[bigj1974]

I really wanted to beef my rear end for the long term, and acquired an 8.8 for 200 bucks.

strength-wise can anyone comment? I want to be able to lock both ends up and have bigger tires.


will the 8.8 hold up to the abuse?

or is getting a Dana 44 more worth that expense?

[bigV]

strength wise the 8.8 with 31 spline axles shafts is a little stronger than the 44 with 30 spline shafts, I think the axle tubes of the 8.8 are stronger as well, but then the 8.8 uses c-clips, I compared the 8.8 and 44 before I did my swap and found that they are pretty comparable to each other both in strength and costs. yes you can get a great deal on a used 8.8, but you have a lot of mods to do to get it TJ ready, a 44 is more expensive, but if you get one from another TJ then it's ready to bolt-in. I ended up finding a Rubicon 44 that had the gears I was already running (4.10) and came with an air locker, so it was the easiest choice for me, I was on the look out for an 8.8 with 4.10's and an LSD, but the air locker in the Rubi is what sold me on it. If you have fab skills and can weld your own brackets, then the 8.8 might be a little cheaper in the end, but how much is your time worth to you? both axles can stand up to 35" tires stock

[Jerry Bransford]

Just because of the trouble of getting the 8.8 ready for installation into a TJ, I'd go for a used Dana 44 that came out of a TJ. As bigV said, the 8.8 is slightly stronger than the D44 but the D44 holds up well to nearly anything you can throw at it including lockers and 35" tires, 37" tires if you're not uber-abusive. I eventually installed stronger alloy axleshafts from Alloy USA in my D44 after twisting the OE axleshafts slightly but that was after some pretty abusive stuff. Plus D44 parts are a lot more easily found than 8.8 parts.

[bigj1974]

I've been trying to find a 44 and just gave up hope, everyone wants your firstborn for one.

I'm going bigger eventually, and this seems like the way to go.

[4x4grey88]

I think that this one has been hashes out many times

[bigV]

Originally Posted by bigj1974

I've been trying to find a 44 and just gave up hope, everyone wants your firstborn for one.

well, you can pay up front for the d44 and swap it in a few hours, or you can pay over a period of time piecing together the necessary parts to swap in the 8.8 and have it ready to swap in a few days - it's up to you. both are going to run you a little over $1000 in the end

[bigj1974]

I think that this one has been hashes out many times

then YOU do a search and try to come up with something definitive.

I want current opinions from Jeepers who know something about this and have real-world experience. I have no experience with axle swaps, and it's a major thing for me to do this.

I've looked though the various forums and didn't find what I wanted, specifically, so I started a new thread.

[Brice014]

go with the 44, like Jerry said, the hassle of putting the 8.8 under your jeep is almost not worth it for the difference in strength...

[bigj1974]

Originally Posted by bigV

well, you can pay up front for the d44 and swap it in a few hours, or you can pay over a period of time piecing together the necessary parts to swap in the 8.8 and have it ready to swap in a few days - it's up to you. both are going to run you a little over $1000 in the end

and that is what I haven't found out doing a search of the forums.

how do you approach the shorter width of the axle?
with wheel spacers or less backspacing?

driveshafts?

just asking a couple questions in order to do it right and some positives and negatives.

[4x4grey88]

Originally Posted by bigj1974

I've been trying to find a 44 and just gave up hope, everyone wants your firstborn for one.

I'm going bigger eventually, and this seems like the way to go.

Have you called John at HardRock 4x4 in Otay (South San Diego)?? He might want your first and second born

[bigV]

here's a thread I posted when I broke my d35
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/super-35-d44-8-8-a-465744/
Chris c was doing an 8.8 swap at the time and posted a lot of good info, see post #23 for a link to a very thorough 8.8 thread on jeepsunlimited
and post #36 for Chris' parts list for his 8.8 build

[bigj1974]

thanks for the link.

that was exactly what I needed to look at.

[elkfan2]

I voted for the Dana 44 because it was simple bolt in procedure and I never plan on going bigger than 35's and don't plan a v8 ever so the Dana 44 will be fine.

[Brice014]

off topic but could a 44 hold up to the power of a v8 if you treat it like a jeep instead of a racecar and leave it unlocked?

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Brice014

off topic but could a 44 hold up to the power of a v8 if you treat it like a jeep instead of a racecar and leave it unlocked?

Certainly. Many Dana 44 axles come stock in vehicles with V8 engines. Even early seventies CJ5 Jeeps came with an AMC V8 and a Dana 44 in the rear.