Help! What axel upgrade should I do! Please help!

[Jeepin' Josh]

OK guys... I have a '01 xj with stock axles 30 up front 35 in rear? I want to run 35 or 36 12.5 r15s so I have two questions.. first of I'm thinking a 15 5 x 4.5 black steel wheel with a 4.00 backspacing, will that work with about 7 inches of lift? or would a r15 5 x 4.5 with a 5.5 inch backspacing alloy wheel be better for those? and can I use a 8" rim or does it need to be 10"...

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION...

I think I need to upgrade my axels to run that big of a tire.. so I could swap out for old 88 or 86 dana 44's from a waggy... $ 300 for both.. (used obviously) but then I got to get rebuild kits.. I could do the ford 9 inch.. the chrysler 8.8 or the xj dana 44 which would be more money but less work that the waggy because I wouldn't have to cut and reweld all the mounts... OR.. OR... I would go with that sick cromoly axel shaft for the stock axles I am running... I know they are kinda spendy but it looks like i'll be dumping $500 easy into a rebuild for the old ones.. no matter what conversion.. so what do you guys recommend, or what did you do and why?

 

[Cody]

I'd run alloys in the front and then swap in a 44 of some cherokee pedigree into the rear.


if you wheel hard enough that your jeep is on it's back that often you may want to step up to something a little more HD.

Cody

 

[mbryson]

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=34974&highlight=cherokee+axle+build

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=16307&highlight=cherokee+axle+build


The above is good reading................ I'm sure there's more if you wanted to search a little more.


IF I ever built an XJ again, I'd stick to the stock axles (by that I mean bolt in....don't spend a dime on the D35---IMHO, the XJ D44 or the 29 spline 8.25 {we can debate the F*rd 8.8 later} will be more than fine with 33" tires and can handle 35" without any issues---all that said, I wheeled my D35 until I moved up to 35" tires---I did bring a WHOLE D35 with me on wheeling trips, though for spare parts.....), 4.10 or 4.56 gears and 33" tires. Lock up the axles(preferably selectable), stick to a 4.5"-5" lift (I like Rubicon Express, but YMMV) and cut what rubbed (won't be real dramatic). It'll run some of the harder trails, but will do what you need it to. Pretty reliable and streetable package, but it does have some drawbacks.........

 

[Jeepin' Josh]

I wheel my jeep pretty hard.. most people look at me with thier jaw on the floor after I go up what they couldn't.. I'm not braggin.. just sayin I really mob my jeep.. it has never broke.. I have rolled but I was just wanting to go from my 5 1/2 inch lift to a 7 1/2 lift and 35-36 12.5 and heard that I need a stronger axle or axle shaft to handle the bigger tires... with how much a push my jeep I believe I would end up snappin my stock shafts with bigger tires when hoppin... I dunno that's why I am here...

 

[mbryson]

I wheel my jeep pretty hard.. most people look at me with thier jaw on the floor after I go up what they couldn't.. I'm not braggin.. just sayin I really mob my jeep.. it has never broke.. I have rolled but I was just wanting to go from my 5 1/2 inch lift to a 7 1/2 lift and 35-36 12.5 and heard that I need a stronger axle or axle shaft to handle the bigger tires... with how much a push my jeep I believe I would end up snappin my stock shafts with bigger tires when hoppin... I dunno that's why I am here...

You're going into the land where I didn't like the unibody platform for what I wanted to do. I sold my XJ and built a 'YJ'......

My front axle thoughts:
I was thinking I'd build a F*rd reverse cut D44 and take some shafts with me if I kept having issues. About the time I decided that, I kept breaking 760 joints in my D30 axle (this is with 35" MT/R on steel 10" wheels). I decided to step up to a D60 front as it's not exactly cheap to buy alloy shafts and upgraded joints for the D44 if you'll be breaking stockers (maybe a little different nowadays with all the shafts available now). You'll have to make that decision on your own. Lots of guys run the D44 and live with it and it works fairly well for them.


Rear axle thoughts:
Do whatever. Probably as cheap to build a 60 as anything. 9" is strong, but the pinion is kinda low. 14 bolt is HUGE, but pretty beefy and you're kinda commited to 8 lug (may or may not be an issue).

About the time I started breaking joints, my unibody had kinda had it......(see Badgers threads of late) ....and that just kinda sealed the XJs doom. I was getting squeaks out of places I'd not heard squeaks before.


I'd stick to the 5.5" lift and cut your fenders/wheelwells to fit the larger tire. Keep your center of gravity low.

If you're much taller than that it sucks when you're more any more off camber than RockerKnocker.....

 

[Milner]

Listen to MBryson.... he has been there/done that!

My feeling is 33" max for an XJ if you want it to hold up for more than a couple of years....35's are really pushing the limit of the uni-body. My wife wheeled hers for the first couple years on 31's, then about 8 years on 33's.
By time we sold it, it felt like driving a wet noodle.

If you start with a clean unwheeled xj, doo all the unibody supports, 35-36 would be ok....

Decide on axle before you decide on wheels. Pretty much anything different in the front will be 5 on 5.5. Width of the axle will determine back spacing.

And by all means DO NOT waste money on the 35!

 

[Cody]

oh, the unibody will be fine.....look what I did to it

 

[Jeepin' Josh]

MrBryson... I know what you mean with the TJ or YJ I has a 92 YJ that I did a bit to but I have owned a xj, zj, and yj, and I just bought a xj because it's basically my dream vehicle so I deffinetly won't be going back to a YJ for a while.. this one comes first... basically what i've been told is go with 33s no bigger lift keep low center of gravity and still no idea on the axle.. so it looks like a gonna swap or sell those 36 12.5s for smaller and then still need to figure out what to do about the axle...

 

[Jeremy]

i have an xj 44 running 35" mtr's and it makes me nervous. but its done well with a spool and stock shafts. i am now looking into a 9" rear, and that will make me a little less nervous when i use the go pedal. i still need to do something about the front. i am living on barrowed time running 35's on a stock d30.

 

[mbryson]

MrBryson... I know what you mean with the TJ or YJ I has a 92 YJ that I did a bit to but I have owned a xj, zj, and yj, and I just bought a xj because it's basically my dream vehicle so I deffinetly won't be going back to a YJ for a while.. this one comes first... basically what i've been told is go with 33s no bigger lift keep low center of gravity and still no idea on the axle.. so it looks like a gonna swap or sell those 36 12.5s for smaller and then still need to figure out what to do about the axle...

Sounds like you got the message. The XJ will live a somewhat longer and happier life with what we've outlined above. You start hanging heavy axles off the unibody or tweaking it around a lot, it won't last as long. (check out the Mustang, Camaro and Nova guys for unibody b!tches......They have life expectations and then they throw the unicar away----or totally rebuild it which would be SILLY to do to an XJ, IMHO)

Your front will be fine with 33" tires. The rear.......dunno. XJ D44, XJ 8.25 w/29 spline (even the 27 spline would be better than the D35) or an 8.8 would be fine (easy mods as all you need to do is set the pinion angle and weld the spring perches on). There was a Toyota axle that was 5 on 4.5". I think it was on a 2WD truck, but I don't know all the details on that. Most Toy axles are way stronger than they should be and hold up WELL. Just something to consider......

i have an xj 44 running 35" mtr's and it makes me nervous. but its done well with a spool and stock shafts. i am now looking into a 9" rear, and that will make me a little less nervous when i use the go pedal. i still need to do something about the front. i am living on barrowed time running 35's on a stock d30.

I don't think that rear is really worth worrying about unless you're wanting to change bolt patterns or something (and even then, can't you just get a 5 or 6 on 5.5" pattern set?) I've not really heard of TJ or XJ D44 rears having many issues, have you?

 

[Jeremy]

have you seen how i drive? i havnt had any issues with the 44 but i want peice of mind. so im going with something a little stronger. i was thinking 14 bolt till i priced out gears and lockers.

 

[mbryson]

..........i was thinking 14 bolt till i priced out gears and lockers.

Aren't full Detroits only about $500? Spools are cheaper $200 than that and the welded carrier actually holds up (somewhat debateable) from what I understand. Gears aren't a whole lot more ($230ish?), but you're limited to 5.39 or 5.36 or something. 5.13 is commonly available.

I shaved the 1.5" plow part off of mine and it seems like a good way to go so far. I don't worry about the rear axle at all.......

 

[Meat_]

My welded 14 has been fine. You can find a detroited 14 for $300 or less... wtf you talking about expensive?

 

[Jeremy]

i can get gears for a 9" in any ratio i want for $150.00. and they are available in the ratio i want. and a spool is going to cost me $100.00. housing costs me $50.00. shafts are $150.00 each. $600.00 + gear set up. with out the extra weight and lack of clearance.

14 bolt 10.5" ring: gears are $300.00, spool is $350.00, and then i still have to get an axle to put it all in and have it set up. if i bought JINX's cab and chasis 14 bolt i wont have to narrow it, but that is another $300.00. the shafts should be strong enough that i wont need aloy shafts. so that is a grand with out set up of the gears.

 

[Jeremy]

My welded 14 has been fine. You can find a detroited 14 for $300 or less... wtf you talking about expensive?

find that detroited 14 bolt with 4.88 or lower gears, that is 60"-64" wide and i will give you $300.00 for it.

 

[Caleb]

i can get gears for a 9" in any ratio i want for $150.00. and they are available in the ratio i want. and a spool is going to cost me $100.00. housing costs me $50.00. shafts are $150.00 each. $600.00 + gear set up. with out the extra weight and lack of clearance.

14 bolt 10.5" ring: gears are $300.00, spool is $350.00, and then i still have to get an axle to put it all in and have it set up. if i bought JINX's cab and chasis 14 bolt i wont have to narrow it, but that is another $300.00. the shafts should be strong enough that i wont need aloy shafts. so that is a grand with out set up of the gears.

a 10.5" 14 bolt can be had all day for $50-$100, 4.56 gears aren't uncommon stock, you can also find Detroits in them stock, and a detroit can be bought aftermarket for around $400 or so brand new, used for less. There aren;t many axles that can be built cheaper than a 9" but a 14 bolt is deffinitely one of them.

 

[mbryson]

a 10.5" 14 bolt can be had all day for $50-$100, 4.56 gears aren't uncommon stock, you can also find Detroits in them stock, and a detroit can be bought aftermarket for around $400 or so brand new, used for less. There aren;t many axles that can be built cheaper than a 9" but a 14 bolt is deffinitely one of them.

I've got $350 in mine total......4.56 gears came with the housing/assembly I bought for $100, Poly Perf. mini spool ($220?), some brake parts, 2 or 3 cut off wheels and a grinder wheel (100% necessary, IMHO)..... 67" wms-wms

 

[Caleb]

I've got $350 in mine total......4.56 gears came with the housing/assembly I bought for $100, Poly Perf. mini spool ($220?), some brake parts, 2 or 3 cut off wheels and a grinder wheel (100% necessary, IMHO)..... 67" wms-wms

and if you threw on some dually hubs you'd be about 64" wms-wms...same as a cab&chassis 14 bolt.

Seriously, 14 bolts are sooo cheap.

 

[Jeremy]

a 10.5" 14 bolt can be had all day for $50-$100, 4.56 gears aren't uncommon stock, you can also find Detroits in them stock, and a detroit can be bought aftermarket for around $400 or so brand new, used for less. There aren;t many axles that can be built cheaper than a 9" but a 14 bolt is deffinitely one of them.

i dont want 4.56 gears, i want 4.88 or lower. i cant seem to find one for $50-$100 in the right width. so unless some one wants to narrow it for me for free, that is going to cost me a butt load aswell. not every body wants full width axles.

 

[Caleb]

i dont want 4.56 gears, i want 4.88 or lower. i cant seem to find one for $50-$100 in the right width. so unless some one wants to narrow it for me for free, that is going to cost me a butt load aswell. not every body wants full width axles.

read the post above yours, I just told you how to get it to 64" wms-wms on the cheap