Baystate Jeepers

any thoughts on these guys for an 8.8? Id like to get rid of my d35 and go to a d44 or 8.8 and found these guys over on jeep forum. Seem to be getting good feedback on cost and such. No matter what I do I need to swap or regear the front as well as I only have 3.07 up there and with 33" tires they don't cut it... haven't seen too many d44 on CL or the various forums especially geared how I need it. One on CL for 950 now but its 3.73 IIRC and there is a pair on NEOW but the gears are wrong for me there as well... looking at 900 min plus shipping but its bolt in...

http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-276354 ... embly.html

thoughts on the guys above or suggestions?

thanks,
Jeff

You can save $200 shipping by picking it up, and there's a lot to do in NC while you're down there. Outer Banks, NASCAR shops, monster truck shops...

Keep in mind its a used rear end its safer to replace all the bearings and good brakes and a good locker If your going to buy 1 make sure It is what you want for a few years
They get used axles and sell them You need E brake cables, a flange, locker,good brakes and the gears you want Thats my opinion

I would probably get my own housing locally and regear it to a decent ratio. If you have to regear the front 30 anyway, you might as well do it right the first time. 4.88's all around and buy the housing brackets that any good shop could weld on. Plus, it would have all new components.

Another option would be to drop your Jeep off at Mitchell Diff for either a rear 44, 8.8, or 9" and have them do the front at the same time.

3.07s?? Ouch. I couldn't stand the 3.21s I had in my JK on 33s. Went to 4.88s, hoping to go to 35s by the fall crawl. Best thing I ever did. Course, I already had a Dana 44 in the rear so I was only changing the gears.

ZAEDOCK wrote:I would probably get my own housing locally and regear it to a decent ratio. If you have to regear the front 30 anyway, you might as well do it right the first time. 4.88's all around and buy the housing brackets that any good shop could weld on. Plus, it would have all new components.

Another option would be to drop your Jeep off at Mitchell Diff for either a rear 44, 8.8, or 9" and have them do the front at the same time.

Whats the ball park cost to get a 9" narrowed and brackets welded to go into a TJ? I know that the neither the d44 or the 8.8 are bullet proof.... also I heard the pinon angle can be too low on these that a fact or just a sometimes issue if your doing it yourself and have no clue (like me ) ? I dont see myself going over 35s any time soon.... still a newbie with this stuff but if Im doing it I prefer to try and do it right... course if I run 35s the D30 wont hold up to well either.....

jpcamb wrote:Whats the ball park cost to get a 9" narrowed and brackets welded to go into a TJ? I know that the neither the d44 or the 8.8 are bullet proof.... also I heard the pinon angle can be too low on these that a fact or just a sometimes issue if your doing it yourself and have no clue (like me ) ? I dont see myself going over 35s any time soon.... still a newbie with this stuff but if Im doing it I prefer to try and do it right... course if I run 35s the D30 wont hold up to well either.....

8.8's can be a good bang for the buck. You'd have to weld on the TJ mounts. Another option would be to find a stock TJ Dana 44 (I sold one last fall). That would bolt right in and have 3.55's ('97) or 3.73's ('98+). They are getting hard to find used though.

Check this out: http://www.acmejeepparts.com/products/5 ... lemerchant

A brand new 4.10 JK axle that would only need TJ mounts. Buy a 5x4.5 to 5x5 adapter for the front or re-drill the rear shafts/rotors and call it good. This is one very attractive price for what you get.

Jeff -

The ECGS website lists a Ford 9" for a TJ starting at $650, but doesn't show all the options you can get like the F8.8 page does. Click on the link to Axle Assemblies and they list a bunch of stuff.

http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-276360 ... embly.html

Keep in mind "bulletproof" is relative to how hard you wheel... A F8.8 or a D44 is pretty sturdy and will hold up with a 33"-35" tire if you don't beat on it all the time with the skinny pedal... Throw alloy shafts in there and the chances of breaking stuff goes down a lot since that is what tends to break.

If you don't want to spring for a locker & gears in the short term and you can get a fully bolt in assembly with stock parts which will be "good enough" until you're ready to spend the $ on the gears/lockers I don't think that the ECGS option would be a bad incremental route (assuming the stock parts are Ok) if you can figure out how to get a matching front ratio within your budget.

JW

My 8.8 with stock shafts is holding up going on year #2 I running 36s I dont really baby it to much

My point is a 8.8 with stock shafts last me with a 120 pound tire + rim combo It will last any 1 with 35s