Should I buy this Ford 8.8 axle?
- Thread starter chef_vader
- Start date
I have no experience with ECGS, but I've seen so much negativity about the Dana 35, even with a super kit and I do worry slightly about having a bit more torque than factory and then possibly adding a 5:1 ratio on top of that with larger than OEM tires. The one area I'm not too concerned with is the pinion shearing. There's still a pretty good amount of heft with the 3.54/3.55 pinions from what I can tell vs what guys normally use.
However I tend to believe with most of this stuff if I can't idle through it, then find another way or use the winch, but there's other factors where I don't want to dig holes in fields that are at times used for agriculture. And I get stuck mainly because of mud, especially around tilled fields and we have some stuff that's kind of steep for ordinary vehicles.
My intention was to ask if those are the Savvy Mid arms kit on JK axle. Not to question the use of them. Actually We discuss the Mid Arm on JK already a little bit.
Edit Post #180 with better sentencing.
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Has anyone seen the super 35 kits break? Just wondering what kind of terrain/driving style was used to break them or bend the shafts.
We already have Blaine's report. Maybe @Garza can share his experience with the S35.
Ok. Just as an example, because I don't really want to fabricate an axle assembly, at ECGS the 8.8 built with some used components and locker is about $2,800. The 44 similarly built I think is just over $3,700. Super 35 kit is $1,600 and then maybe $500 for rear disc brake conversion (my stock brakes aren't good, I'm already looking at mrblaine's site thinking of getting the 15" Vanco brakes) and probably $300ish for new gearing.
I am wary at the moment for searching around for a TJ Dana 44. Some of these components just get so expensive and my time is nil for quite some time outside of work. Though I suppose I may be able to find a TJ Dana 44 for around $1k, $300 for bearings, $900 for ARB locker, $300 for gearing, $500 for disc conversion, but I still end up more the the 8.8 at ECGS.
However I do like the idea of the 35 for clearance. It's a very small issue for me, but, having caught the tcase mounting crossmember on my zj on a stump and coming to an instant stop before, anything abrupt like that concerns me especially on something fairly important like a differential. I might add that I can't get too big as I have an extended range fuel tank.
This is just my estimates from what I've seen around. Any input is certainly greatly welcome. What other axles for mild builds would anyone suggest?
I am wary at the moment for searching around for a TJ Dana 44. Some of these components just get so expensive and my time is nil for quite some time outside of work. Though I suppose I may be able to find a TJ Dana 44 for around $1k, $300 for bearings, $900 for ARB locker, $300 for gearing, $500 for disc conversion, but I still end up more the the 8.8 at ECGS.
However I do like the idea of the 35 for clearance. It's a very small issue for me, but, having caught the tcase mounting crossmember on my zj on a stump and coming to an instant stop before, anything abrupt like that concerns me especially on something fairly important like a differential. I might add that I can't get too big as I have an extended range fuel tank.
This is just my estimates from what I've seen around. Any input is certainly greatly welcome. What other axles for mild builds would anyone suggest?
Converting properly functioning rear drum brakes to disk won't help braking, though the BIg Brake kit from Black Magic definitely will. Properly functioning drum brakes in the rear brake just as well as disk brakes do.
Sorry I missed it, besides that he runs some and ran many trails without incident, so there's been no issues even with higher mileage rigs? I assume there wasn't any sleeving or gussets installed?
If so I really want to keep the 35 as my main option. My original plan was certainly to keep it, but I have gotten cold feet, after reading several anecdotal reports of their tendency to break. Many have straight up asked if it was already gone. And often I've heard, just don't lock it. However I would prefer to lock it, for just a little bit more traction in some of our nasty spots.
X2 to the recommendations for a good quality Super 35 kit, they hold up entirely satisfactorily to 35" tires and the kit's locker on even very difficult trails. The Super 35 kit's 1541H 30 spline axle shafts are actually stronger than a stock Dana 44's carbon steel 30 spline axle shafts are.
A very good source for the Revolution Gear Super 35 kit would be Ricky at www.4lowparts.com
A very good source for the Revolution Gear Super 35 kit would be Ricky at www.4lowparts.com
Thanks, that'll save me some money. Would it be worth it just in case I break an axle? I guess I could look at a C-clip eliminator, but I'm not sure that's really warranted or not.
Don't install rear disks just to hold an axle shaft in after it breaks, that'd be the wrong and a bad reason to install disks.
Don't waste your time & $$$ on a c-clip eliminator kit. The c-clips themselves don't break, it's the stock small diameter Dana 35 axle shafts that break. Installing a Super 35 would make a broken axle shaft a very unlikely event. That's why they stopped including c-clip eliminators with Super 35 kits many years ago.
Do you think the 5:1 Tcase would be an issue? I'm guessing it wouldn't as the ratios on the stock Rubicons seem to match about what I'd be using factoring in the 1st gears and axle ratios and tire sizes that seem to be common.
We ran the Super 35 in that rig on 35's with a doubler and an auto trans. He was at 7.39-1 final in low low.
Any issues with additional weight on the various axle assemblies?
It's kind of hard to overload a TJ though weight wise. Besides towing I run out of space really quick when I load it up.
I tried to do a quick search to look at the Dana 44 vs Dana 35 bearings so I could at least consider how much they could be loaded, but I didn't see the Dana 44 info with a quick search. I'm just arm chair analysis paralysis I guess though. There needs to be a flow chart for all of these basic questions that we all see for tire sizes and should I do x...
It's kind of hard to overload a TJ though weight wise. Besides towing I run out of space really quick when I load it up.
I tried to do a quick search to look at the Dana 44 vs Dana 35 bearings so I could at least consider how much they could be loaded, but I didn't see the Dana 44 info with a quick search. I'm just arm chair analysis paralysis I guess though. There needs to be a flow chart for all of these basic questions that we all see for tire sizes and should I do x...
Seriously, these discussions are great. These builds are pretty vast. And planning is hopefully going to save me some $$$ and time. I've got a ton of cash in my TJ already and I estimate about $10k or more left before I budget a trailer. Adding a new or (2) axle assemblies would add somewhere around $3k-$10k alone depending on options. I do have a bunch of parts I need to sell though, but still you gotta Just Empty Every Pocket.
If we get slow this winter at work I may try to make some charts on gear and solutions for the common questions.
If we get slow this winter at work I may try to make some charts on gear and solutions for the common questions.
My helper bought Garza's rig. Ricky started running it, he ran it a bunch, but since I didn't actually watch it or run with him while he had it, I didn't include his trails of which there were quite a few.
Somewhere recently he posted a pic of the red one in Moab. Said he tried to break the Super 35, but couldn't.