axle build help. wj swapped 30 and ford 8.8

[Dragonlich1961]

looking to build a set of axles for my 94 xj.
specs, 1994 2dr xj, current, dana 30/ 35 combo on 4-4.5 inch lift, 3.55 gears
aw4 np231 with sye, currently using an auto shaft in rear. 33x12.5 on 15x8 wheels with 3.75 backcpasing. 155 k eventually plan on building a 4.6L
also swapped to a 96 master and booster.

I need better gears, I do a lot of highway driving and the 3.55's just leave no passing power, Have to downshift to 3rd a lot. plus i need better gas milage.

this is my daily, and the brackety on the front axle is failing, pass coil bucket has big hole from rust, and several small holes in the other brackets. front is currently open and rear is lsd, but properably very worn.

my plans are stay at 33's, this is a weekend warrior, at best.
will the ford 8.8 31 spline hold up fine with 33's-35's with stock parts? looking to find a lsd model.
front plans are to find another dana 30 housing, probably junkyard, and build it.
plans for it are,
bearing spacers, wj knuckles with ruffstuff gm crossover diy kit 1ton. wj ball joints. Offset tre with high angle drag's. abenko calipers instead of teaves.( heard/read that these shoould clear wheels.)
truss axle and weld on c gussets and lower control arm mounts, will also fab a new trackabr over axle at this time. cruuently running a rusty's bar with bushing end.
my issues is gears, i can save money by staying at 4:10 since i can find a rear with 4:10's and an lsd straigth from the yard.
front axle is harder to find with 4:10's (4cyl) so will probraply have to rear gear,and get a carrier since it's a dana axle. so im looking to run an eaton e-locker. will 4:10s be ok with a aw4 and 33's and better with the 4.6 or will it still be miserable and sould i bite the bulit and do 4:56's?

Looking for expert advise hear and to see if i am missing parts.

i like to do this once and be done.

 

[whitexj98]

Offset TREs may not clear your wheels. I used claytons 1.25 tie rod ran OTK using goferit inserts with OE WJ ends for the best clearance, everything clears lock to lock. Drag link is GM high angle with 1-1/2" DOM.

 

[trippled]

I did kinda the same thing. I found an 8.8 with 4.10s and geared the front to match.im on metric 33s. It does fine. 4.56s would be nice, but it's still a little more gear than stock with 4.10. if you're not rock bouncing it the 8.8 will be fine with those tires. You could always throw the 8.8 in and drive it around and see how you like the gearing.

And in my opinion the 8.8 limited slip is pretty worthless. It'll be just as worn out as what you have now. It kinda works in the snow but anything high traction you'll never know you have it.

 

[Dragonlich1961]

i was originally looking at using wj tre's but the cost of the jks bars with out tre's is more than the gm 1-ton stuff/ with tre's. fab work will all be done in house.
but you are right, the clerance's may be to tight. ill have to see, when i go axle "shopping" i'll build the axle in the yard with all of the parts i need so i'll have the wj steerijng lingage to use hopefully, as mock up.
i think 4:10's will be ok but i just don't know, usually with hot rods you go as deap as you want and just deal, but i need this thing streetable.

 

[clydefrog]

Im running 4.56 with almost the same suspension and tire setup as you but I have an LS motor. I would strongly suggest the 4.56 and the factory 8.8 lsd sucks, mine had one when I got it. Doesn't really work for true four wheeling although it was actually pretty decent in the snow and wet roads. I'm running a Trutrac front and rear currently and love it. Stock 8.8 is pretty stout, doesn't need much upgrading with 33's especially if your not running a locker.

 

[Dragonlich1961]

Those Clayton wj swap bars look nice. I may run those. I'll probably rebuild the posi unit in the 8.8 for now to keep the cost down. The front axle is going to take a lot out of the piggy bank. Hince the reason for also keeping 4:10 instead of 4.56. It only 250 difference in rpm at 70mph. 4:10 runs 2200 4:56 runs 2400.

 

[RCP Phx]

I think that you will regret the 4.10's! I've been running them for 16yrs, when I started running 33x10.50's it was stretched to the max(specially when towing). Now with my max stroker it's not as bad.

 

[smokeyyank]

Another vote for 4.56 with 33's. I ran 4.10's on 33's and was always wishing for deeper gears getting up the hill. On 31's it did fine but once I moved up lost some umpf.

 

[sinat01]

go 4.56 or 4.88
I have a 5 speed with 4.11s and 33s and it has a ton of power but for a 5 speed 4.11s are stock for 35s if that makes sense.
the 8.8 is good, if you don't wanna spend as much toss an 8.25 under it and do the liberty disk brake swap on it, the axles are similar in strength, and the 8.25 bolts right in and is the right width since they came stock.

and for the steering check out the stinkyfab kit, it may seem pricy but has everything to do it, and the steering links are 7075 aluminum

 

[Dragonlich1961]

I've been thinking about 4:56. It's just the cost of parts.
The 8.8 is going in because it's stronger already has disk brakes and, only 450_500 swap, that's junkyard axle with swap kit and brake rebuild. No gears. Stinky fab steering links use 1ton tie rods. So clearance may still be an issue.

What do people do for the track bar on the axle side. What bracket fits best.
What truss do you guys recommend?

 

[markw]

4.56 gears with 33's. 4.10's will leave you slightly better than 3.55's. The front will need a full case locker, or a new carrier for either 4.56 or 4.10's as the break is I think at 3.90. 8.8 can use same carrier for 3.x and 4.x. Your junkyards are expensive, last 8.8 we pulled about 6 months ago was less than $100.

Track bar up front depends on steering, you mention SFR, and he's got a couple different setups, inverted T, stock replacement tie rod, and full WJ. Inverted T and stock replacement Tie Rod use the stock track bar bracket. The rubicon express RE1660 with RE1665 Bracket works nice if you use stock steering.

 

[Rockwood]

AW4 and 33s, 4.56:1 is a little short, but completely reasonable for a secondary vehicle.

 

[smokeyyank]

AW4 and 33s, 4.56:1 is a little short, but completely reasonable for a secondary vehicle.

It's an extra 200-250ish RPM @ 65-70. I'll take that all day, especially when getting up the hill at elevation.

 

[Dragonlich1961]

Really looking at 4.56 is about 400ish for gears and install kit one axle. No labor, ill do them.
Just need to make sure I've got a full list of parts now.
Rear axle, swap kit, new brakes as needed, gears, install kit.
Looking at the ballistic fab truss as well, I don't mind the welding. Any reviews of that one?

 

[cwyman6]

I run the ironrock truss, sfr steering knuckle under with core4x4 Track bar and rcvs. No bumpsteer what so ever. Tie rod hangs a little low for my liking but that's why it's aluminum. I should have made my own Track bar but ran out of time. The wj powerstop brake kit works great. Already did wj mc and booster swap. Running 4.56 on 35s. Should have gone 4.88 but I'm just gonna put 4:1 instead

 

[Jim Malcolm]

If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't use an 8.8 for one reason. The wheel bearings don't have an inner race like every other vehicle known to man. The axle shaft itself is the inner race. If you wait too long on replacing them, or just having really bad luck, you are SOL if you fubar the axle shaft.

If you do decide to use an 8.8, even after grinding off most of the flange along side the pinion, I still have to use a round body (Magnaflow) muffler.

Probably a good idea to relocate the vent on it as well since you need to overfill due to the SYE. I get away with the tube, but I'm lower than you. I mounted it at the abs sensor hole using a plate, but even after cutting out the abs tone ring from the assembled axle, the ring gear still pushed fluid up into the hose.

IMO, you're better off getting an open diff given that you can put a mini-locker in it. The OEM limited slip is just about useless.

On the front axle, if I do another D30, I certainly be rotating the Cs and replacing the spring mounts with ones that shift the bucket rearward. Now that the C gussets and truss are on, neither would be fun to do.

 

[trippled]

If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't use an 8.8 for one reason. The wheel bearings don't have an inner race like every other vehicle known to man. The axle shaft itself is the inner race. If you wait too long on replacing them, or just having really bad luck, you are SOL if you fubar the axle shaft.

That's common among all c clip axles, including the 8.25. if that bothers you, you can get the Yukon c clip eliminator kit that has new shafts and pressed on bearings, or go to a Dana 44 with pressed on bearings or something full floating.

 

[Jim Malcolm]

I stand corrected.

 

[Dragonlich1961]

Nothing has been bought yet. i'm trtying to get everything i need on paper first.
i will still stick with the 8.8, i know they are strong, and if i need new axles what i'lll do is cut the housings ends off and weld on 9inch housing ends, i've done this before.
will changing to a manual trans effect gear ratio selection?
i think i will spring for 4.56 gears, i don't like settling for less.

 

[RCP Phx]

Then why not get a 8.25" and not go thru the welding?