I have a 1994 YJ "Sahara Ed." that I bought back in 2000. 

Was completely stock up until January 2009.  Then I got the stupid idea to lift it.  Now all I do is think of "the next upgrade." 

Mileage as of 2-25-2010 is almost 156K

The small stuff:

*    Aussie locker in front axle
*    The ever-so-popular TJ flare mod
*    Custom made CV rear driveshaft compliments of EMS Offroad, Danville, PA
*    SOLID diff covers front and rear
*    XRC-8 winch with home made winch guard/push bar welded to stock front bumper.
*    Rockers
*    U-bolt skids for D30
*    Steering box skid
*    SS brake line extensions
*    CB radio
*    Hand throttle
*    Cragar "soft 8" rims (15"x8").  4" backspacing.
*    NO TRACK BARS or SWAY BARS!  If you haven't removed them yet, join the club.

Future mods:

*    1" body lift.
*    1-piece shafts from a TJ D30... but my CAD operates perfectly fine now and I just recently replaced my axle seals...... so if it ain't broke, right?

Back in the stock days:

The teardown begins:

More recent picture.  And don't laugh at my AT's.  I like to go wheeling predominately in the snow and they do better than MT's.

I love the 8.8 rear.  Exceptional strength, 31 spline shafts, almost exactly matches width of stock axle, and disc brakes (95-02... pre-95 had drums). 

However, there are two drawbacks:
        1)    The stock diff cover is practically tinfoil.  Easily fixed with a stronger diff cover, as you can see from the photo.  $65 from SOLID Axle Industries.
        2)    It's still a c-clip axle, and many offroad aficionado's state that the carriers are not exactly what you could classify as the strongest.

Now, you can pay about $600 for for a Super 8.8 kit from Superior Axle (click here).  While eliminating the c-clips, the Super 8.8 kit widens the axle by about .96” on each side by installing a housing end adapter. It uses the same SET-20 bearing that Currie uses in their 9" and Dana 60 housings ends.  It is also the same one that Dynatrac uses on their custom built Dana 60's. This kit will widen the 8.8's track beyond the stock Dana 35 axle that came on your rig to 61-3/8" (wms to wms) and bring it closer to the front axle’s width even if your Jeep has a manual locking hub kit up there.

With this kit, I'm told your axle will scoff at 37" tires.  Niiiiiiiice.

Do I want one?  Absolutely.  But with 33" tires I don't need it.  The whole point of me swapping out the D35 rear for an 8.8 was for added strength, stock for stock.  If I ever break a shaft I'd think about placing an order, but otherwise that $600 can go into something else.  The 8.8 in stock form is already plenty strong for my tire diameter.

Anyone considering getting an 8.8 axle for their Jeep should take note of the following:  When I went junkyard shopping I got one with a limited slip (LS) carrier. I didn't know it at the time but that limits your options if you ever want to install a lunchbox style locker (i.e. like Aussie or LockRight).  With a selectable style locker (ARB, ECTED, OX, or even with an Eaton Detroit which is automatic but replaces the entire carrier), the ring and pinion have to be reset.  Since resetting a ring & pinion is above my mechanical knowledge at this point, installing a selectable style locker was out of the question.  Cost is the major factor in a selectable.  Most selectable lockers start at $700 and go up in price, plus hundreds more for an install if you have to ask a shop to do it.  ---- A while back I did e-mail 5 offroad shops in the central and north east part of PA inquiring about installing a Detroit.  The average quote I received was $427 bucks. That is the cost of labor, not including the locker itself.  At that price, I'll eventually learn from a fellow Jeeper how to do one myself.  I don't need one RIGHT NOW.

As of May 2010 the only company that makes a lunchbox style locker for a LS 8.8 carrier is Powertrax (Richmond Gear, the same company that makes LockRight) and its over $500 last I checked.  Quite a bit of money for a lunchbox locker.  

The other thing you can do is to swap carriers back to an open differential so you can use one of the other cheaper lockers, but again that requires resetting the ring and pinion.

Or lastly, what I chose to do, is to take out the LS carrier on the 8.8 and rebuild the clutch packs using the popular trick the hot rodders with Mustangs do for a little more "grab." Now bear in mind it will never act or feel like a locked axle.  That's ok for me though, I like the predictability in handling on the pavement/snow, and for the type of offroading I do a front locker and LS rear will suffice.  If you have an 8.8 LS carrier and do not wish to install a locker, but do want to rebuild your carrier clutch packs, feel free to e-mail me.  I have a great How-To video I can send that shows you the process involved (or search on YouTube). 

Here's some comparison stats.  Notice the *cough**cough* strength of the D35. 

HOME