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ford 8.8 axles

waynehartwig

waynehartwig

www.jeeperman.com
Location
Mead, WA
Benjy,
Why did you delete your post about 8.8 info?
That was the info that proved a 8.8 is nearly as strong as a D60 :D

The axle shaft strength tested by Warn Ind:
F8.8= 6,500 (lb. ft.)
D44= 4,600-5,000 (lb. ft.)
D35C= 4,000-4,300 (lb. ft.)
-------------------------------
COT: Continuous output torque rating
MOT: Maximum output torque rating
(Numbers from January edition of Fourwheeler, page 60.)
Dana 35 rear axle COT: 870 MOT: 3480
Dana 44 rear axle COT: 1100 MOT: 4460
Ford 8.8 28spline COT: 1250 MOT: 4600
Ford 8.8 31spline COT: 1360 MOT: 5100
Dana 60 semifloat COT: 1500 MOT: 5500]
 
mbryson

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
Location
Bountiful, land of rocks
waynehartwig said:
Benjy,
Why did you delete your post about 8.8 info?
That was the info that proved a 8.8 is nearly as strong as a semifloat D60 :D
......
Click to expand...



Fixed it for you. I'd assume (there I go again) a full float setup would be different? (I don't care much as I'll be AMAZED if I break a 14 bolt shaft---and my 14 bolt is similar in profile to an unshaved D44 :D)
 
Caleb

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
mbryson said:
Fixed it for you. I'd assume (there I go again) a full float setup would be different? (I don't care much as I'll be AMAZED if I break a 14 bolt shaft---and my 14 bolt is similar in profile to an unshaved D44 :D)
Click to expand...
well, if you're just comparing shaft strength then it wouldn't matter if it's FF or SF. Most stock D60s (rears) are only 30 spline so unless they are different material (which I am sure they are) the 8.8 is one spline stronger :p
 
waynehartwig

waynehartwig

www.jeeperman.com
Location
Mead, WA
That's where I'm not sure about the numbers. They aren't clear if they are refferencing the entire assembly, or just the shaft. I assume entire assembly, as like you say a D60 and D44 have the same 30 spline shaft, but yet a D60 is a lot stronger. I seriously doubt that Dana changed the material between the two axles, but they definately did change the housing and etc. I think the reason they differentiate on the 8.8 between 28 and 31 spline, is they are different housings - smaller wheel bearings, smaller axle housing diameter, etc.
 
ewander

ewander

Registered User
Location
Lehi, UT
mbryson said:
Mine was a purely financial decision. It costs money to get to where I can wheel (fuel, honey-dos, lodging, vacation time, etc.). I can't afford to break my junk and then spend more $$$$ fixing it to get it off the trail only to have it break again the next day or the next ledge or the next trip or the trip 4 times from now. As all these SuperDutys and Cummins trucks start leaving service, is it going to be hard to find a D60? I kinda doubt it. Do you think you could buy a MATCHED set of axles for $1000-1500? Is spending $800-1000 on alloy axles and CTMs (or whatever) kinda silly if you can buy a replacement front axle (the whole thing is BEEFY--housing, tubes, balljoints, axle shafts, ring/pinion, axle joints, etc.) for about the same cost and have similar strength to the 'upgraded' D30 or D44? I'm not trying to tell you I'm a bad ass because I have a front 60. I have one because I BROKE (many times) the D30 with 35" tires. The front axle is the weak point in all our rigs (D35 equipped rigs, that could be debated). Why let that dictate your rear axle?
Click to expand...


I like the line of thinking here. Spending money and maybe even more importantly time on fixing something that continually breaks is a problem, especially when traveling places. The idea of having something bullet proof is very appealing. My little brother who has a 30 in the front and a 60in the back on 37's is always wondering when his front is going to break....it hasn't yet, but we are pretty light on the gas. I wheel with a buddy that is constantly fixing his D30, because of how he wheels. He has finally upgraded it to chromoly's but that is after he has replaced the ring and pinion 3 times and fixed probably 6 broken shafts/u-joints. He runs 35" tires and wheels pretty hard. He would have been much better off starting with modifying a heavier duty axle, probably a 60. I'm sure he is going to fix his r&p again....

I think it mostly depends on your wheeling style, and unfortunately with this activity (that is quite addicting) people have a tendency to go harder vs. softer as they get more experience.
 
RockMonkey

RockMonkey

Suddenly Enthusiastic
ewander said:
I like the line of thinking here. Spending money and maybe even more importantly time on fixing something that continually breaks is a problem, especially when traveling places. The idea of having something bullet proof is very appealing. My little brother who has a 30 in the front and a 60in the back on 37's is always wondering when his front is going to break....it hasn't yet, but we are pretty light on the gas. I wheel with a buddy that is constantly fixing his D30, because of how he wheels. He has finally upgraded it to chromoly's but that is after he has replaced the ring and pinion 3 times and fixed probably 6 broken shafts/u-joints. He runs 35" tires and wheels pretty hard. He would have been much better off starting with modifying a heavier duty axle, probably a 60. I'm sure he is going to fix his r&p again....

I think it mostly depends on your wheeling style, and unfortunately with this activity (that is quite addicting) people have a tendency to go harder vs. softer as they get more experience.
Click to expand...

I have some questions about your buddy's dana 30. Is it reverse cut or straight? Did he break the stock gears, or did he upgrade to lower gears? If he upgraded, what brand are the gears?
 
ewander

ewander

Registered User
Location
Lehi, UT
It is a low pinion stock D30 from a 00 TJ. It looks to have chromoly's and I'm not sure about the brand of gears, but he hasn't broke them yet.....
 
RockMonkey

RockMonkey

Suddenly Enthusiastic
ewander said:
It is a low pinion stock D30 from a 00 TJ. It looks to have chromoly's and I'm not sure about the brand of gears, but he hasn't broke them yet.....
Click to expand...

You said he replaced the ring and pinion three times. :confused:

I'm guessing Genuine Gear. A high pinion d-30 with quality gears would probably not give him nearly as many problems.
 
waynehartwig

waynehartwig

www.jeeperman.com
Location
Mead, WA
RockMonkey said:
You said he replaced the ring and pinion three times. :confused:

I'm guessing Genuine Gear. A high pinion d-30 with quality gears would probably not give him nearly as many problems.
Click to expand...

I think he's talking about two different rigs, a buddies and his brothers... His buddie is the one with breaking stuff all the time....:confused:
 
Jared

Jared

Formerly DeadEye J
Location
Ogden, UT
waynehartwig said:
That's where I'm not sure about the numbers. They aren't clear if they are refferencing the entire assembly, or just the shaft.
Click to expand...

Here's a thought... do all 31 spline axles have exactly the same shaft diameter, even ones from different manufacturers and housings? I mean, 31 huge splines on a 2" shaft would be mucho stronger than 31 tiny splines on a .750" shaft. This is a question that has bugged me forever. Axle shaft diameter certainly has to play a part in the strength equation.

Jared
 
Caleb

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
DeadEye J said:
Here's a thought... do all 31 spline axles have exactly the same shaft diameter, even ones from different manufacturers and housings? I mean, 31 huge splines on a 2" shaft would be mucho stronger than 31 tiny splines on a .750" shaft. This is a question that has bugged me forever. Axle shaft diameter certainly has to play a part in the strength equation.

Jared
Click to expand...

there are a few exceptions but for the most part they are all very similar. The main one I can think of is the 14 bolt, it has 30 spline 1.5" shafts, while the D60 has 30 spline 1.3" shafts.
 
ewander

ewander

Registered User
Location
Lehi, UT
RockMonkey said:
You said he replaced the ring and pinion three times. :confused:

I'm guessing Genuine Gear. A high pinion d-30 with quality gears would probably not give him nearly as many problems.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, thought you were talking about my brother's TJ. My buddy's YJ that went through the ring and pinions had genuine gear brand r&p....that were kind of warranteed, but really weren't. It was a 92 YJ High pinion D30 with 297 u-joints. His last set was superior brand (they hadn't broken as of the last time I spoke to him).
 
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