Atmos

yeah the 8.8 was worth it for me mine totaled at $800. it just laughs at every obstacle

for 33's or even 35's and moderate trails I would do a 29 8.25 with a couple upgrades. full case locker and gears being the most important to me. nice job on doing your research

Bassaholic

I'd be fine running 35's on a 29 8.25. I've always said that once you get into the spline upgrade territory, it's just time for a bigger axle. an 8.25 with alloys, a truss, and heavy diff cover will work wonders. you dont even need all that for 33's[/QUOTE]

Are you recomending an 8.25 with alloys, a truss, and heavy diff cover?
thats what I was thinking too, but I got kinda flamed for suggesting such a thing.

Tom95YJ

I beat the **** out of my 29er 8.25 with 33's with no issues.

Bassaholic

I do like the idea of never having to worry about an axle failure. Also I would like rear disc brakes, I have a 17 ft Ranger bassboat to pull around, thought the extra breaking would be good.

BNJeepsta

If you can't weld and you don't know anything about making/setting up perches, just do an 8.25 and call it a day. They are plenty strong for anything up to a 35 for moderate wheeling. If you are super heavy on the gas, get some good shafts for it. Truth is, you can break anything. KTM has a pic of his rig with a busted d60 shaft. You just have to know the limitations of your equipment and how much cash/spare parts you got laying around. To this day I am still running a d35. Not because I have to, I have other axles I could get very cheap if need be. I haven't changed it because the little bugger just won't break! The pinion seal leaks like a Mo fo, the diff cover looks like Chris Brown got to it, and it makes terrible noises, but it keeps right on trucking lol

muffinman

You can get all the parts for a rear disc conversion for a 8.25 off a Zj at the junkyard. I am looking into rear axle swaps but my 8.25 is still going strong with discs and a lockrite. That's on 34" super swampers.

Bassaholic

Thanks for the replies. I thought I read that the disc brakes off a liberty were easier to swap onto an XJ 8.25 than the ZJ disc brakes?

Bassaholic

If your going to re gear, I'm assuming you need to do both axles at the same time?

Matteo_96xj

A Liberty rear disc set up would be a straight swap if you go with the 8.25. That said, ZJ set ups are far easier to find. I put ZJ discs on my 8.25, and the only mod you have to do is open up the center bore on the backing plates. Use a high torque high speed grinder like a Makita, a Dremel doesn't have the power to keep the bit speed up. After that they bolt right on, just be sure to get the plate studs from a ZJ since the XJ studs are too short.

Matteo_96xj

Yes.

ct67_72

8.25 is plenty strong. I ran mine a couple years on 35's and even tried to break a shaft on 37's. Ended up breaking the 30 pinion first. Shocker. Anyway, I wouldn't touch the shafts. If you want an ARB than you are going to spend the money on either axle you buy anyway. If you are staying 35 or under, bolt an 8.25 in and make it easy. Buy a 29 spline, and do whatever gears and locker, discs and have a nice setup.
Let me know if you need pricing on an ARB and gears.

andrewmp6

Don't count the 8.8 out if you can't weld,You can buy a swap kit that has all the parts you need and have a local welder weld them on.

Atmos

yeah. I really recommend getting on naxja for something like this. posting a thread like "beer and $20 to help me do some welding on my 8.8" will take you a long way

holycaveman

Good question. I shaved about an inch off of my 8.25. Its nice having the clearance of an xj with 35’s with only 33's.

The 8.8 has to be an inch bigger at least. But I do not know the exact measurements.

McCaffrey

I'd like to know this too.

As to why not go with an 8.8. It might sound trivial to somebody with welding/fab experience but it's not. An 8.25 with 31 spline would be mostly plug-and-play. I can understand how that would be very appealing.