Hopefully don't have to cut anymore out of the truss that was on the axle, but this should do. We'll see once I get the other side welded in.

 

Builds lookin awesome! Your making quick progress!

 

Everything goes quick when ya got the parts before the jeep lol! That and with the new job I started recently money is easier to come by, so more parts come faster lol

 

Sounds like a horrible situation, already having all the parts and not being worried about money. That just sounds rough LOL!

 

Almost as rough as hardly having any time for it now lol... just gotta do what I can when I can I suppose lol

 

Brackets done for the most part. Need to finish welding it all in, but everything's where I need it to be. Should have the gears and everything ordered once my tax return shows up. The rear axle needed absolutely nothing for the springs to line up the way they should, so I'm pretty happy on that

 

Started making some progress on getting the rear end in. Got stuck when I realized all my line wrenches are at work... I'll grab em tomorrow and should be good!

 

Lookin good!

 

8.25 out, full width 8.8 in! Now to make some brake lines and get my driveshaft figured out. Should have gears in a few weeks then the 44 can go under

 

Awesome progress! I like the flaps!

 

Thanks lol! I feel they add to the Alaskaness of it all lol

 

So after talking to the guy I bought the 8.8 from, found out he took the original 8.8 which should've had an lsd in it and put it under his bronco sooo I've got an open diff that's gonna need some kinda locker lol. Since this isn't a daily, I'll probably be ordering a spool when I order my gears

 

Drive shaft all hooked up, got the full belly skids started, and lined the rockers. Gonna have to make some custom brake lines to attach the 8.8 to the stock jeep brake lines. Lil work and I should be fine

 

That looks sweet! I've always had a thing for xjs red with black trim/bumpers. I'm definitely jealous!


That's a bummer! I'm gunna assume you've driven locked in snow before lol so i feel you may be a good person to ask. There is plenty of opinions on this but since your going with a spool, how bad is it really to drive in the snow locked. My xjs get wheeled mostly, driven around in the summer with the doors off, and driven around when there's enough snow to play in. Not really used as a DD. Is it really worth the extra for a selectable vs a lunchbox or spool? there is just such a huge price difference.

 

it's honestly not that bad... my old xj before this was welded up in the rear and handled fine in the snow. Only time I really noticed it was locked was when I'd have to crawl it up the hill in our coldesac and it would drive up it sideways cause of the ice lol. But once out on the road it's not really any more noticeable than in the summer. Of course around corners may get a bit squirrelly, but this is far from my dd lol. But yea price difference is crazy, which is why I'm opting for a $60 spool instead of a $600 locker. My tax return is good, but not that good after $1000 in gears lol