We typically don't consider them due to the actual economics of how it all works. Essentially what you are paying for is the cost of the empty housing and that delta versus any other option.Just curious, did you consider a junk yard 14? They are really strong and plenty cheap. Atleast much cheaper than the Currie...what made you lean towards that axle vs the cheap junk yard 14 bolt?
The gear set and set up are a wash, you're gonna need that for either axle.
Locker choice is a wash, you're buying a 60 or a 14 bolt locker.
Stronger shafts are a wash, you're buying them for either axle.
Brakes are a wash since you can't run the stock brakes correctly that come on a 14 bolt and the options to put brakes on them for any sort of bias are very limited and if you get something correct, it is more expensive than 60 brakes.
Bracket kit is very close since what he got from Currie is a small truss and a pair of LCA brackets.
I haven't looked lately but getting the 14 bolt over to 5 on 5.5 wasn't very easy at one point but that may have changed. Not easy typically means not cheap.
14 bolt centers are bigger than the RJ 60 and not exactly ideal for 37's.
And finally, they are low pinion.
If you go to ECGS and price out the equivalent or semi equivalent 14 bolt since they don't have the option of 35 spline shafts in their menu, upper control arm mount surface, or brakes, they work out to about 5 grand without those included.
It is however, about the same discussion as the 8.8 over a 44. At the end of the day, the difference in price is the cost of the housing set up to bolt in and by the time you get them both set up to bolt into a TJ, the difference is not very large.