LOL

 

I've got a friend runniing 39.5 iroks on and arb locked 4.88 geared d30 with stock everything else ...he has not broke yet either , But he can't push an obstacle nearly as hard I can before breaking or pulling cable .

 

8.8 is a great axle. I would do like the others and weld the tubes to the diff.

 

hey i got a ? with the 8.8 what u guys taken these out of ? i have one in my 92 f150 but puting f350 axles under it so would that 8.8 work?

 

95 or newer Ford explorer

 

Brilliant

 

I guess if you want to go for the hardest to break axle the D/60 would take more abuse than the 8.8, but then the 14bff will take way more abuse than the D/60 so I guess you could just keep going. Bottom line is the 8.8 will handle 37-38 inch tires.

 

and a sterling will handle more abuse than 14bolt, oh and rockwell will handle more abuse than the sterling

 

It's about all I can say to running 38's on lite duty axles or suggesting 39.5's for it...I've seen 42's under a lite weight toyta truggy with a 4cyl running a 35 splined 8.8 blow the r/p . Mud is not wheeling on the rocks ,and lines can be hard or easy hard lines requiring those tires will result in much more breakage than axles that are up to the challenge when running obstacles/lines really needing that tire selection .And a trail ready weight of an xj on 38's is far from lite ,and 4lo produces plenty of axle breaking torque from a 4.0 .

 

totally off topic but i'll bite...

who said a sterling will handle more than 14 bolt? the pinion support bearing on the 14 bolt adds so much strength to the pinion preventing deflection. The housing is similar in size and strength I think technically the shafts of the sterling are bigger and have more splines but it takes a lot to break a 14 bolt shaft.

(I know we are just talking strength so I will leave out all non-strength reasons that a 14 bolt is better axle to swap in than any other one ton axle...)

btw if you are keeping stock-ish track width and stock lug pattern I don't think you can beat the explorer 8.8 in a jeep. Tons of after market support due to mustang and bronco crew, disk brakes, keep your same wheels, easy to find in junk yards, I think it is a hell of a swap if you are not going 8-lug.

Nathan

 

My son broke another D/60 ring and pinion this weekend running in snow so they can be broken. I don't know that much about the sterling axles, but the point on my last post is yes you can find axles that are harder to break than the 8.8, but all axles can be broken. I guess it is just a matter of how far you want to go to turn 37 inch tires. Myself, I would say that if I had to go bigger than an 8.8, I would go to a 1 ton chevy and build a Truggy.

 

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd revive it. Check out this link:

http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-476...-assembly.html

These axles come with the tubes welded and many different options, including the spring mounts already welded. Thinkin about swapping as soon as i have the $$$. Share your thoughts.

 

How do you "Freshen Up" factory gears?

Doesn't look like to great of a deal when add the ratio you want and then pay for freight.

JY 8.8 is a better option.

 

Only so true. They have the third pinion support because the 2 pinion bearings are so close together. The sterling is spread out and doesn't require additional support.
I'm not arguing the sterling is stronger, but the pinion bearings always come up in conversation and I think its a moot point.

 

This is the first time I appreciate the bumping of a dead thread.

Lol @ 1tonxj, what a joke. I run 40's on both my 8.8's, wheel Rausch monthly, Moab annually and other places locally on the weekends.