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Did the CON July 20th - 22nd

chris420

NAXJA Forum User
Location
California
I started at Loon Lake and went to Buck Island the first day. Second day was Buck Island through the Big Sluice to Rubicon Springs. Third day = today up Cadillac Hill to the staging area. Some people on here told me that a YJ on 31's with open diffs would make it. I ended up pulling that YJ on 31's with open diffs through most of the trail and stacking a shit load of rocks. My XJ on 32's with LSD front and rear made it just fine with little damage. The 92 Cruiser with 35's made it through on its own with some sheet metal damage. All I got to say is I love my XJ and it went over stuff that most rigs broke on and we all made it out with out any major problems. Although there were several rigs built better than mine that broke and were dead on the trail. When it comes to the CON I think it is just luck of the draw and you will never be prepaired for what could happen and it does not matter how well your rig is built.
 
It was a good trip. I need to upgrade somethings for next years run. I realized that any axle with a C-Clip sucks if you break. The trail is to tight in most area's to repair and let traffic though. If you break an axle you need to be able to limp out on three wheel drive. My Hack N Tap held up but I have it in the back of head that the shaft will snap.

Mod's for next year.
1. Dana 44 rear with detroit true trac
2. 4.88 gears
3. 35's
4. NP231 with SYE and Tera Low
 
32's and LSD made It huh... Idk why I'm stressing my xj with 4" lift on locked 31's ... I'll go next year when I have spare parts to replace for anything I might break.
 
It was a good trip. I need to upgrade somethings for next years run. I realized that any axle with a C-Clip sucks if you break. The trail is to tight in most area's to repair and let traffic though. If you break an axle you need to be able to limp out on three wheel drive. My Hack N Tap held up but I have it in the back of head that the shaft will snap.

Mod's for next year.
1. Dana 44 rear with detroit true trac
2. 4.88 gears
3. 35's
4. NP231 with SYE and Tera Low

id pass on the rear posi and go full detroit or just do an 8.8 with factory LSD then...(disk brakes, stronger R/P, bigger housing, bigger shafts, very stout rear end that you can beat on...)

and look for a rubi 241OR instead of a teraflex case. way stronger and usually way cheaper
 
I'd have to agree with Jon. The full Detroit isn't bad to drive on the road at all. I had a Lock Right or a Detroit in the back of my daily driven XJ for over 10 years and never thought much about it. It even handled the icy roads to/from and around Tahoe in the winters without issue. (just don't be too heavy with the skinny pedal unless you want to do a quick u-turn. it works really well if you do want to do that tho :D) The Lock Rights do tend to "unlock" on the road sometimes and is guarantied to scrare the crap out of ya the first time it happens. But full Detroits are quieter and don't tend to do that. They're just there when you need the extra traction. Plus if you want more beef with a 44 you can do a 33 spline upgrade with the Detroit for the same price as doing 30 spline axles and a locker.
 
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I will X2 with Rob & Jon. I have front & rear Detroits. I am very happy with the performance out of them. I have never had any problems with them at all.. Just my .02!
 
Jon I'm having trouble finding the rubi transfer case for cheaper than the teraflex
http://www.jbconversions.com/products/nvg241or/
x2 on building a full case 8.8 instead Chris. confidently run those 35's

hound craigslist every day, you will find one for under 800$, you have to be persistent and ready to go at a moments notice. ive heard of plenty of guys finding rubi cases for under 800$, and i remember calling teraflex years ago and they flat out told me to go with a rubi case over their stuff, they said if you drive the 4:1 kit over 2500 rpms for over 100 feet or yards, that itll void any warranty. totally lame.
 
I am kind of on the fense for the 8.8 and D44.

8.8 Pro's
1. 31 Spline Shafts
2. Cheap at Pick N Pull
3. 4.10 gears but I want 4.88
4. Disc Breaks

8.8 Con's
1. Flange style output need to convert drive shafts to work
2. Big and bulky acts like an anchor
3. C Clip although can be converted to non C Clip and breaks will hold the shafts in place if they break
4. Need wheel spacers to widen the width of the axle

D44 Pro's
1. If I find an XJ D44 it is bolt in
2. not as big as the 8.8
3. Has a yoke style out put do not need to convert drive shafts
4. Can convert to 33 spline
5. has a yoke style output do not need to convert the drive shafts

D44 Con's
1. No Disc breaks
 
I am kind of on the fense for the 8.8 and D44.

8.8 Pro's
1. 31 Spline Shafts
2. Cheap at Pick N Pull
3. 4.10 gears but I want 4.88
4. Disc Breaks
5. bigger housing, bigger ring and pinion, bigger tubes, can handle much more torque than a 44, even as c clip axle
5. can convert to larger spline count with a full spool

8.8 Con's
1. c clip axle
2.Flange style output need to convert drive shafts to work(30$ part, takes no time to install- most driveshaft places will do it free anyway(west sac driveline) )
2. Big and bulky acts like an anchor(I'm not sure about this, have you ever wheeled with one?)
3. C Clip although can be converted to non C Clip and brakes will hold the shafts in place if they break (I'm not sure how this is a con being able to convert to c clip slim?)
4. Need wheel spacers to widen the width of the axle(don't really need them, i know plenty of guys that run these without spacers)
5. you need to weld up spring plates and shock mounts-dont have to on a 44- but pro is gives you a chance to set pinion angle without using shims and raise rear shocks to be level with tubes, id say this is more of a pro really)


D44 Pro's
1. If I find an XJ D44 it is bolt in(i think if you're concerned with a really short swap time, the 44 will "bolt in" in about 1-2 hours, whereas it will probably take you 6-10 hours to cut off mounts off 8.8, mock it up, get DS flange installed, set pinion angle, set up shock mounts, weld it all up - )

2. not as big as the 8.8
3. Has a yoke style out put do not need to convert drive shafts
4. Can convert to 33 spline


D44 Con's
1. No Disc breaks (you'll easily spend 300$+ to convert a 44 to discs)
3. often more expensive and harder to find for a smaller axle
 
On the 8.8 you need to weld the tubes to the center section. Also, the 8.8 has thin tubes. In the desert world, not in the rocks, I've heard of guys riping the tube apart where their mounts are welded. It is a great axle to build. For anything in the Sierras I'd say its fine. Any go fast use and you'd really have to consider a 9inch.

A XJ D44 is a fine axle for you. It'd be easy, just gear it and swap it in. It also has thin tubes, but nothing that you will need to worry about in the Sierra's. If you're up for a little extra work I'd get a 8.8.

BTW, I am building a 8.8 that will see desert, rocks, and lots of camping trails. Just need to do your research.
 
hmm and you still have to put a $200 sye in it making it about $1000 anyway.
I'll keep an eye out. I'll probably look into WJ knuckles and a 3 link first though
why dont you run 4:1 Jon? I dont see very many people running 4:1 at all actually

I'm actually running 3.8:1 rather than the 4.3 that I could have had. 3.8 is low enough with the AW4. With my XJ 44 that I have I sprung for the 35 spline upgrade. Didn't need all that beef, but I got the 35 spline ARB cheeper than a 33 or 30 spline version and almost as cheep as a Detroit (can't find them that cheep anymore tho :rattle: ). And since I had planned to tow a boat that required a very sharp turn while pushing the boat up a curb, I decided to go selectable. I also added the Explorer disc's onto it.
 
There was another well built XJ on the trail and he broke the T Case (not on a rock). I want to swap my T Case because it has a hack n tap kit that I dont trust. Lower gears are a great thing to have in a lot of area's. Most everyone I met had a low range t case of some type a lot were CJ's and flat fenders with Dana 300 cases other people had tera low cases and toyotas were filled with inch worm.
 
tera low still uses the back half of your stock 231 case dude only the front half is replaced.
 
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