I am searching for the best axle swap to fit my needs and have had tons of luck using the search function. I have found some incredible links and a wealth of knowledge. So much knowledge that I am now extremely confused
so many different choices I don't know what is for the front and what is for the rear. could someone please help me sort them out? this would make a great sticky.

 

1. choose your goal, ie tire size, how hard you are on the throttle, what you are going to be doing with it.
2. pick the axle that will let you reach those goals.

 

What size tires do you want to run? What are you going to be doing with the Jeep? And do you want full width axles or stock track width?

 

Also what kind of lift laws and tire coverage laws do you have where you live.

 

I'm running 33's right now but want to go 35's dual use highway and heavy trail no more than 65 mph on the road. I want the most clearance I can get. I want to gear it at 4.56. and put in some ARB selectable lockers. Beef up my axle shafts with some chromoly axle shafts. From what I am reading that will satisfy my needs and give me something reliable. what I don't under stand is out of the toy 8's ( which I have found little to no info on), the dana 44, the dana 60,ford 8.8, dana 35, chrysler 8.25, dana 70 I might have missed some I'm not sure...... is what axles are rears and what axles are for the front

 

Of the one's you listed, Toyota used the 8" both front and rear but it's a passenger side drop and narrower than your stock axles. Dana 44s also came front and rear as did the Dana 60 and 70 and fronts come in both high and low pinion. Fronts come in both driver and passenger side drop but only the driver drop can be found in high pinion. The 8.8, 8,25 and 35 are all rear axles.
Depending on what rear you have now you may be fine running 35s. The 29 spline 8.25 will hold 35s fine, the D35 not so much. You also have a Dana 30 low pinion front and it'll hold 35s as long as you don't beat on it to much.

 

Here's some great reading material. http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html

 

If you plan to stay under or around 65 and want to wheel and get the most out of the jeep on the street don't be afraid to gear low. 4.88 minimum on a 35. If you drive 65-70 I would say 5.13. The 4.0 will turn rpm all day down the highway and be happy. It's really nice having enough power to accelerate up hill too.
For the moat clearance I would say a set of Dana 44's.one a waggy set so they aren't too wide.

 

seems the internet consensus as of late is 35" tires - build up your stock axles
bigger than 35's - eff it just go 1 tons you'll end up on 37's or bigger anyway

then theres the ole' 44/9 combo. I've got a bud getting rid of his waggys. he keeps breaking shafts and stock spares are scarce

and FWIW every set of D30 ring and pinion I've seen broken have been 4.88's on 35's
good luck. axle swapping is expensive, difficult, and everyone will heckle your choices one way or another
I've built up my stock front axle. it's good on 35's the brakes just suck

 

The D30 front will handle 35's even locked. The D35 rear, I wouldn't trust with 35's, and wouldn't trust any tire size on a locked 35. If you have the 8.25 rear, it may handle 35's, depends on how hard you beat on it imo. I'd personally swap an 8.8 out of an Explorer with disk brakes in the rear, lock it, throw some 4.88's in it, and lock and gear the D30 that's up front.

 

If your going to throw that much $$$$$$ in a d30 buy Yukon gears and carrier and throw a Detroit in it with RCV shafts and truss it and sleeve it beef up the unibody it will hold up to full throttle assaults then! Don't waist money on chromo shafts when RCV's are another $300.00 that's my opinion! Rear do the 8.8 swap with rear disc my buddy did all that to his and he daily drives his and beats the snot out of it about every weekend at superlift offroad park in hotsprings running 4 and 5 rated trails!

 

haha

 

Rcvs are closer to $1k. Chromos are like $350. Not to mention I'd rather break a ujoint than the ring and pinion.

 

a 8.25 thats 29 spline(97+) is comparable to a d44 so it can handle 35's just fine. it would be more of a question on what is available to him and budget. he might already have a 8.25 and could upgrade or if its a d35 then its up to him what his budget is, the 8.25 is a direct swap, while the 8.8 will need to be modified to fit and spacers to correct the track width

 

track width isn't that bad. I'm on an 8.8 and 35's and barely notice