Yep, those tires will sing to you as they wear down and start to cup. Nature of the beast if you DD your jeep.
James & The Sahara Build Thread
- Thread starter JamesAndTheSahara
- Start date
Nice Jeep. Have you thought about having a local reputable shop do a full cage instead of the possible expensive full cage shipped from cali or something? Dothan is around 2 hours away from you. Having a local shop build it may cost somewhere near the same but...
I saw that you liked the PS and GenRight Cages.
I would offer just that you check with Motobilt in Dothan Alabama for a quote for a custom full cage. It might be cheaper and you would be supporting local business. And Dan has some high quality stuff coming out if his shop.
To me it seems silly to go shopping on the other side of the nation for a cage that could be buolt here to your specs or design ideas. What would it hurt to get a quote?
I saw that you liked the PS and GenRight Cages.
I would offer just that you check with Motobilt in Dothan Alabama for a quote for a custom full cage. It might be cheaper and you would be supporting local business. And Dan has some high quality stuff coming out if his shop.
To me it seems silly to go shopping on the other side of the nation for a cage that could be buolt here to your specs or design ideas. What would it hurt to get a quote?
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Absolutely! have been exhausting my options locally & giving UCF & Motobilt a call or two lately. The cage has sadly thus been kicked much further down the list. I'm calling all over the place trying to find a fair deal on an axle with my eyes on a Dana 44 with 4.10's if possible & if not I'll probably just build a Ford 8.8. UCF or Motobilt will be doing my regear and locker installation, pricing is very competitive between them, just need the money to do it. Hopefully in the coming weeks I will have sourced a proper axle & work on installation. While working on sourcing an appropriate TJ axle I'm going to be picking up that Dirtworx Rear Bumper w/ MC Frame Tie In's (Only ones that work with Gobi's tie in natively), Warn M8000 + TRE Safety Thimble & Rope, Savvy GTS, & Savvy Control arms.
The custom built cage looks to be a promising option with the welds & tubing being the same. Wish I didn't have to delay it but this 4.0 is hating my 3.07's.
I vote regear as well. And I am sure you have a pull a part around younsomewhere. They are full of 8.8's for less than 200$
Doesn't the 8.8 give less clearance than a Dana 35, just like the Dana 44? And doesn't it still have the c-clip like a Dana 35 as well? Just curious...
Sparked my curiosity as well. Not sure on the 8.8 ground clearance issue. I wouldn't find that to be a deal breaker personally. But Im glad you pointed out that it might be a factor.
The 8.8 housing is stronger and even with the Dana 35 super 35 kit, you still have the notorious weak housing and smaller ring gear. When my brother did his 35 swap for a 8.8 he built a small tube truss and welded up the tubes to the pumpkin to limit flex.
The 8.8 is a c-clip style axle shaft. However the 8.8 is known to be much stronger than the 35 and a cheaper upgrade when considering the 8.8 can be found often with disc brakes. I am sure Motobilt would charges less than $200 to weld in the brackets to make the swap. I believe there are c-clip eliminators for the axles if one feels the need to eliminate them.
Aftermarket 8.8 shafts are going to beat the super dana 35 all day depending on how you ride. Trails in Alabama have a lot of rocks and it gets wet and slick often.
4speedhandler
TJ Enthusiast
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- Apr 19, 2016
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for the 8.8 yukon makes a c-clip eliminator kit that gives it bolt in press on bearing 31 spline chromo axles for about $500 or so that brings an explorer rear 8.8 to the same width as a factory tj 44 rear as the 8.8 is slightly narrower.
also depending on your resources you could look at a junkyard ford 9" build kinda similar to teenycar's build on pirate titled "Project Acrophobia" and 4.11 dropouts for them are everywhere in old fords in junkyards. then you could just lunchbox locker it and save for a high end dropout down the road.
also depending on your resources you could look at a junkyard ford 9" build kinda similar to teenycar's build on pirate titled "Project Acrophobia" and 4.11 dropouts for them are everywhere in old fords in junkyards. then you could just lunchbox locker it and save for a high end dropout down the road.
Dreading the drive back to florida tomorrow. I can say that on the interstate going 65 as a top speed I sure as hell feel like this:
When it comes to the Dana 35 vs Dana 44/8.8 debate I would take slightly less ground clearance than the bomb of a Dana 35 when I do the V8 swap. Its just too much power for that weak of an axle when locked even with 30 spline 4340 axle shafts.
I am sure Motobilt would too. My axle hunt will initially just be for the rear axle in early august. I found a great deal on an 8.8 that had some work done on it so going to take a look at it when I get closer to ATL. I won't have the funds to put any serious money in until mid august though. Trying to do research on brake lines/brakes and such for the 8.8 swap so I don't get everything pulled and run into any serious problems. I feel like one day I lean towards the Dana 44 and one day the 8.8, but its really going to boil down the best deal as the super 44/ultimate 88 kits are both going to make for a solid rear axle.
I was going to go with Revolution Gear & Axle for all my shaft needs but they don't make a super 88 kit. Yukon's Ultimate 88 kit is looking quite nice at this point.
I wish I had the time for a 9" build. The 8.8 will be more than enough with the Yukon ultimate 88 kit.
You are really going to like Yukon. Their products are really nice. And their customer service is outstanding.
A 9 is just as easy to find as an 8.8. However finding one with the correct width and bolt pattern makes it a bit tougher.
The 9" housing is easy to cut to length and weld on new ends, if you want to go that way. Me personally, I would locate an early Ford non full float housing, cut to length with new ends that take a press on bearing and a set of 35 spline axles. Throw in a Detroit locker and you are set even with the V8 swap.
All of that is true. I just wouldn't want the added expense of custom axles. But we are talking axle swap.
Well I got back to Georgia today. I did ride some super light trails in North Carolina with a couple peers just exploring the countryside, and the only photo I managed to take was on the pavement. Regardless I have been all over the country and I absolutely love this part of the US. I have scheduled with an overlanding group locally to do my first trail ride on some local trails in Alabama next Sunday after I move back to Auburn. I'll be sure to share the experience from these boring ole Alabama mud trails 
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Alright guys another update post before I move back to Auburn! Got my MetalCloak rear track bar! Its pretty but man this thing got beat up making it to the coast. Lucky for me only one small mark on it too, so hell yeah! While doing some research on the bracket kit for the Ford 8.8 it looks like I won't need a relocation bracket after all, which kinda sucks because now I have two MetalCloak ones (Anyone need a rear track bar relocation bracket lol). This means I won't plan on installing the rear track bar until I start the rear axle project. I believe I have sourced an axle in Georgia and currently working towards funding the purchase of it. More to come! The duo ride is on for Sunday, hitting up some more difficult trails near Wedowee Alabama. Photos will be on there way Sunday! Now to prep for this move.
I didn't really feel the need to give em a call about this, but if you think its functional I will give them a call right now.
I called them and was asked to send them some photos of the bar. Awaiting a response.
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