I am in the beginning stages of building my 01 Cherokee. I am looking to use it as an mild rock crawler / exploration doing some towing. I currently have a Chrysler 8.25” not sure what gear ratio. I assume the front is a Dana 30. I have been debating about what type of lockers to put in. Should I swap out the 8.25” for a Dana 44 so I can have more selectable locker options?
Cherokee Build Questions
- Thread starter DMACxj
- Start date
blueovalyj
New Member
- Location
- Knoxville, TN
a ford 8.8 will give you factory disc brakes and can be easily found with 4.10 gears from the factory. plus it already has the correct bolt pattern. it's a C clip axle but i've seen them take some pretty serious abuse (stroker 6 cyl) and hold up just fine.
Brett
Meat-Hippy
- Location
- Salt Lake City Utah
Since you said you're looking at mild wheeling/exploring, leave the 8.25 in the back. There's nothing wrong with axle other than people want to drop in the ford or Dana axles because it's "cool." Your 8.25 is a 29 spline and plenty strong.
What else are doplan to do with it?
What else are doplan to do with it?
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say brett, don't you have a 44?
jki agree though, it all depends on tire plans and how you want to use it. i got a 44 because it was $88... i would not buy one for $400 like some people do. i also would not put in an 8.8 even though a lot of people seem to have luck with them it's still just another c-clip axle. at the end of the day the 29 spline chryco is a good(ish) axle, it has 3" tubes and good aftermarket support. plus if you break it they are everywhere
Thanks for the responses so far. I am running 33's and might possibly go to 35's but that is as large as I would go. The first thing I would like to to do is put lockers in front and rear. Because of the limitation on selectable lockers ( selectable because of towing and driving the rig to the trail ) that is why I was thinking about swapping out the 8.25. I would also like to put in 4.10 or 4.56 gears.
bradm
shameless posing...
- Location
- Bountiful UT
I have a '99 with the 8.25 rear. I run an ARB and 4.56 gears, been set up that way for 5 yrs now and have yet to break anything. The 8.25 will hold up to 33's just fine, and even 35's if you don't abuse it. Based on your build plans and what you're wheelin it for I think you'll be okay with what you've got.
iamsparticus
Take your Rig to the Edge
- Location
- Ogden,Ut
i Would leave the axle in if your going to run 33's or 35's, you might look into a lockright for it, or if you have the cash a ARB is the best there is, i would buy the gears new and install it all at once, i didn't on my toyota and i have taken the stupid axles apart 3 times now to do different upgrades, and go with the 4.56's you won't regret it