D44 from an XJ 87-89.
Pros: strong, many aftermarket, bolt on.
Cons: hard to find (I'm looking for one JE), more expensive .

F8.8 from Explorer 96+.
Pros: disk brake, many aftermarket, cheaper (maybe).
Cons: need to weld perches and tubes, housing pretty large, c-clip axle.


C8.25 from XJ 97+
Pros: bolt on, pretty strong (35" with alloy acordding to what I have read).
Cons: c-clip, not many aftermarket (ring&pinion, lockers, etc).

Would my 99 sport have the 8.25 and if so do I still want something stronger??? Or with a better gear ratio???

No

A hp dana 30 and a 29 spline 8.25 will hold 35s i run the same setup no problems and so do alot of others

Should I consider re-gearing them then and maybe adding lockers???

If you gonna run 35's a high pinion Dana 30 wont hold up if you do any real wheelin I personally have lunched three if your gonna build axles don't waste your time with anything other than one tons find u a set of 60's

Always remember there's two ways to do things either right or over do it right the first time

As much as I want too I'm a college student who works full time (60hrs a week) in a plant over the summer so time and money are a big problem, I'll have close to a grand to invest but I'm hoping too find a median between quality, cost and time

I'm actually not even sure if I have the budget to do this at the moment but eventually it will be done so I'm just trying too figure out what I would have to do and what too keep an eye out for

If you don't hAve the budget for it now keep your stock axles under it and baby it for awhile. Find you some axles ,60's 44 8.25 whatever, on craigslist or jy or something tear em down and slowly start building them with quality parts buy tubes with a paycheck here then gears later down the road then lockers, knuckles, brackets, bearings, in whatever order you want there are lots of parts needed to make a good set of axles but you don't have to do it all at once I'm building a set of 60's right now and they are a year in the making I do a little here and there but they are about 90%

That's something too consider, my goal is too have a pretty decent mud/trailing rig finished in 4yrs while only spending 3.6k on performance parts (not including tires and maintenance) I've found the lift I want (6.5 inch RC) so that's about a grand, the. I was thinking axles, bumpers and winch (theirs a front/rear bumper and winch combo by nates 4x4 for about a grand) with any left over going towards a roof rack and trail lights and maybe a snorkel, anything worth effort I'm forgetting???

hold your money and play the waiting game till a 44 comes up for sale, im glad i did

From what i've seen and heard (before I even posted this thread) the Dana 44 is the way too go followed closely by the ford 8.8

i stayed away from the 8.8 due to the fact that i really dont like ford, if i was going to do an axle swap again i didnt want c clips and the aftermarket for the dana 44 is so much better, oh and its a direct bolt in

I like ford but Welding would be a little sketchy because I would have to have my friend do it :-/ Dana 44 defiantly sounds like the way to go