Thank god he doesn't wheel a Jeep on leaf springs.
Ford 8.8 axle, should the knuckle be offset?
- Thread starter Johnie Burns
- Start date
Thank god he doesn't wheel a Jeep on leaf springs.
I don't think the offset is causing your vibration. I put mine in with a 2" lift then I installed a 4" lift. I didn't get vibrations till I changed gear ratio's to 4:88 then I started getting a slight rythmetic vibration at 75 MPH. It was vibration free till then. Your SYE should with the cv joint should overcome your offset with no issues. I am guessing you have something going on with your rims or tires.
I will tell you this as an opinion. I went to Moab and bent the my front drive line on a trail. It vibrated a bit at all speeds. I replaced the front drive line and then the rythmetic vibration came back or was noticeable at 75.
Based on that, I would think that if your offset was the issue it would vibrate at all speeds. Most of the time when you have a 65 mph it is something to do with the wheels and/or tires. I am not saying that is all of the time, and I am not even saying that is your issue, but most generally. If you can swap with a buddy with a known good set of wheels and tires, that might be a free test to see if that is the case, or at least rule that out.
Pcleaners2
TJ Enthusiast
I have to poke fun, every time 8.8 shows up here, here comes Jerry!
I was getting vibs at 1* at starting at 50mph and when I went to 2* it’s now above 65mph. Being that it got a tad better maybe I should try 3* although I know it’s steep
Normally when running a CV joint, the driveshaft and axle are recommended to be at same angle. After speaking with Tom Woods, they recommended 1 degree difference, or 0 degrees. I am no expert, but maybe give them a call? 3 is quite a bit.
Pcleaners2
TJ Enthusiast
I did already talk to him
He said maybe crank the motor and tranny straighter if possible first so I will I guess try it .
Ok, glad they were able to give some guidance. Never thought that might need to slide motor/tranny around. Think it would help.
Pcleaners2
TJ Enthusiast
One of the things to point out about the dislike for the 8.8 is where you live and what type of terrain you normally wheel on. If you are wheeling in the rocks having this larger differential hanging down could suck especially if you're running a smaller tire. The 8.8 was popular enough that the 4x4 magazines did a few write-ups on the subject. What works for one person might not for the next. This IMO is like the discussion going on about the 4 cyl engine in our TJ's. Some folks just can't stand the 4 popper and others have no problem dealing with it.
If you have the ability to cut all the old brackets off and can weld the new truss/brackets on yourself the 8.8 can be a good axle for a swap. But if you have to pay someone to do all this work for yourself then I would question if this is the right option for you.
If you have the ability to cut all the old brackets off and can weld the new truss/brackets on yourself the 8.8 can be a good axle for a swap. But if you have to pay someone to do all this work for yourself then I would question if this is the right option for you.
Pcleaners2
TJ Enthusiast
It is your rig, hack it any way you want. There is some Shittybuilt on my rig, but where it matters I spend the money. The bracket kits now available make it easy to align and install. If you can do it yourself, its a valuable swap. To me the height difference is negligible for a wheeler like me. Sarah has a big ass and I like it!