ElMartillo

Putting it in my '89. May regear while I'm at it to accomodate larger dia tires, and a disc brake rear would be great.

Helpful suggestions?

Gracias!

EZEARL

You'd want an C8.25 w/29 spline axles. '97 and up.

ElMartillo

Tell me why.

Big David

Have you given the Ford 8.8 any thought. Its beefier than a 8.25 & 44 with its 31 spline. You'll need to chop off the stock brackets & weld on leaf perches & shock mounts but I'd recommend raised shock mounts on any rig that you plan on wheeling.
It comes from Ford with 3.55, 3.73 & 4.10 gears.

Big David

29 splines, most 96 & down are 27 spline.

EZEARL

29 splined axles besides having two more teeth are a bit larger in diameter. Puts it about on par with a D44. Also I believe there are more aftermarket upgrades for the 29 spline.

ElMartillo

I appreciate the informative response. Forgive my ignorance, are the later rear ends you recommend all still drum brake?

Thanks.

srb53150

all cherokees had drum rear brakes.

ElMartillo

I hadn't given it thought, as my ignorance on the matter has disallowed me to consider it as an option, hence the existance of this thread. Thanks for the suggestion. I really like the idea of raised shock mounts, but if it infringes on rear cargo space by the need to accomodate an upper raised shock mount as well it would be a deal breaker. This is more of an expedition vehicle than a rock crawler. I need and have plans for all the rear cargo space I can get.

EZEARL

As srb said all XJ's had drums on the rear. But with one of Big David's conversion kits it's an easy swap. Hardest part for me was getting the old drum brake components off.

Sounds to me for what your goals are a 27 spline C8.25 would do. Is that what is on yours now? Plan on larger than 32" tires?

ElMartillo

Currently have the factory D35 it came with. I may go as large as 33s, but not bigger than that.

Big David

'95 & later Explores & Mountaineers have disc brakes as well. The raised shock mounts are on the axle end, zero loss of cargo space.
If you plan on no larger then 33s, a 27 spline is fine but I'd just get a 29 & be done or 8.8 if you can cut n weld.

ElMartillo

I'm a fabricator by trade, but I'd prefer more of a plug-in. I'm intrigued about the Explorer/Mountaineer rear with disc. Is there more info about what needs to be done to fit one of these?

Big David

There should be a a 1/4 ton of info out there. I got lucky & my '89 came with one already under it.
If you do I stall one, be sure to weld the tubes to the pumpkin. Not a dire need but peace of mind. Mine aren't welded & I've beaten the snot out of it.

Stroked98Xj

Here's a good basic kit for the 8.8 swap under an XJ.

https://www.ironrockoffroad.com/prod...-swap-kit.html

As folks above have mentioned, junkyards are full of Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers with the Ford 8.8 axle. The 8.8 references the diameter in inches of the ring gear. Your Chrysler 8.25 has an 8.25" ring gear, the Ford 8.8 has a...well, you guessed it, 8.8" ring gear. Unless you are shock loading the tires on rough rock crawling or jumping, the size of the ring gear is less important when compared to the axle shaft splines and shaft diameter. More splines = more surface area for load to be shared across, and larger diameter shafts means higher torque rating. The earlier Chrysler 8.25's have 27 spline 1.17" diameter shafts, used up until '96. The later Chrysler 8.25's have 29 spline 1.21" diameter shafts, used until '01. The Ford 8.8 has 31 spline 1.32" diameter shafts, so you can see the appeal here when combined with disc brakes, good selection of ring and pinion ratios, and has the same 5x4.5" bolt pattern and "close enough" axle width to the stock XJ rear end.

Another option, though harder to find, is the XJ Dana 44. Only offered in years 1987-1989 if my memory serves. These were 30 spline, 1.31" diameter shafts with an 8.5" ring gear. Drums, of course.

You mentioned re-gearing while you are swapping axles...what are the details of your '89, and what do you intend to do with it?