Can Any Fool Swap an 8.8 Rear End into an XJ?

[travisk]

Swapped out my too-short junkyard CV shaft for a new Tom Woods shaft. It feels much heftier and all of my highway vibrations are gone now.

Here's a tip - if you're going to get a new drive shaft with your 8.8 swap, get the 8.8 adapter flange from Tom Woods for $40 so they can balance it all together. They also offered to use my existing flange if I wanted to ship it to them first.

 

[rockclimber]

That would be overkill, and would add too much heat. You're just trying to keep the axle from rotating in the center section, a couple of stitch welds will do that.

too much heat? how? it may be overkill yes, I disagree and it is certainly debatable, but there won't be too much heat. if the axle is going to bend from that weld, it will if there is 1" or 10" of weld.

X2 Not much is needed....the 1/4" axle tubes can rip easily and will tear before the weld will give.

what? that doesn't even make sense. if anything, having a full weld would PREVENT the tube from tearing, as they will try to tear at the welds.

my .02, you should pull those u-joints and swap the ends, keep the spline section up top and out of the rocks.

 

[kastein]

my .02, you should pull those u-joints and swap the ends, keep the spline section up top and out of the rocks.

Not going to work, AFAIK that is a double cardan CV at the transfer case end, and the yoke welded to the driveshaft is a special formed part that helps hold the centering ball and H block assembly.

 

[rockclimber]

Not going to work, AFAIK that is a double cardan CV at the transfer case end, and the yoke welded to the driveshaft is a special formed part that helps hold the centering ball and H block assembly.

you're right... I'm a retard.

 

[souske]

you're right... I'm a retard.

Thanks for confirming what we already knew....

I asked the guy at Tom woods about it when I ordered mine, and he said no go

 

[travisk]

The parking brake was really easy. The sleeves from the existing cables from the 8.8 hooked right up. I had to cut one of the cables and add a cable stop. Done.

 

[01upcountry]

Ive had my 8.8 swap done about 6 weeks now I tacked (1inch welds) my tubes in 3 places.
My e brakes I shortened the explorer cables and used hose barbs to thread them thru the e brake bracket and used cable clamps .
so far so good. I am going to JY this weekend and getting a LSD carrier I will restack the clutches as ford is notorious for not stacking them steel friction. I will at a later date get the carbon fiber disc set and F150 "S" spring open diffs suck!

 

[souske]

01 upcountry, try running your 8.8 with no additive. Its not.a.locker, but it is noticeably grippier than an open diff. It will spin both tires if you.apply excessive throttle on a dirt hill.

Enough of.a difference that I noticed it.when I went to an ARB in the rear. I actually still miss it a little bit.

 

[GordoSmasho]

I am going to JY this weekend and getting a LSD carrier I will restack the clutches as ford is notorious for not stacking them steel friction. I will at a later date get the carbon fiber disc set and F150 "S" spring open diffs suck!

I bought the cobra rebuild kit and packed it tighter than factory. With the heavy s spring. And also left the additive out. It is a complete farse that this works better than an open diff. I'm on 35 bfg ats and even in loose dirt I'm spinning one tire. Save your money and throw in a lunchbox. They don't make them for the LSD carriers but they make them for the open.

I don't want to go thought the trouble of swapping carriers now so ill probably just weld it up.

 

[philagony94xj]

Has anyone installed an Eaton Posi into an 8.8? Looking for something for an axle that's going into a DD. I'd rather stay away from a full blown Locker like a Detroit, although I know it cures the issue of the carriers being a weak link in these axles.

 

[01upcountry]

I bought the cobra rebuild kit and packed it tighter than factory. With the heavy s spring. And also left the additive out. It is a complete farse that this works better than an open diff. I'm on 35 bfg ats and even in loose dirt I'm spinning one tire. Save your money and throw in a lunchbox. They don't make them for the LSD carriers but they make them for the open.

I don't want to go thought the trouble of swapping carriers now so ill probably just weld it up.

I have built a few 8.8 trac locs and the one thing that has to be done is brake in lots of figure 8s both directions.
I have restacked the steels and clutches with good results.
I had a 5 litre mustang that had 1 extra clutch waffer added and it would chirp tires going around corners.

 

[01upcountry]

01 upcountry, try running your 8.8 with no additive. Its not.a.locker, but it is noticeably grippier than an open diff. It will spin both tires if you.apply excessive throttle on a dirt hill.

Enough of.a difference that I noticed it.when I went to an ARB in the rear. I actually still miss it a little bit.

My D35 had a clutch type posi it was getting tired but it would still leave 2 black marks. I leave out friction modifier as alot of gear oils have some form of modifier in them already. Too much friction modifier will cause slippage me I would rather have it pop alittle least I know it is working.

 

[GordoSmasho]

I have built a few 8.8 trac locs and the one thing that has to be done is brake in lots of figure 8s both directions.
I have restacked the steels and clutches with good results.
I had a 5 litre mustang that had 1 extra clutch waffer added and it would chirp tires going around corners.

I'm sure it would have worked well in a mustang. As that's where this type of mod started. I just don't think that a clutch type posi works offroad. I can spin both on the street doing a breakstand. But offroad it has always been a shortcoming since I rebuilt it last year. I should have listened to the advice of others more wise than myself. I have a locked front but the rear sucks going uphill in the loose stuff.

As to getting a limited slip installed in the rear. I am for it. It just needs to be gear driven. ie Detroit trutrac. I have talked to Detroit and have been told they will hold up to 35s. But I'll be welding up the rear in mine. It's only driven to and from the trail.

If I were daily driving it I would spend the money and get a good gear driven posi. No modifier needed.

 

[travisk]

I think I finally got the 8.8 parking brake working correctly. Both cables were slightly too long. I couldn't fit a shop press under my jeep to smash new cable stops on, so it threaded three 1/8th inch bolts onto the end of the cable and hit it with the welder. Then I had to grind it a little get it to fit in the slotted receiver. Not pretty, but I think it will work.

 

[KRG.FAB]

Subbed for some good info I'll need in the near future.

 

[kastein]

That's an interesting method of putting a button on the end of teh cable... if you have to redo it, get aluminum ferrules and a swaging tool. Home Depot has the swaging tool, iirc they are in the aisle with the chain and aircraft cable on a shelf near it. They're expensive, but useful.

Crown Auto also makes a set of drop-in replacement cables that match an 8.8 on the axle end and an XJ on the ebrake splitter end. I forget how much they cost, but it isn't that much.

 

[rockclimber]

That's an interesting method of putting a button on the end of teh cable... if you have to redo it, get aluminum ferrules and a swaging tool. Home Depot has the swaging tool, iirc they are in the aisle with the chain and aircraft cable on a shelf near it. They're expensive, but useful.

Crown Auto also makes a set of drop-in replacement cables that match an 8.8 on the axle end and an XJ on the ebrake splitter end. I forget how much they cost, but it isn't that much.

FWIW the tool is called a nicopress.


also, I got the crown cables, and they are not long enough for a lifted rig, specifically the drivers side cable.