much of an angle? Right now the u-joint by the t-case is resting on the yoke as you can see in the pic. BTW, this is with the s-10 conversion, so this is about 4 inches of lift

It is still pretty hard to tell Pinion angle from those picks but it seems 'okay'. Don't worry about full droop as much as having it weighted completely as if it were level when setting the pinion angle.

The best way to do it is comletely install the axle with the pads not welded on the axle. Put the vehicles complete weight on the axle and use a floor jack to adjust the pinion angle. One found tack it, take the axle out and weld.

 

[MaXJohnson]

Get a high clearance yoke. I think mine was about $59.00 from Rusty's. This was quite a bit less than RE or the dealership.

Glad to see you're changing out those puny, small, little, diminutive, tiny, minute, frail, sickly, weakly, underfed, insignificant, paltry, trivial, trifling perches.

 

[Gil BullyKatz]

Glad to see you're changing out those puny, small, little, diminutive, tiny, minute, frail, sickly, weakly, underfed, insignificant, paltry, trivial, trifling perches.

You forgot miniscule and paltry...

Seriously...

What the hell were you thinking welding that inky-dinky piece of metal on your axle to hold your springs...?

You might as well have pulled your pud and dropped a load of man glue on there to hold them..

forget the Ford OEM type... Here's a pic of them next to a pair from Great Lake Offroad for $25 (shipped)

 

[Roxtar]

You forgot miniscule and paltry...

Seriously...

What the hell were you thinking welding that inky-dinky piece of metal on your axle to hold your springs...?

You might as well have pulled your pud and dropped a load of man glue on there to hold them..

forget the Ford OEM type... Here's a pic of them next to a pair from Great Lake Offroad for $25 (shipped)

2X
I'm all for budget stuff but sometimes you can take it a little far. Spend the $25 and get something decent.
As for your pinion angle it depends on what you plan for a driveshaft. At 4" of lift it might be time for a SYE and a double cardan (CV) driveshaft. With this kind of DS you want the pinion pointing at the transfer case. With a standard DS you want the pinion agle to be parallel to the output shaft of the transfer case.
When lifting an XJ, the word "budget" is somewhat misleading.

 

[canadianwheeler]

Is that a s10 pack minus the over load leaf? and the main xj leaf pack?

 

[St3mpy]

Yepp, that's the S-10 pack with the XJ main minus the over load leaf. I've got a PORC SYE ordered, so I'll be going double cardon driveshaft. I should weld the new perches to give me 1-3 degrees lower then parallel to the driveshaft to help with axle wrap, correct? How does the differential need to be maintained at an agle this extreme to keep the pinion bearing starved for oil? Overfill?

 

[XJ_ranger]

Yepp, that's the S-10 pack with the XJ main minus the over load leaf. I've got a PORC SYE ordered, so I'll be going double cardon driveshaft. I should weld the new perches to give me 1-3 degrees lower then parallel to the driveshaft to help with axle wrap, correct? How does the differential need to be maintained at an agle this extreme to keep the pinion bearing starved for oil? Overfill?

the 8.8 has a fill plug on the side on the front, not on the dif cover if memory serves - so filling it to the bottom of that hole on the snout is what most of my friends do with their 8.8's and i do with my 9"

there should be enough fluid moving in there...

and yes - my pinion is 2* down to account for axle wrap.

 

[xuv-this]

for pinion angle, heres what you need to do: go to a hardware store and get a magnetic angle finder. it costs around $10 and looks like a big round dial with a needle in the center, and the dial is on a right angle edge that has a magnet on it. a very handy tool. when the jeep is level, stick it on the transfer output shaft, and get the angle. then stick a level on the 8.8's spring bracket and level it. when it is level, stick the angle finder on that flat spot on the diff and make it the same angle as the output shaft. tack the spring brackets in opposite corners on all 4 corners with the level still on. this makes sure they don't pull when you weld them. so essentially the angle on both ds ujoints will be paralell and cancel each other out.

 

[xuv-this]

oh, and 1 more thing. the steel used on stuff like factory leaf perches is tempered and stronger than say run-of-the-mill channel or square tube. the latter will bend/bow out over time.

 

[XJ_ranger]

for pinion angle, heres what you need to do: go to a hardware store and get a magnetic angle finder. it costs around $10 and looks like a big round dial with a needle in the center, and the dial is on a right angle edge that has a magnet on it. a very handy tool. when the jeep is level, stick it on the transfer output shaft, and get the angle. then stick a level on the 8.8's spring bracket and level it. when it is level, stick the angle finder on that flat spot on the diff and make it the same angle as the output shaft. tack the spring brackets in opposite corners on all 4 corners with the level still on. this makes sure they don't pull when you weld them. so essentially the angle on both ds ujoints will be paralell and cancel each other out.

that works for single cardan joints...

but would be improper for a "CV" shaft like he talked about buying...

and you still want to point it down 1 or 2* to acount for pinion climb...


all measurements should be taken with the weight of the jeep on the springs on the axle...

u-bolts will hold the axle to the springs safe enough to set it there long enough to tack it in place

 

[xuv-this]

oooohh sorry i meant to say with the rear under it. he could give it an xtra degree, but that's prolly all he should go unless he tows a lot. hey how would that angle setup differ for a cv?

 

[XJ_ranger]

oooohh sorry i meant to say with the rear under it. he could give it an xtra degree, but that's prolly all he should go unless he tows a lot. hey how would that angle setup differ for a cv?

with a "cv" (actualy a Double Cardan NEAR Constant Velocity) shaft, you want all the angle to be taken by the "cv" joint and 0 angle to happen with the bottom joint (at ride height).

its all right here:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-shaft/index.html
and it all makes sense...

 

[Gil BullyKatz]

oh, and 1 more thing. the steel used on stuff like factory leaf perches is tempered and stronger than say run-of-the-mill channel or square tube. the latter will bend/bow out over time.

oh...

Kinda like the oem perches on my D35?

The ones that became seesaws for my leaf perches?

Sometimes size does matter...

Laser cut from 1/4 inch thick P&O steel plate. They are formed using a 250 ton CNC press brake. Note these are not cheap generic trailer spring mount pads.

 

[xuv-this]

ha ha. not all perches are made the same. but it's not just size, it's how you use it(the jeep) i'm not saying that scrap stock can't be used, overkill is key. if the perch bends or "wallers" out, there will be slack in the ubolts, and the whole thing could jump centering bolt in the leaf, the whole side of the axle slide back on the leaf, rip off the dvs, et cetera. not pretty.