cjmass47

i cant decide what axles to swap in.. i know i want the d35 out of the back end and i know im going to be running either a 35 or 36 in tire. id like to run 4.56 or 4.88 gears and if im dong all this then im locking it front and rear. my jeep isnt a dd just a winter vehicle during bad snow. so i have several months to do this. im swapping my transfer case soon so i figure while im under it why not do a little extra. what im trying to figure out is whether or not to go full widths d60 rear and d44 front or try to find a 44 from a cherokee already for the rear but then idk what to do for the front??? what are your guy's opinions or what swaps have you done and how do you like them?

93gc40

If this is just a winter use snowy day rig, I'd just keep the Turdy5. If you plan to wheel it occasionally also, go for a 97+ 8.25 or a XJ D44. The D30 for the front should be fine, no Idea on substitute.

cjmass47

well i wheel the thing year round but i only depend on it during the winter.

nismo5

if you have some fab skills or deep pockets i would go full widths just because its way cooler

Tural

full widths are the coolest axle swap, but they probably weight about 250lbs per axle. if not more. so that's something to keep in mind. but considering that you'll only drive it in the winter, then i'd say you're not worried about gas mileage. i'd sit down and do a research on all of the full size trucks that came with d60 rear and d44 front. it will make your job a whole lot easier once you go to the jy. and it might be a good idea to get both from the same vehicle. that way at least you will know that your front and rear gears are the same. also keep in mind that most (if not all) full size axles come with 5x5.5 or 6 bolt pattern.

DUDE454

Id go all out with D60 rear and D44 front. Thats my opinion, go big or go home.

Tural

u have a D60 in the rear?

rweaver138

if you dont plan on going over 35's i wouldnt go fullwidth, i plan to someday and run somethin like 38's. get an 8.25 rear, 44, or a ford 8.8. toughen up the front with some alloy shafts and a truss wouldnt hurt either.

cjmass47

thanks guys im only going for a 35 or a 36 inch tire for now but the tires im between are either a 14.50 or a 15.50 wide depending on the tire i pick. and i think i am just going to go full widths s*** what do i have to lose. now i just need to find the axles themselves. so i keep reading about different high pinion axles and im getting a little confused can someone explain this to me a little more whats the advantage of a high pinion for swapping into the jeep? also would you guys recommend shortening the axle housings or just leave them. in iowa my tires arent supposed to stick past the flare so with a 14.50 tire and full widths it might be a little wide but they dont really do anything about the law and i could always make tube flares anyway.

FloydXJ

high pinions assist in driveshaft angle. The less angle they are at, the less drama potential there is. Also, the gears are stronger on the drive side rather than the coast side, which translates to stronger gears with a high pinion front and a low pinion rear. R&P's are rarely the fail factor, it seems, so that should not be the sole basis of the swap. It just makes driveshaft angles easier
Leaving the housings as is will make getting axle shafts easier. If you shorten them, try to get it down to a common width. Otherwise, it will always be custom made shafts. Get some wheels with more backspacing to suck the tires back in a little, and it won't be out as far.

nismo5

if youre gonna go all out a d44 front isnt good enoughi have a buddy with a 87 xj with a 60 rear 44 front and he has broken the 44 shafts but the 60 holds up like a champ and hes only runnin 35's

find an old ford f350 d60 front driver drop and either d60 rear or 14 bolt best jy setup out there im pretty sure

and yeah there a little heavy he tends to sink in the snow while all the yota guys just float on top

clayton3854

96 and up had the chrsyler 8.25 actually. and that is a much stronger axle then the d35. ford 8.8 is questionable stronger then the 8.25 from what i hear. obv a d44 is alot stronger and a d60 is the strongest. alot depends on how your gonna use it and how often.

DUDE454

I wish, cant offord one.

N20jeep

8.25 is not THAT much stronger than a 35.

and the 8.8 is WAY stronger than the 8.25