A friend of mine has the same year cherokee as me. He still has the 8.25 and the dana 30 front. He asked me eariler today if it was possible to take a front axle off a bronco with locker hubs to put on his jeep if he did some fab work? Is this possible if not. Is there a strong axle he can get to replace the front that has locker hubs? Thanks

 

On ford trucks and broncos the 1979 back had a solid front axle 1980 and newer f150/f250 and bronco used a ttb which is a ifs it won't work.The f350 any year used a dana 60 which is a solid axle but a little pricey to get now.If he wants to save some time get a truss from http://www.tntcustoms.com/front.aspx it will make it stronger and add on their mounting tabs are stronger to.Also search around about a wagoneer front axle its a dana 44 and has been swapped before.

 

ok thanks, He wants to run 33s and doesnt like the Dana axle. He wants to lock the axle out. So he was wanting to just get a axle with locking hubs I guess to avoid cost of lockers for the front

 

The Dana 30 is fine for 33s a dana 44 is over kill. If he wants locking hubs they make a kit for the 30 but honestly it's not worth it. He won't break anything on 33s even with a locker if he drives with his brain.

The way you make it sound is that locking hubs act as a locker? That's not how it works

 

locking hubs and a locker are two different things,Locking hubs means just that the hubs lock in.A locker is a type of limited slip differential it goes inside the axle.A open differential means both wheels can spin independent like you ever seen a one wheel burn out or you get stuck and the free wheel just spins.A limited slip there is a few types but they all control the power to both wheels at the same time.Honestly a rear limited slip is better you can still off road with a open front diff just takes a little more skill and speed.

 

D44 is overkill?!?!
Hardly.

As for manual lock-outs not being worth it, that's an opinion and not a fact.
Your budget may be pennies, the OP's may not.

 

ok. Well he is pretty set on going with the dana 44 front and staying with the 8.25. Ill let him know about the lock hubs and locker. Thanks again

 

Uh what year is this bronco? If its got the twin traction beam up front
that's not even worth considering.
Many came with 9"'s in the rear though.
And if its got a 44/9 solid axle combo, he should swap the pair.
Why run the chryco?

 

If he's dead set on swapping the axle out for the D44, IMO swap the rear one to the matching 9" out of the Bronco as well. That way you'll have a semi-floating rear end that you'll never have to worry about running 33s (albeit the 8.25 is just fine for 33s also), and even bigger then that is having the same bolt pattern for the wheels front and rear and the same track width without needing wheel adapters/spacers. The D44 out of a Bronco would be the only one I'd consider myself, if for no other reasons to get the 5x5.5 bolt pattern as well as the high pinion. While I somewhat agree that an axle swap would be "overkill" for a XJ on 33s, overkill is a highly underrated achievement lol.

 

This is actually not true. In 1980 Ford went to a front TTB on the one tons. They switched back to solid axles in 1985.5+. Just a heads up.

 

Learn something everyday,At least ford learned ifs 4x4 on a 1ton is crap gm still hasn't.A dana 44 for 33s isn't really over kill who's to say later on he don't get a bigger lift and tires?

 

Isuzu front axels have lock in hubs. A buddy put one on his Manche. I believe that are d44s as well.

 

How old of an Isuzu? They were IFS back in the early 80s...

 

Dana 44 for 33s? I call that over kill. And the Dana 30 is more than up to the task of that tire size. I wouldn't even consider a 44 front unless I was going 35s and up... Shoot I'm running 39.5
On a bronco 44 and with my light foot I don't break anything.

I just don't see the point to upgrade. All you'll gain is a axle that is stronger and isn't needed..and you gain the width which with 33s will look goofy

 

not if he goes early bronco its fairly close to the same width. dana 44 isnt overkill. its a good upgrade axle. he can run stock parts after he gets it under there for a while on 33s then upgrade as he goes bigger. dana 44 is cheaper to service imo...