Ford 8.8 ?

[smithmonsters]

Are ford 8.8 axle's any good from a non-rockcrawling point of view? Ive heard they bolt right up to a tj. If not what needs to be done? Would they be very much more than a dana to put a locker in. I like the idea of the lockers you can activate by a button, Ive seen these for this rear end. What about disc brakes? I saw one with them and was wondering if they came stock or if it was an upgrade. Anyone have one avail or know a good place to look if this is an ok axle to just mess around with running 35's on fruity little trails. May upgrade to 37's . What gears ?

Thanks

 

[mbryson]

You're pretty stuck with the D35, D44 and alum. D44 from Grand or TJ for a BOLT-IN. Nothing else will "bolt-in". It shouldn't be tough to find a local shop to fab up some mounts, though.

IMHO, They're a pretty good option up to 35" tires. They'd probably handle 37" fine, but your front axle is going to be PISS3D with 37". Only thing bad is the c-clip.

8.8's have disc and drum available, newer ones are disc (mid-90's) and 3.55-4.10 gear ratios, some with a Traclok that some people think is neat {mine worked OK in my D35, except when you really needed it}. They will NOT bolt in to a TJ as they are leaf sprung rear. Search on NAXJA or other XJ boards for solid info on the 8.8.

 

[smithmonsters]

Cool thanx for the info, I hope I'll run across someone who wants a different rear axle but has to sell there old 44 first or I'll find one from a junk yard. I'll begain the serch tomorrow, see what the local shops have to offer. I always see axles for sale. What other axles would i look for that would be close to the same size as stock or what vehicles. Would greand cherokees have disks? Do all GC's have 44's Thanx again

 

[mbryson]

Cool thanx for the info, I hope I'll run across someone who wants a different rear axle but has to sell there old 44 first or I'll find one from a junk yard. I'll begain the serch tomorrow, see what the local shops have to offer. I always see axles for sale. What other axles would i look for that would be close to the same size as stock or what vehicles. Would greand cherokees have disks? Do all GC's have 44's Thanx again

Searching will get you far. Try Google and see what you come up with (you might even find some trade offers while you search). I would stay away from Alum. D44's. Nothing out of a Grand is worth a d@mn as far as wheeling gos and you're putting some pretty heavy tires/wheels on a marginal front axle anyway. If you drive it NICE, you might be fine. Dem are big tires. TJ's have light duty axles if you have the D35, and medium (at best) with a D44.

 

[DevinB]

Try Jeeps Unlimited TJ forum and spend a couple days there looking around. You'll find all you want/need to know about the 8.8".
Devin

 

[Milner]

I have never understood the 8.8 swap. The reaso you can find them is the Bronco and explorer guys replace them with something better. An 8.8 is a d35, up sized a little. you still have c-clips, bearings that use the axle for a race, and fairly weak tubes....depending on which one you get, it can be as small as 27 spline axles.

If you are going with an axle that needs brackets welded on/setup, go with something better than an 8.8. I would hate to see that $$ spent on an 8.8.

Either be patient and search for a TJ 44 or do it right, do it once and have a 60 setup for it. I would be a little worried to run 37's on a 44. Sure they have super 44 kits, but by time you spend the money for a core 44, add brakes, add the super kit/locker, buy the brakets and have them fabbed on, you will be in the range of just ordering a 60 ready to go!! Currie, Dyna trac, and Drivetrain direct all offer bolt in 60's for a TJ withh all the brackets/ready to go!!

I hate to see anyone spend money, to just wish later they had gone another way, and end up spending $$$$ all over again! Any offroad with 37's I would go with a 60!! And as MBryson said, the frt axle will not hold up to that tire size....so there is another $$$$

It is a never ending battle of $$$$

JMHO
Marc

 

[Cody]

Any offroad with 37's I would go with a 60!!
Marc

What about the 9"? I've beet up mine and I still havn't broken a stock shaft. I thought as a ford guy you'd pimp the 9 first

At any rate, anything out of a stock ZJ is junk (unless it's from canadia or s. america). Explorers have 8.8's that will be almost the exact width and if you find the right one will have 4.10 gears, 31 spline shafts, and disks. I personally think the 8.8 is a great axle and would swap one of those before I would swap a 44 in the rear. The 8.8 is proven stronger (at least the 31 spliners and the ring gears) than a 44 and comes with the correct bolt pattern/width/breaks/geras etc. that is a little more difficult to find in a 44. yeah, they are c-clipped, but chances are if you don't know the difference between a 44 and an 8.8 then you won't be breaking shafts any time soon.

ZJ guys use the 8.8's all the time and I can't think of a single one who has broken it. There is one or two guys that have spun the tubes, but a truss or some extra welding on the tubes can prevent that.

If you arn't concerned about the width, or if money isn't really a concern, then have a 60 or a 9" built for you. Deffinately stronger, but also wider unless you have the green to have them narrowed. If money is an object and you want an axle that should hold up to 37's on a TJ, then go with an 31 spline 8.8 and have a truss built for it.

thats my 2 pesos

Cody

 

[Milner]

9" pinion is tooooo low for a TJ that is tall enough for 37's. Unless you go to the True Hi-9
The Currie high pinion 9 is a rev 8.8 gearset, they are not holding up well with big tires.

 

[Cody]

9" pinion is tooooo low for a TJ that is tall enough for 37's. Unless you go to the True Hi-9
The Currie high pinion 9 is a rev 8.8 gearset, they are not holding up well with big tires.

ohh yeah, good point. I didn't think about the pinion issue on a tj.

Cody

 

[DevinB]

...The reason you can find them is the Bronco and explorer guys replace them with something better....
JMHO
Marc

The reason you find them so plentiful (at least in the case of finding a replacement for a TJ/YJ) is that they're from wrecked Explorers, not people upgrading. Here are some reasons why they're so popular:
1-easy to find in junkyards
2-they cost around $300 (I found mine $475 brand new shipped to my house)
3-1.31" 31-spline axle shafts (Explorer version)
--stock 8.8" shaft torque load = 5100 lbs
--stock D44 shaft torque load = 3400 lbs
--stock 30-spline D60 = 5600 lbs
4-disk brakes (Explorer, '95 and newer)
5-very close to stock TJ/YJ width (Explorer)
6-same bolt pattern as TJ/YJ
7-almost a bolt-on for YJs (Explorer)
8-can be found with popular jeep gear ratios, ie 3.55, 3.73 and 4.10
9-lots of locker options
10-ring and pinion is bigger than D44


Drawbacks include:
1-thin-walled tubes
2-c-clip (try breaking an axle shaft first)
3-large pumpkin
4-thin diff cover

An 8.8" will easily handle 35's, even rock crawling. I wouldn't hesitate to put 37's on an 8.8", but if I planned to wail on it, I'd go with alloy shafts. The only reason I'd go with a 9" over an 8.8 (if both were priced the same and available) is because of the bigger bearings and the 35-spline option.
Devin

EDIT: a thread comparing a D44 and a Ford 8.8" from jeepsunlimited.com - http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=528623&highlight=8.8+comparison

 

[smithmonsters]

Yah I've heard good and bad about the 8.8. The main reason I'm looking into them is i've seen 2 or so that say they will bolt right up to a tj. So being the jeep newb that I am, I asummed that they came ready to bolt in and you can get them with a locker and discs ready to bolt in a tj for under 500 bucks. I know first hand about doing things twice, I bought 35 in x-terrains had them 1000 miles and love everything about them exept I wish I would have got 37s or 38s. As mentioned i had a cj with 38.5s and a 60 in the rear, 10 bolt up front ( eric from mepco's old set up) I sold it cus the axles were so wide the tire wasnt even in the wheel wells, the whole tire stuck out. So I thought I would build a newer jeep with 35's on d35 and be happy, but didnt keep to it now I want 38s again and 60s front and rear. I Just spent to much in the heep itself. It's easy to spend a few grand on axels if you get a 2 or 3 grand heep but when you spend 14,000 on a jeep and lift it a month later it emptys the bank real quick.

Just
Each &
Every
Penny

 

[Vonski]

OK, so it's not a TJ, but more of the Jeep guys should consider this swap... Naturally, there would be more involved in a TJ application, but no more so than swapping in many of the other axles mentioned. It definitely has the advantage of a non-cast center section. Also, gear/locker options are plentiful. The housing shown will be modified to accept a factory Toyota electric-lock 3rd member soon, but for now it is just spooled.

 

[DevinB]

Toyota rears are sweet. They can even be adapted to the same bolt pattern for jeeps (5 x 4.5") with stock applications, if you get a new enough axle. I'm not sure on the width for jeeps though.
Devin

 

[EZRhino]

OK, so it's not a TJ, but more of the Jeep guys should consider this swap... .

SACRILEGE!!!!!!

When did you do that? BTW what is the width difference toy vs. 8.25" ? (I assume it was an 8.25 not a D35).

EZ

 

[I Lean]

SACRILEGE!!!!!!

When did you do that? BTW what is the width difference toy vs. 8.25" ? (I assume it was an 8.25 not a D35).

EZ

He had a D35 before, and he put that axle in just before the U4 convention. It's around 57" wide, so he's got some 1.5" spacers on there.

It's a 5 on 4.5" Toyota axle, so the spacers are the easy-to-find jeep-style ones.

 

[ShaggyHippy]

axle

hey if you are still looking at buying a 8.8 i know Hal on this web site is sale one for like 100 bones and i think it has 31 spline in it so. I hope you figure things out but from a tj owner to another 60s are the way to go instead of 44 dont make the same misteaks i did happy wheelin