Seeking axle advice from XJ gods...

[IndyXJ]

Ok, I am writing because I am seeking the cold truth and guidance of you who have been in my shoes before and
want to go down the right path. Albeit the right path can be the most expensive. First off, my current rig setup is this and in progress.

99XJ 8.25 and d30 still at 3.55 on 35" MTR's. 6" Full Traction long arm.
I KNOW I need to go to 4.56 (or higher with a diff axle).
Question-WOULD YOU LOCK A 8.25 and regear to 4.56 and obtain a rear disc conversion, be it junkyard, kit on net, etc....

***OR***
get an 8.8..., 9" or Dana 60? and what end gear ratio? This install would be done with an expert who has done gears, lockers before and I'll be there learning.He can weld, etc. I have a few bucks to get it done. End goal-discs, regeared and locked.
My wheeling is Badlands, Turkey Bay(in KY)Redbird(in In) and an occasional jaunt to Tellico(not the big obstacles). This is NOT my daily driver and willing to go a little wild with it.
Forgive me if this has been brought up way too many times before, but like I said, I'm here to learn and trust your opinions. Thanks... :lecture:

 

[Yucca-Man]

Don't repost - you already asked this question in OEM Tech

 

[fatwreck]

I think if I were to do it again....I would either commit to going full width on both the front and rear axle with a HP44/9" combo.

Or stay closer to stock width with a waggy44 front (keep it 6 lug) and match it with a rear tacoma axle with an elocker. That would be a pretty sick combo that wouldn't be too hard to find and you could run up to 37s on that setup and be alright. You *might* have to upgrade the shafts or ujoints on that front 44 though.

With 35s you'd be set. I wouldn't put the money into the 8.25 if you haven't already.

Brian
www.projectxj.com

 

[IndyXJ]

Didn't mean to double post, I hit submit and I'm like whoops! This is the more appropriate area. I haven't put a dime into the 30 or 8.25, yet, if at all besides fluid changes.

 

[Kittrell]

Or stay closer to stock width with a waggy44 front (keep it 6 lug) and match it with a rear tacoma axle with an elocker. That would be a pretty sick combo that wouldn't be too hard to find and you could run up to 37s on that setup and be alright. You *might* have to upgrade the shafts or ujoints on that front 44 though.

With 35s you'd be set. I wouldn't put the money into the 8.25 if you haven't already.

Brian
www.projectxj.com

What Brian said, since you are going to 35's I would not spend any $$ on the 8.25. You are better off going with a different rearend. And I persoanlly agree with the waggy/taco setup, or more specifially, a Hp/waggy/taco setup................:lecture:

 

[cherokee Wheeler10]

i put the 8.8 with disks in my xj and have been really happy with it....and am in the prossess of putting a 78 bronco 44 up front.... people i have talked to with this set up really like it so it may be a good option or the 9 in the rear...

 

[RKBA]

1. How much are you thinking of spending?

2. Are you only looking at doing the rear and keeping the D30?

 

[IndyXJ]

Spending...hmmm, for the rear, upwards of 1500 or so. Doesn't mean I'll spend that per se, but what I budgeted. As for the D30, I am less knowledgeable. Is it basically having control arm mounts fabbed/welded when importing a diff axle up front as well? Forgive my naivete...

ps-thanks all for pulling me back from the abyss of almost keeping the 8.25. I was half convincing myself..it will be okay, only to have something go wrong, lol!

 

[Kittrell]

Don't take that the wrong way, the 8.25 is a great axle. My rig will never see more than 33's or 4.56's, so a 29 spline 8.25 is a very capable setup for me. You just mentioned 35's, so at that point you want to be looking at more beef............. :laugh3:

 

[IndyXJ]

Oh yeah, I know. My ex is has been running an 01 for 3 years without a problem running 32"s open and jsut went to 33"s and still going strong. I'm keeping this XJ forever, so might as well do it right...$$$ willing that is.
Thanks!

 

[shawn_c]

What Brian said, since you are going to 35's I would not spend any $$ on the 8.25. You are better off going with a different rearend. And I persoanlly agree with the waggy/taco setup, or more specifially, a Hp/waggy/taco setup................:lecture:

waggy 44's are low pinion, very low pinion. I would take a high pinion dana 30 over a low pinion 44 any day. You can get pretty much the same shafts/U-joints for a dana 30 anyway. The ring and pinion would be larger on a dana 44 but thats not something that normally breaks on the dana 30 anyway.
The e-locker taco set-ups are expensive and rare, I looked and could find one in my area. Also the shim kits for the taco rear end are very expensive. Personally if your not breaking stuff now dont worry about it till you do, everyone seems to have this big fear about breaking an axle, carry spares and know how to change them. You start breaking several a year, then look to upgrade.

 

[Jeepin Jason]

The 8.25" on the late model XJ's is 29-spline, and it's got a large housing, so a lot of folks put it nearly on par with an XJ D44 rear end. In stock form in can stand up to low gears, lockers, and 35's, unless you just really beat on your rig. However, while the 8.25" may be up to the task, bang for the buck you might be better off going with an 8.8" if you're wanting discs. Reason is it's even beefier than the 8.25", with 31-spline shafts (larger than a D44), AND it come stock with disc brakes and you can use the pimpin' Eaton E-Locker. Both the 8.25" and the 8.8" are c-clip axles, so no difference there. Toss in some alloy axle shafts if you want, and keep the stock ones as spares, and you'd be good to go in the rear.

If you do the disc conversion on the cheap side using junkyard KJ ('03+ KJ's have rear discs) or ZJ parts, then I'd say just lock and regear the 8.25". It's already in there, so there's no messing with custom e-brake cables, new bracketry, and possibly having the rear driveshaft shortened.

 

[shawn_c]

Or you could just find a late model dakota with 8.25 29 spline with disc brakes...........

 

[Jeepin Jason]

Dakota axle will be wider than an XJ axle (may or many not be a good thing depending on the application). It's also a 6-bolt wheel pattern.

 

[XJoachim]

I would take a high pinion dana 30 over a low pinion 44 any day. You can get pretty much the same shafts/U-joints for a dana 30 anyway. The ring and pinion would be larger on a dana 44 but thats not something that normally breaks on the dana 30 anyway.

There are a lot of people that i know who broke ring and pinion in a D30 including me. I broke nearly every part except the housing itself (warn and yukon chromos, 2 sets r&p, detroit, outer stubs) and i dropped more money in this little POS than my front 60 cost me.

Personally i would not drop a dime into an axle with 297 u-joints. Sure you can get CTMs for it but you will still break axles, ball joints and so on.

If you start to drop money into that XJ do it once and do it right. Nothing beats the piece of mind of big u-joints and 35 spline shafts. :wave:

 

[RKBA]

Dakota axle will be wider than an XJ axle (may or many not be a good thing depending on the application). It's also a 6-bolt wheel pattern.

Not only is it 6 bolt, but its that goofy tighter lug pattern - what is it, 6x5 or some junk like that?


Indy,

It sounds like a good old fashioned XJ D44 might be your answer if you need to run gears lower than 4.56.

 

[Jeepin Jason]

There are a lot of people that i know who broke ring and pinion in a D30 including me. I broke nearly every part except the housing itself (warn and yukon chromos, 2 sets r&p, detroit, outer stubs) and i dropped more money in this little POS than my front 60 cost me.

yeah, but what size tires were you running when you grenaded all your D30 parts though? A well-built D30 can hold up to up to 35's without a whole lot of breakage unless you're really hard on the gas pedal.

 

[WobblesXJ]

i put the 8.8 with disks in my xj and have been really happy with it....and am in the prossess of putting a 78 bronco 44 up front.... people i have talked to with this set up really like it so it may be a good option or the 9 in the rear...

Is the bronco 44 a high pinion?

 

[IndyXJ]

Any 9"s with discs already or will that need to be installed, etc?

 

[shawn_c]

There are a lot of people that i know who broke ring and pinion in a D30 including me. I broke nearly every part except the housing itself (warn and yukon chromos, 2 sets r&p, detroit, outer stubs) and i dropped more money in this little POS than my front 60 cost me.

Personally i would not drop a dime into an axle with 297 u-joints. Sure you can get CTMs for it but you will still break axles, ball joints and so on.

If you start to drop money into that XJ do it once and do it right. Nothing beats the piece of mind of big u-joints and 35 spline shafts. :wave:

I would wager you would have broke the same parts on a dana 44 then to. I would go with 760 U-Joints. The shafts normally break when you break a U-Joint. The HP hell even the low pinion dana 30 is good for 33's, and even 35's with care. Breakage is a part of the game. I say wheel with spares and save your $$$ for other things. If your real parinoid dont lock the front end.