BatmanXJ

Here is the story. Current setup 30/8.25 27sp with 3.55s. Front pinion tons of slack, Rear Pinion Roaring little slack.

My orginal plan was to find a dana 30 at jy with 4.10 then get a ford 8.8 with same. Well that plan went out the window when I went to JY today. Found a perfect shape 30 from an 87 with 4cyl that has 4.56s. I pulled it and bought for a steal of $89. Since 8.8 didnt come with 4.56s from factory i will be gearing a rear.

Option 1: Seems to be best route. 8.8 for $89 and then buy gears ( I can do the fab work to make it work in Xj). Another plus to this is I can easily sell my 8.25 disk brake setup for cost of 8.8.

Option 2: XJ dana 44 that will need re-gearing for $100. I know a guy willing to sell possibly. Plus I can use my current disk brake setup.

Option 3: Rebuild my current C8.25 and re gear to 3.56.

I'm looking for best bang for the buck. Cheap as possible but best option

bulrid8

Buy the 8.8 and regear. Better axle and rear disk brakes!

tinytrax78

8.8

salad

+1 for 8.8

BatmanXJ

Glad to know that some agree that my option 1 is the best. guess i gotta get started on the 8.8 search and build. At least since im gonna do a full swap i can keep driving it on rides till it explodes.

XJwonders

8.8 for sure. But if u only plan to run 33's. It may not be worth it since the diff housing are huge, that's what I was told, but i still would go for it anyway.

Atmos

I hung the front up just as often as the rear on 33's. it's not a big issue

XJwonders

Yeah it isn't. I'm just saying what people have told me

cleenrob

carefull thats a disco axle. in case you didnt know.

definatly go for the 8.8

freegdr

8.8 was ava in 456 option search with the door codes ....http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/f...cation-227000/

Fred/N0AZZ

I also pondered this for sometime but I had a D30 and a Chry8.25 to start with after some thought and not being a Mud Bogger nor a Rock Crawler decided to keep them and beef them up. The 8.25 was one of the stronger rears in the XJ's and parts gears/lockers/axles plus other upgrades were plentiful for it and the D30. Just make sure that everything is setup properly the D30 was a good find.

This just worked out best for me with 33x12:50x15" tires and 4:56 gears with lockers front and back. I just did not feel the need for a more HD setup as I'm rebuilding the engine/trans/transfer case and only upgrading the trans/transfer case, engine will remain totally stock with the very best parts. The engine even stock will be race engine prepped complete block/ line honed/decked/lined bored/rotating assy. balanced/rings file fit you get the picture.

BatmanXJ

Yeah I knew that. Gonna do a disco cad cable to go a long with locker I already have. If and when I snap axel I may go one piece to fix.

BatmanXJ

I have read a lot and i habe yet to see where 4.56 was an option in the 8.8

94XjSport94

Go ahead and get the one piece shafts and bigger u joints in there.

BatmanXJ

I am leaning that way. I have to pull carrier on axel anyway to install the locker. I most likely will go with my shafts from current 30. I already have lifetime warranty on mine might as well keep them.

Are hub assemblies the same on both styles?