wasilla xj

ill be doing a 8.8 swap into my cherokee and i want to get rid of the crappy dana 30, but dont wanna go fullwidths just yet what are my options?

andrewmp6

Bolt in will be a jeep tj rubicon dana 44,Weld in will be a 1980-91 jeep jeep wagoneer fsj.Its close to stock width but its 6 lug and low pinion and takes welding before it bolts in.You can buy a truss kit from https://www.tntcustoms.com/jeep_part...agoneer_d44_80 Two ways to deal with the lug pattern you can keep it 6 lug and use a isuzu rodeo rear dana 44 which is right width and 6 lug.Or you can change the 8.8 and wagoneer to a 5x5.5 lug the 8.8 you get a yukon ultimate 88 kit and buy brake rotors drilled for 5x5.5 from currie or redrill a stock one.On the wagoneer you can buy a kit or use a write up online with junkyard parts.

884x4

Dana 30 isn't necessarily a crappy axle. It all depends on how you use it and what you run.
For me, I run an 8.8 rear and dana 30 with full circle clips on 760x ujoints locked on 35s and I haven't broken anything yet.
Keep in mind if you do end up going with a 44 the only thing your gonna be getting is a bigger ring gear and 29spline shafts. The u joint is the same size for a 95-99 xj. And they are hp.
It's a lot of money to make a d44 good for an xj when if you do put a lot of money in it you might be able to support 40s and that's pushing it in my honest opinion.
If it was up to me I would Dress up your current 30 for a small some and save the rest for a dana 60

wasilla xj

well im in Alaska and Rocks are not big up here, ill mainly be playing in the mud with some 35x14.5 boggers soon when the cash is saved up and i really do not want to blow money on polish the turdy... oh and i already have a Chrysler 8.25 with a Lincoln locker, its not a dd at all...
which ill have to regear but really do not want to spend money on the dana 30

884x4

You can usually get away with running larger tires on smaller axles if you play in mud.
The thing is your gonna spend a lot of money for a bolt in d44(only one is a tj rubicon) and those are not the strongest 44s either.
If you have the fab skills look into the waggy 44 swap. You gotta cut the a
Spring perches off and weld in coil buckets but there's good write ups out there.
If you really don't wanna put money into the 30 then that option is probably best for you

wasilla xj

fab skills is not a problem and what years do you get the waggy 44?

Rockhead

Good article. http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/tr...rd-axle-guide/

wasilla xj

just curious now... does my 92 cherokee dana 30 have the reverse rotation? if so how do i tell

Atmos

full widths don't have to be full widths. I am running full width but they look like they are almost stock width because I run 5.625 back space wheels. really sucks in the tires and improves scrub radius. so if you're going to bother with a swap, I'd go straight to a HP ford D44. waggys are a bad option IMO honestly. 6 lug, low pinion, good luck finding more shafts. fooey. if you can find a waggy 44 out there you shouldn't have much more trouble finding a good D44 (although I'm sure some will greatly contest my opinion, waggy axle is a huge bummer if you ask me)

here's the difference between high and low pinion. high pinion is reverse cut, low pinion is standard

low pinion is on the left, high on the right. 1992 xj is a high pinion

884x4

Yep a hp d44 would be much better, if you don't wanna mess with super high backspaces wheels and are up for a challenge you can even narrow a full width axle to stock width if you wanted too, there is a good write up on jeep forum somewhere.
I think a certain hummer wheel has a lot of backspacing like what atmos said by the way.

Atmos

narrowing axles.. maybe cut the long side and slug it but that's about all the effort I'd bother with. the backspacing option is just so much easier lol and I haven't found a downside yet. lazy option wins in my book

yeah the H2's but they're 8 lug. probably wont work on the half tons..

wasilla xj

since im pciking your brains, how strong is the Chrysler 8.25 the 27 spline?

884x4

Ahh I always forget about stuff like bolt pattern and lug count

Fred/N0AZZ

Just change it to a 29 spline 8.25 they are almost as strong as a D44 and I prefer them for what I do trails and mud in the mountains. I also run a D30 both with 4.56 gears and Detroit Lockers now on 33x12:50's but just bought 6 beadlocks and plan on mounting 35's on them.

I have wheeled mine hard at times and have never had a single issue with the D30/Chy 8.25 both with stock axles (I do carry spares, so far not used). If something breaks I would rather it be an axle instead of a differential.

wasilla xj

See im already starting off with 35s and plan on going bigger in a few months, but whats the value of dana 30 Chrysler worth for resale? If theyre 4.56 open front n locked rear?