rear axle opinions

I run the 8.25 with 33's and it's held up well, my main complaint is the shape of the lip that hangs down low and catches every rock, preventing me from just dragging over it. I just haven't felt like shaving it off and the part that catches contains one of the diff cover bolts so what you can shave is limited.
 
I agree on the 29 spline 8.25. If you want cheap, plentifull, direct bolt in, and strong enough for 35's thats the way to go.
 
jrsxj98 said:
XJ 44 housing- $75.
Click to expand...

:cheers:










On my rear end, I paid 150 For the axle, complete, 60 for the 4.10s, 60 for the carrier, and 150 for the install.

Will be changing to 4.88s (130) (50$ on the install) and a detroit in the near near future.
 
Goatman said:
Why?? :dunno:

Let's see.....axle that will bolt in verses axle that has to have new axles bought and installed and brackets cut off and new ones welded on, and when it's all done you have the same thing. Yep, sounds a lot better to me. :lecture:

:gag:


:D
Click to expand...

Disc brakes come to mind...............With an ACTUAL ebrake instead of the POS caddy calipers that are the only option available to someone with an XJ 44 or the ZJ discs, that people seem to think are worth gold, or a line lock, which is not much better and still defeats the purpose of a drum style ebrake.

For cost comparison sake, we will say that you leave everything stock

XJ D44 $350 - $500, yes there are still people asking this much, currently one on pirate for $600 and one on Jeep forum for $500, bone stock. So say for ease of comparison, you leave it stock,and it needs nothing.

So again XJ 44 $350 - $500
Get it on in a weekend.

Zuzu 44 $100 (What I paid for mine and didn't have to haggle on the price)
Spring Perches $40 or Less
JKS Shock Mounts $52 after shipping
Used 1310 yoke, $50 or less
Fitting conversion piece for the brakes, $80 or less
Alloys to retain stock bolt pattern $242 Shipped (for superiors)
Get it on in two weekends or one depending one your schedule
On the extreme end of everything - About $565

So $565 with Alloys, Disc Brakes, An actual normal functiong ebrake. And the ability to put your stock shafts back in if you ever step up to a 44 in the front.

Or $100 - $200 less for a XJ 44 IF you get a good deal, with drum brakes, and one bolt pattern.

I would be hard pressed to pick up the "awesome" XJ 44. The majority of us here are far beyond "It's not bolt in, I guess I can't get it"
 
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O.K. folks.... It seems as if everyone has an opinion on this matter and everyones opinion is tied to what they have or had on their own rig. I can only imagine that the original poster is less confident about a axle choice now than before the post. Let's try to be objective about this - different things work for different people.

Questions for the poster to consider in choosing an axle:
-Can you fabricate and do you have access to fabrication tools (welder, grinder, etc)
-What are your front axle plans? Do you plan on sticking with the dana 30 for quite a while?

The Options:

XJ Dana 44
Totally bolt in. By far the easiest swap option. They can be expensive, but dont have to be. In one day, I saw 2 in a yard that charge $150 per axle. Keep your eyes open, visit the junkyards often, and you may score one of these. Only real downside here is the drum brakes, although they are better than the 35 brakes (as Goatman? said) and can be converted to disk with minimal cost.

Ford 8.8
Lets just say that strength of the ford 8.8 is comparable to the dana 44 (lets not start this argument). New spring mounts (and shock mounts??) must be fab'd up on this axle. These axles are quite common and if you get the correct year, disk brakes await you. Correct bold pattern is also a bonus here.

Rodeo/Passport D44
Much mystery surrounds this axle, when in fact it just uses a thick ring gear. Other than that, its just your run of the mill 44 (as has been cleared up in this post). Again, spring perches and shock mounts have to be fab'd up on this axle. As mentioned, this axle has 6 lug shafts which complicates the issue. However, if you want alloy axleshafts anyway, do what '91 jeep project' did and order alloy's with the correct pattern.

Taco Axle
I dunno anything bout it... someone else is going to have to make this case.


There, i hope that is all the relevant info on what most of us can agree are some of the best swap options. :wierd:
 
Not quite an expert, but I am good at repeating what Lincoln tells me. :shhh:

For the Toyota, here are the following thing needed:

95.5-2004 V6 2wd axle. This get you the 30 spline shafts, 5 on 4.5 BP, and the right wms-wms.

Regear it how you want.
Throw a LockRight, PowerTrax, Aussie, Detroit, ARB or Kazuma(factory LSD, between TrackLok and Auburn).
Weld on spring perches and shock mounts.
Shorten DS, and get flange for Yota adaption.
Adapt brake lines. E-brake is similar to XJ style.

Again, that is just the basics. Same amount of fab work as an 8.8, but you get a stronger unit overall, and way better ground clearance.

HTH someone.

Fergie
 
i have heard that nothing can compare to toyota axles when it comes to strength and clearance... i can get one with 4.10 gears and is an 8"...i know the xj 44 is bolt in but it is way overpriced in this area and the 3.55 gears suck...the only zuzu i found is geard at 4.30 so that kind of eliminates that too...basically iam at the ford 8.8 and the toyota so what do ya think...fabricating means nothing so it is not an issue...thanks
 
chilybil26 said:
...basically I am at the ford 8.8 and the toyota so what do ya think...fabricating means nothing so it is not an issue...thanks
Click to expand...
I vote for the yota if those are your options, love the ground clearance like fergie said. The last wheeling trip I was on a few guys had the 8.8, and they were draggin it on anything and everything............:wierd:
 
its seems like a lot of people have been going with the ford 8.8, so i went with it, and living right next to Harry's U-pull it i yuckstered it out for $48.95 with stock 4.10's and a stock L/S. so if u can find one like that, thats deffently the way to go.
 
chilybil26 said:
i have heard that nothing can compare to toyota axles when it comes to strength and clearance... i can get one with 4.10 gears and is an 8"...i know the xj 44 is bolt in but it is way overpriced in this area and the 3.55 gears suck...the only zuzu i found is geard at 4.30 so that kind of eliminates that too...basically iam at the ford 8.8 and the toyota so what do ya think...fabricating means nothing so it is not an issue...thanks
Click to expand...
If by 8", you mean a mini-truck axle, as in before 95.5, then you cant use that axle for an XJ. They are too narrow, that is why you need a Taco axle.

Fergie
 
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