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The Yellowtail Build

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202K views 2K replies 88 participants last post by  sjones26573 
#1 ·
The Yellowtail Build
Current mod list added:
Mods to date:
3" BDS Front Coils
2" BDS Rear Coils
Bilstein 5100's
17" MT Sidebiters
G2 5x4.5 5x5.5 Adapters (D30)
35x12.5x17 Goodyear MT/R Kevlars
Custom tranny crossmember
Dana 30 4.10 w/ LSD - Removal Soon
Ford 8.8 Axle w/ 4.10 gears
Artec 8.8 Truss/Bracket Kit
Superior Super 88 (5x5.5)
RR D30 Guard
Solid 8.8 Cover
Metalcloak Sliders
Poison Spyder Hood Louver
Metalcloak Front Upper CA's
Rokmen Rear Upper CA's
RC/MC Hybrid Rear Lower CA's
JKS 1 1/4" Body Lift
RC 1" MML
Crown HD Steering
RE Front Adj TB w/ Barnes Chromo Heim
Front Crown Performance Braided Brake Lines
Crown Performance Braided 8.8 Caliper Flex Hose Kit
Crown Performance ZJ E-brake Cables
JB Conversions Super Short SYE
Carolina Driveline 1310/1330 Shaft
Metalcloak Aluminum Stubby
Novak NP-231 Shifter Cable
Flat 1/4" skid
Rampage Rear Recovery Bumper (Carrier removed)
CJ Tailgate (Color Matched w/ Rampage JK Hood Latches for Latches)
Warn M8000 - Syn Line Soon
Warn Snatch Block
40X 3 5050 LED Rock Light Pods
12voltguy Custom 8 Switch Panel
8 OTRATTW Custom Contura V Switches
SuperBrightLEDs 4" LED Tail Lights
Sho-Me LED Flasher
Global Parts 4" LED Backup Lights
Blue LED Dash/HVAC/Interior Lights
Kenwood KDC-BT558U Head Unit
Nalin Mfg Brackets
Polk DB5251 Dash Component Speakers
Kicker KS525 Pod Coax Speakers
2 JL Audio 10W3V3 Subwoofers
JL Audio XD600/1 Monoblock Amp
Iggee Seat Covers

Very Soon Mods:
Rear Crown Performance Braided Brake Lines - Have
3-link (Duroflex Joints, Synergy/Barnes Brackets) - Parts Coming In
Ruffstuff 7/8" Heim Steering - Have
Wagoneer 44 - Have
TnT Wagoneer 44 Truss kit - Have
706528x Chevy Small Bearing Spindles - Have
'70's Ford Bronco/F150 Hub/Rotor Assemblies - Have
Dana 44 4.88 R&P - Have
Dana 44 Lockrite - Have
Warn Dana 44 Premium locking hubs - Have
Superior 8.8 4.88 R&P - Have
Dana 44 Master Install Kit - Have
ECGS 8.8 Master Install Kit - Have

Future Mods:
TRE Synthetic Winch Line/Safety Thimble/Hawse
TEN Factory MG22174 Wagoneer 44 Axle Kit
Method Beadlocks
37x12.5x17 Falken Wildpeak MT's
Metalcloak 4" Fenders
Metalcloak Extended Stretch Armor
Triangulated 4-link/stretch (Metalcloak Duroflex joints)
Currie Anti-Rock
Fox Reservoir 12" travel shocks
T&T Outboard kit
OX locker rear
VIAIR Onboard Air
JW Speaker 8700 Evolution LED Headlights
Rigid Industries LED's
GM V8 or Cummins Diesel

Current Pic (As of 3/26/15):










Older Pics:







 
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9
#474 ·
I want to do the same set up axle and gear wise I was thinking about going 37's tho. Why not go to 37's? I just couldnt think about spending the money to only go up to 35's..
 
#478 ·
Brakes on the 8.8 will be more than enough. Check out Clayton for axle brackets. Trussing a true 44 like that is major overkill. I suggest buying a crossover knuckle for the 44 and converting it to crossover steering (you will need custom steering anyways) and using Claytons crossover axle bracket kit.
 
#481 ·
Front Axle Truss - Wagoneer D44 (80+)
Item Number: FTD44W
Choose from this list of mounts to complete your truss::
DS Upper Control Arm Mount
PS Upper Control Arm Mount
OTK Trac-bar Mount
Crossover Trac-bar Mount
HD Coil Mounts w/ Shock mnts. & Fact. TB mnt.
HD Lower Control Arm Mounts
Swaybar Endlink Mounts
Edit this product
$715.22
 
#485 ·
i made my truss for probably about 10 bucks. just used some scrap steel laying around. If you can weld, you can make a truss. trust me its way cooler to have something customly fabricated than an almost bolt on truss.

as jake said you really don't need a truss that large on a waggy 44 especially for 35's. and i would really recommend you not doing anything bigger than 35's at your point in the build right now. The price on that 44 is okay at best, its kinda pricey cause its really just gears and a locker which you don't really need cause you can unlock the hubs and weld the spiders.

honestly i think a waggy 44 may get a little too expensive since you're on a tight budget. cause if i were you i'd swap out the stock suspension for a 3 linked front. cause your going to have to redo the track bar in order for it to be in plane with the drag link. so you may as well fix some other stuff...
 
#486 ·
i made my truss for probably about 10 bucks. just used some scrap steel laying around. If you can weld, you can make a truss. trust me its way cooler to have something customly fabricated than an almost bolt on truss.

as jake said you really don't need a truss that large on a waggy 44 especially for 35's. and i would really recommend you not doing anything bigger than 35's at your point in the build right now. The price on that 44 is okay at best, its kinda pricey cause its really just gears and a locker which you don't really need cause you can unlock the hubs and weld the spiders.

honestly i think a waggy 44 may get a little too expensive since you're on a tight budget. cause if i were you i'd swap out the stock suspension for a 3 linked front. cause your going to have to redo the track bar in order for it to be in plain with the drag link. so you may as well fix some other stuff...
This isn't going to be an immediate swap. I'm not going to put these in until I'm sure I've covered all my bases. My end goal for this build is comfortably running 37's. I'm not going to get that with a HP30 and, like you said, better to do it right the first time than have to waste money on a weak axle. So I'll just get what has a time constraint i.e. the axle and worry about the other parts when I have the funds. So as I get more funds, I'll stockpile more parts, like steering. This probably wont be wrapped up until the end of next summer anyways, when I have my paychecks for everything. I'm patient and will happily putter around on my 33's until then. May as well use them up.

And I'd rather not have to deal with welding the spiders and working hubs. If I can get the axle for a decent price, i.e. not $950, then that's fine.
 
#487 ·
I hear ya man, i'm not bashing or anything just giving some constructive critisim. But welding spiders is what alot of people do, cause it saves you 300 bucks at the least, and you can run 3wd around one the easiest stuff. and honestly to run 37's correctly you have to be stretched for a tj.

Also when you're swapping that 8.8 in you may want to look into 4 linking it at the same time to save you some time and money?
 
#489 ·
I hear ya man, i'm not bashing or anything just giving some constructive critisim. But welding spiders is what alot of people do, cause it saves you 300 bucks at the least, and you can run 3wd around one the easiest stuff. and honestly to run 37's correctly you have to be stretched for a tj.

Also when you're swapping that 8.8 in you may want to look into 4 linking it at the same time to save you some time and money?
Oh, I know you're not bashing.

I thought of that but it is going to delay it even further. I already have Rokmen rear uppers in the box and the Artec kit was on sale.

Once I get the swap finished, I'll tackle some other things like Metalcloak fenders and rails. Once that's in, I'll look at 4 linking the rear.

I wasn't planning on a stretch yet. Maybe set the Rokmens a little long but that's about it.
 
#491 ·
I'm trying to decide how I would deal with the bolt pattern. I think my plan is to order custom chromo's front and rear with 5x5.5 bolt pattern when I'm to that point so I can still run my current wheels, and still be able to rotate the tires when I upgrade to something like Hutchinson beadlocks in a few years.
 
#496 ·
cell the fuels!! you could sell those and get some used steelies or alloys for cheap! then whenever they get dinged up on the rocks you aren't heart broken. My rims were decently nice before i got them on the rocks. now they are trashed with rock rash every where. and i dont think you want to ding up your fancy rims!
 
#497 ·
Man, all this research on the Waggy swap is getting me a little disconcerted. Much hate on it due to the low pinion and small u-joints. I think I might rather just try to fab a HP44 and cut down the side that's too long. I figure if we're fabbing anyways, whats cutting down a tube. My only question is, what shafts can I run on the cut side? Do I have to have the shafts shortened?
 
#498 ·
Why not just go full width then like I am? It really isn't that much wider when you buy rims with a lot of backspacing. Here is a YJ with a Ford HP 44 and full width 8.8 rear. Not sure on the rim backspacing, but once you add flares to it, it really isn't that bad. I prefer a wider track width anyway.

Wheel Tire Automotive tire Vehicle Motor vehicle


A ford HP 44 has the same u joint size as the waggy axle. Low pinion wouldn't bother me too much. It is not the ring and pinion you are likely to grenade. Build it cheap enough and I think it is a decent platform.
 
#499 ·
Why not just go full width then like I am? It really isn't that much wider when you buy rims with a lot of backspacing. Here is a YJ with a Ford HP 44 and full width 8.8 rear. Not sure on the rim backspacing, but once you add flares to it, it really isn't that bad. I prefer a wider track width anyway.

View attachment 481345

A ford HP 44 has the same u joint size as the waggy axle. Low pinion wouldn't bother me too much. It is not the ring and pinion you are likely to grenade. Build it cheap enough and I think it is a decent platform.
Wow, that really isn't as wide as I was expecting. It would look great with some 4" cloaks. It would save some headache as far as shortening the 44. It would also be cheaper for now since I don't have to buy everything (locker,gears, install kit) at the same time like the Waggy I was looking for. But that means I need to sell my 8.8 for a FW. I will certainly comb the yard Thursday. I believe the ideal HP44 is out of a 1976-77 F150 and I think those had an 8.8 as well. I really hate jumping around so much like this but I think this is how my build would have ended up in the end. As close to 1 tons as possible without getting there.
 
#500 ·
That is the right years but they had a 9" rear. 80s through mid 90s had the 8.8 in the back with the V6 engine. After 95 or so they changed to a weird metric bolt pattern. Also, the full width 8.8s have drum brakes, not a huge deal if you ask me though. The models with the metric pattern might have discs, so if you would rather have discs you can get one of those and redrill the shafts to 5x5.5.
 
#506 ·
That is true but they are much heavier with a much lower pumpkin. Since I'm stopping at 37's, an 8.8 should be a much simpler swap (which I already have the parts for) which will be fine for 37's. I'm not running 40's here.
 
#512 ·
midnight_f150 said:
True the diff does hang low but it doesnt have c clips. I'm just not a fan of the 8.8 ive seen them fail first hand in my step brother drag car.
That is a bit different scenario wouldn't you say? The 8.8 is a proven platform for 37s and under. C clips aren't a big deal in an 8.8 as the shafts are more likely to twist than ever break with stock shafts, and if you can break a chromo 8.8 shaft you are doing something wrong.
 
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