axle swap

[sixbanger]

whats the best axle to swap in, in the rear. ive been lookin for the ford 8.8 but what year fits my jeep with out alot of mods. i plan on goin soa, so the swappin out the rear with an axle with the perches already on top will solve a lot of headaches. i have a 93 yj 4.0 with a 1.5 shackle lift. i want to go with soa and 35's. thanks

[wallysheata]

can't go wrong with an 8.8....very solid up to 38" tires, same width, and bolt pattern as dana 30 front, you need to weld perches on anyways, comes with disk brakes and is very easy to install lockers in. Not to mention most 8.8's are newer axles, with good seals, bearings and housings, not 20 year old axles that need to be totaly rebuilt cost $$$.

I sent ya a PM....i'm the resident 8.8 axle whore for JU :rotflmao: I have way to many 98 + explorere 8.8 w/disks and 31 spline shafts still sitting around that i'm happy to unload for $350 delivered.


Wally

[Special Ed]

any with 4.10 ratio? if so pm me

[zman]

Wally should be able to fix you up with an 8.8. It is the easiest axel to install as an upgrade to the D35. You may be able to find one with the right gears as long as you don't go higer than 4.10. Unfortuneatly you can't really get by without welding if you want to do it right. Pinion angle needs to be set and the stock brackets are about a half inch off. Some have used the stock perches though. You should be able to grind the old perches off and mock up a new set, then hire a welder to finish the job if you can't do it yourself.

zman

[sixbanger]

so if im gonna have to weld the perches on top anyways, what is the right angle, cant i technically do it parallel to the stock perches? and while i have the axle i might as well stuff some new gears and a rear locker into the pumpkins. i cant wait to go soa.

[sixbanger]

so if im gonna have to weld the perches on top anyways, what is the right angle, cant i technically do it parallel to the stock perches? and while i have the axle i might as well stuff some new gears and a rear locker into the pumpkins. i cant wait to go soa. and no one really answered my question, what year exploer do i look for???

[wcjp]

There used to be an article on the net about the ford 9". I kept the bookmark but it's since gone dead. I think the 9" out of a 72' Ford p/u was a bolt in for a YJ SOA. I think the pinion angle became a problem unless you went HP 9". Changing out the spring pads isn't a big deal.

I went the 8.8 route. The parts are all newer and they sold lots of Explorers. This was also a very cheap upgrade to rear discs. I removed the original shock mounts and spring pads. Once the axle was mocked into place I carefully marked the location for everything and had a professional welder do the work.

My 8.8 swap also took place when the SOA happened. My SOA springs are Alcans. They're awesome.

[trailblazer95]

I swapped in an 8.8 also. It wasn't too bad, actually. One thing I will warn you, if you find an axle cheap, make sure it has the calipers and the brake hardware. Calipers can run you up to $300. And yes, you will need new mounting hardware and a welder... Don't half-ass it by trying to use stock perches. FWIW, I got my axle from a local junkyard from a 98 exploder for $400. It came with 3.73's. Keep in mind, if you don't get the right gearing, you can always ebay the gears, since the 8.8 is used in mustangs, and 3.73 is a common racing ratio.

Proper pinion angle has to be determined by your setup. I am still SUA, so to compensate for the 6 degree shims I was using, and to help with clearance a little bit, I angled pinion up 9.5 degrees.

[zman]

-=- originally posted by sixbanger -=-
so if im gonna have to weld the perches on top anyways, what is the right angle, cant i technically do it parallel to the stock perches? and while i have the axle i might as well stuff some new gears and a rear locker into the pumpkins. i cant wait to go soa. and no one really answered my question, what year exploer do i look for???

You have to have the weight of the jeep sitting on your SOA setup. You can then eyeball it. Since you are using a CV you will want the pinion pointed directly at the t-case, so the u-joint at the pinion is straight. Then point it down a degree or two to allow for torque while moving. 1995-2000 is the best years becasue they have disc brakes. Do a search outside of JU such as on google. There are hundreds of write ups on SOA and 8.8 installs.

zman

[wallysheata]

-=- originally posted by trailblazer95 -=-
One thing I will warn you, if you find an axle cheap, make sure it has the calipers and the brake hardware. Calipers can run you up to $300.

I would not trust junk yard calipers at all, once calipers sit for any length of time they seize up and do not work. If you go to Autozone's website you will see that 8.8 calipers cost $37 each and $23 for pads. You will need core calipers but those can be purchased from local yards for approx $5-$10, so you're really looking at around $150 by the time you buy the new rubber hoses. It is also illeagle to sell an axle with used calipers on it. It is considered a life safety issue by the department of transportation. Just an FYI, but $300....:naw: .....$150 maybe, but regardless you should get new calipers and lines anyways.


Wally

[trailblazer95]

-=- originally posted by wallysheata -=-
but $300....:naw: .....$150 maybe

Wasn't speaking from personal experience. Mine came with calipers that were completely functional. Put new rotors, pads & hoses on, and I was good to go. The $300 figure came from previous posts of members, some of whom might not have wanted to buy remanufactured parts, or who had to pay autozone's $47 per caliper core charge. Either way, i was just stating that calipers and brake parts can add to the price and to beware of cheap prices.