Those with 8.8 rear ends

[ac_]

I have been trying to track down a steering issue I have. I am not even sure how to say what the issue is exactly. It kind of trails slightly left and right. I mean it isn't like in the movies where they drive and are constantly turning the steering the wheel back and forth, and for the most part it drives awesome. but I would say low end in around 3rd gear while shifting up or down the Jeep seems to drift one way or the other in my lane. Not quickly though. For the most part if I let go of my wheel, it drives straight, and it self centers around a corner, but in 3rdish gear and above 75 miles an hour it sort of sways back and forth. Now if I try and compensate the jeep will sway back and forth quicker to the point it might be scary, but it recovers quickly. It isn't a bumpsteer, I don't hit a bump, and it goes in a different direction or shakes it just sort of drifts.

My set up is a 4 inch Currie lift with correctsync steering with a Anti rock in the front. In the rear, I bolted the stock rear antiswaybar to the Ford 8.8 with extended ends. They are pretty level if that matters. I feel I have quite of bit of body roll. i think that is leading to my problems, but not sure.

it will be expensive for me to put a rear anti-rock because I don't weld, and I am not positive I like the front one. In fact, if I am a delicate snowflake, and nobody seems to have the same issue, I am probably going to remove the front AR, and try extended quicker disco's to see if eliminates more body roll. but that is an almost 200 dollar gamble, so I want to hear what you guys think first.

My guess is that the body roll is making me uncontentious nervous, and I may be doing it to myself,

So my questions is, If you are running a Ford 8.8 rear end in your TJ, what are you using for a front and rear sway bars, and are you satisfied with your solution?

 

[Boinked]

...I am a delicate snowflake...

Yes, Yes you are.

But in all honesty i was having a wondering steering. Dont have the 8.8. I changed everything I could think of. Including a steering box that was only 2 months old. Steering shafts. Steering linkage. Steering stabilizer. It has started to get better.
I did one side of ball joints, (had to get it running in a hurry because other vehicles were breaking faster than i could fix them) the ball joints helped my BUTT dyno. It did feel tighter.

My next step is to replace the track bar. I know my front and rear axles are not perfectly aligned.

 

[IPerkWVU]

If I'm going 75 I definitely have more sway with the AR vs the connected swaybar, it was a real adjustment on the first few long highway trips. Mine is on the 4th setting on the loose side. Have you tried adjusting the AR settings?

 

[jtf440]

I have the stock anti roll bars front and rear with an 8.8 in the rear. I think I have a normal amount of body roll, all things considered. 35s, 4 inch lift, etc. It does well on the freeway up to 80 and in general is well mannered.

 

[ac_]

If I'm going 75 I definitely have more sway with the AR vs the connected swaybar, it was a real adjustment on the first few long highway trips. Mine is on the 4th setting on the loose side. Have you tried adjusting the AR settings?

Mine is smack dab in the middle. I haven't played with the settings yet because my body roll seems crazy to me and it is hard for me to believe an adjustment could possibly do enough to contain it. I mean I get it; It is a free thing to try so why not. I may go mess with it this weekend, maybe I will be pleasantly surprised?

I have the stock anti roll bars front and rear with an 8.8 in the rear. I think I have a normal amount of body roll, all things considered. 35s, 4 inch lift, etc. It does well on the freeway up to 80 and in general is well mannered.

So you think the little stock rear sway bar is enough to control the monster rear end? I like to read this because there is hope.

It might also be torque in my case too, I have 33's with 4:88's so 2nd to third feels more like 1 to second on a stock rig. I am kind of wondering if the front end can't get out of the way of the rear end.

My next step is to replace the track bar. I know my front and rear axles are not perfectly aligned.

Yeah I just measured mine the other day, and I am off about 1/2 inch in the front and I think my rear is dead on. Maybe that's it. but really it feels like an excessive amount of body roll for me. Maybe it is normal, and I am just used to a YJ, That totally could be it, maybe it's normal for a TJ? Probably this weekend if I don't have to do any domestic capacity I will really get under there with a tape and make sure everything is dialed in and retorque everything.

To my advantage if I do go back to disco's in the front, I have lockers in the front and rear so I will still have traction if a tire does loose the ground. So it wouldn't be horrible if discos fix my issue. Maybe I will get some adjustable rear bar ends too and play with different adjustments there too.

 

[Mike_H]

If you decide to pull the anti-rock, I'll trade you for my discos...

 

[Boinked]

@ac_ i could be wrong. But the size of the axle would not have any effect on the swaybar. Now if you added a crap ton of armor and made the body heavier i could see that. The axle is just the mount point for the sway bar.

I don't know how long ago that you added the anti rock but if you want im sure we can find some time this weekend and you can run my jeep around and see if it feels similar to what yours is doing. Im still running factory swaybars.

 

[jtf440]

@ac_ @Boinked
The size of the rear axle has no effect on the body roll or the perceived stiffness of the anti roll bars. It's equivalent to how changing the axle doesn't change the spring rates of the coils or the tuning of the shocks

 

[MallCrawlOnTons]

I’m planning on swapping to an 8.8 while I build my one tons.

Is rear axle weight considered with sway bar selection?

So you think the little stock rear sway bar is enough to control the monster rear end?

From what i read, and I haven’t measured although I plan to, the 8.8 weighs around 20 pounds more than a 44?
So if that’s true, did Jeep do anything different with the sway bars on the rubcion models compared to the standard TJ models with the 35 rear since the 44s are heavier?

 

[ac_]

I didn't mean to imply that the size of the axle has anything to do with the sway bar, but the sway bar looks puny compared to when it was on the stock rear end. My Jeep is 4 inches higher and a lot heavier but I have a tiny swaybar still, Especially compared to a rear antirock! That is kind of what I meant. Is my rear sway bar useless now that I have so much more weight? plus in the front we keep it at a slant, if I remember right my rear sway bar is horizontalish. I wonder if I need adjustable ends to adjust the pitch of the sway bar? Or does that matter in the rear?

@ac_ i could be wrong. But the size of the axle would not have any effect on the swaybar. Now if you added a crap ton of armor and made the body heavier i could see that. The axle is just the mount point for the sway bar.

I don't know how long ago that you added the anti rock but if you want im sure we can find some time this weekend and you can run my jeep around and see if it feels similar to what yours is doing. Im still running factory swaybars.

I added my AR when I did my lift a few months ago just before I did my gears. It would be fun to get together and talk shop!

 

[MallCrawlOnTons]

So to the experts out there.

How much heavier is the Dana 44 vs the Dana 35?

Did Jeep use different sway bars depending on rear ends used?
Tj 35
Tj 44
And rubicon 44

 

[Boinked]

I wonder if I need adjustable ends to adjust the pitch of the sway bar? Or does that matter in the rear?

Your 4in lift should have given you new rear swaybar links. As long as Letzroll welded the brackets at the same location as the Dana 35/Dana 44 it should be positioned correctly.

Ill snap a picture of my rear swaybar angle in morning.

 

[ac_]

Your 4in lift should have given you new rear swaybar links. As long as Letzroll welded the brackets at the same location as the Dana 35/Dana 44 it should be positioned correctly.

Ill snap a picture of my rear swaybar angle in morning.

I did the rear end myself. I mean they built it, but i installed it. Also I got some new sway bar ends from Currie, but they bolted into the same spots as stock. The ends were just longer than stock. Still bolted in the same spots.

 

[TimboSlice]

Watched!!! Im planning on installing my new control arms and such on my 8.8 this weekend. I felt I had more body roll than I wanted before also. I have a antirock in front with no rear sway bar. I am in the process of installing factory one. So my situation is not entirely the same as original post. Its been a few years since I had my Jeep out. (long story) I just put my new OX carrier in my 8.8. Cant wait to read and provide input in this thread.

 

[ac_]

Watched!!! Im planning on installing my new control arms and such on my 8.8 this weekend. I felt I had more body roll than I wanted before also. I have a antirock in front with no rear sway bar. I am in the process of installing factory one. So my situation is not entirely the same as original post. Its been a few years since I had my Jeep out. (long story) I just put my new OX carrier in my 8.8. Cant wait to read and provide input in this thread.

I can't wait to hear!

 

[TimboSlice]

Not sure if you have bought any parts from east coast gear supply, but they are very helpful and extremely knowledgeable with these swaps. Might be worth talking to them also. Just a thought.

 

[ac_]

Not sure if you have bought any parts from east coast gear supply, but they are very helpful and extremely knowledgeable with these swaps. Might be worth talking to them also. Just a thought.

I bought all of my brakes and cables from them. I installed all new components including all of the brake lines when I installed it. It was pretty expensive, but everything worked well, and they got it right the first time, so I endorse them too.

 

[Sunder]

Rear: 8.8 with stock rear anti-sway bar.
Front: HPD30 with Currie anti-rock and "softest/offroad" setting.
33"-35" tires (summer/winter)
I feel perfectly fine in it...for my driving style.

Never noticed any difference suspension-wise when I swapped the 8.8 in from the Dana 35.

There is a tiny bit more body roll with Currie anti-rock when cornering than with stock - but it's also 100% expected. I could always set the anti-rock to be stiffer if it was a problem, but I'm fine at the max off-road settings. I'm not a speed demon.

I also feel fine at highway speeds. I know a car is more stable with emergency manevoeurs at highway speeds...I'll usually drive 100-110km/hr, and only occasionally go to 120km/hr while I watch my gas needle drop.
130km/hr is when I get scared with regards to my stability.

 

[ac_]

I'm not a speed demon.

I am not positive that is not my problem either! Thanks for the reply.

 

[MallCrawlOnTons]

Do we know if jeep used the same sway bar for all rear axle applications or did they use different ones for the
Dana 35, Dana 44 and rubicon 44?