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Ford 8.8 strong enough for 35s-37s

Rob50lx

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I recently picked up a ZJ with stock 3.73 Explorer 8.8 axle that has been trussed. Vehicle currently has 35s and I may consider 37s after these tires wear out. Is it worth sinking money into this axle with gears, locker, and c-clip eliminator or real 9" axles and bearings? I never liked c-clip eliminators but I don't know if they have improved in the last decade.

I've had fox body mustangs and I always upgraded to set 20 bearings and real axles but I don't know if an Explorer axle is going to be strong enough for 35s-37s?
 
All depends on your use of the skinny pedal, especially in low range. If you're a kamikaze wheeler, probably not.
 
I wheeled with a guy in a tj years ago. Built 9” front 8.8 rear 37” krawlers. And he was pounding on that rig. Said he was going to build a 9” for the rear when it broke.

9 years later I ran into him and he’s still running that 8.8. I think they’re stronger than people give them credit for. Full carrier locker and weld the tubes to center section and I think you’ll be fine. If you’re concerned get the axle shaft kit that eliminates the c-clip.
 
I agree with Rangerrod my buddy GGRR 4555 wheeled with is 8.8 for years on his TJ with 37s. He drives hard and after 5 years of abuse he finally broke a stock shaft that took out a detroit at the same time (the detroit gets taken out with any kind of axle in most cases.) He then did the c clip elim and a grizzly locker the reminder of its life with no issue. He raced 1 KOH and 2 other U4 races with an 8.8 on 37s in the 4500 class. He jumped it numerous times without issue and he said driving in U4 is like driving with no regard for mechanical well being compared to trail wheeling. Ultimately the axle was pulled when the jeep underwent major changes but it now going to live on in a friends rig.

The 8.8 does better then most think.
 
I could be wrong, but I think ruffstuff had the desolate truss in their clearance section at one point but now it’s not. Might be worth a call to see if they’ll give you a break on one. I don’t see them moving many of those.
 
It is already trussed and the axle tubes are welded. I would like to keep the current width because it stuffs the tires well. I will probably cut off the ends and install proper 9 inch ends when I decide on locker and gears. It is the GF's Jeep with a v8 but she is fairly mild on the skinny pedal.

Is the Eaton locker the newer and stronger design?

Are the cut to length axle shafts any good?

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I wheeled with a guy in a tj years ago. Built 9” front 8.8 rear 37” krawlers. And he was pounding on that rig. Said he was going to build a 9” for the rear when it broke.

9 years later I ran into him and he’s still running that 8.8. I think they’re stronger than people give them credit for. Full carrier locker and weld the tubes to center section and I think you’ll be fine. If you’re concerned get the axle shaft kit that eliminates the c-clip.

Welding the tubes is an important step.

I had repair and replace 2 8.8 in fairly stock fsb because they spun the tubes/diff. Not mine but 33s and automatic trans v8. Seperate trucks and 1 wasnt even a wheeler, he just towed a med car hauler.
 
The weak points on the 8.8 are the plug welds and the tubes. Depending on whether you're jumping or twisting the tubes from spring wrap and track bars depends which you break first. Other than that it's a very good axle for its size.
 
I had one with 39” Mickey Thompson’s, a Detroit, 4.88’s and a 302 in high school. It didn’t like doing a burnout. :laughing:
 
My snow wheeler has a Built 8.8 and I run 39.5 boggers with a 4.0L 1uz V8. It has 4.88s, arb, Chromo shafts with c-clip eliminator.

Do you think it is significantly stronger than a Toyota V6 8 inch or tacoma 8.x?
 
Do you think it is significantly stronger than a Toyota V6 8 inch or tacoma 8.x?

I am really impressed with the 8.8 so far. I originally built the 4runner with a 22rte but kept having issues with head-gaskets. I felt the 8.8 would be an upgrade over the Toyota V6/Turbo and it gave me a little more width. I have never been impressed with aftermarket rear toyota shafts as I couldn't keep them together in my wifes Samurai on 37s. So far I am impressed, Hauled my buddy out a few weeks ago and it put everything to the test.

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My snow wheeler has a Built 8.8 and I run 39.5 boggers with a 4.0L 1uz V8. It has 4.88s, arb, Chromo shafts with c-clip eliminator.

What c-clip eliminator did you use? Does it add anything to the width? Does it leak at all?
 
I ran an explorer 8.8 on 37s, doubler and v8 for several years. It had a detroit and 4.56 gears, no issues.
 
I am really impressed with the 8.8 so far. I originally built the 4runner with a 22rte but kept having issues with head-gaskets. I felt the 8.8 would be an upgrade over the Toyota V6/Turbo and it gave me a little more width. I have never been impressed with aftermarket rear toyota shafts as I couldn't keep them together in my wifes Samurai on 37s. So far I am impressed, Hauled my buddy out a few weeks ago and it put everything to the test.

So it is in between the toyota/d44/etc and tons in strength. That Is perfect for a moderate rig. I ran one in a Comanche a while back but I never beat on it. The discs were a nice upgrade, too.
 
It is already trussed and the axle tubes are welded. I would like to keep the current width because it stuffs the tires well. I will probably cut off the ends and install proper 9 inch ends when I decide on locker and gears. It is the GF's Jeep with a v8 but she is fairly mild on the skinny pedal.

cutting the ends off to remain semi float is fundamentally retarded. go full float with some d44 parts, slip over rotor and double splined shafts.

i bent mine in my fullsize bronco, trussed it and welded the tubes, all was good until the center pin dropped and destroyed my ARB and gears. the c-clips and wheel bearing were my concern, never the r&p strength. i sold it and the next build will be a FF
 
cutting the ends off to remain semi float is fundamentally retarded. go full float with some d44 parts, slip over rotor and double splined shafts.

i bent mine in my fullsize bronco, trussed it and welded the tubes, all was good until the center pin dropped and destroyed my ARB and gears. the c-clips and wheel bearing were my concern, never the r&p strength. i sold it and the next build will be a FF

I'd agree, except I'd do 14b spindles and hubs (available in 5x5.5 and 6x5.5) or 99-04 unit bearings.
 
I'd agree, except I'd do 14b spindles and hubs (available in 5x5.5 and 6x5.5) or 99-04 unit bearings.

its an galvanized beer can, 14b is overkill. d44 should allow him to reuse his brakes. not a fan of unit bearings but a better option than 14b stuff.
 
its an galvanized beer can, 14b is overkill. d44 should allow him to reuse his brakes. not a fan of unit bearings but a better option than 14b stuff.

D44 spindles/hubs suck imo. They're small and terrible to service. Limited to 30 spline, which I believe is a hair smaller than the 31 spline 8.8. You'd also have to figure out sealing near the diff. And assuming they're similar to the kingpin 60 outters, they're terrible at keep water out of the bearings.

14b is overkill, but it's not ridiculously huge by any means.
 
A lot is high horse power race car guys use the smaller mustang 8.8. Also I have wheeled with a 8.8 for years with a doubler. I did modify it slightly, I built a truss for it, I cut the tube ends off and welded Ford 9” bearing ends on and used 35 spline Ford 9 axles shafts. I can’t break it, I’ve tried.
 
D44 spindles/hubs suck imo. They're small and terrible to service. Limited to 30 spline, which I believe is a hair smaller than the 31 spline 8.8. You'd also have to figure out sealing near the diff. And assuming they're similar to the kingpin 60 outters, they're terrible at keep water out of the bearings.

14b is overkill, but it's not ridiculously huge by any means.

ok so go d60. everything he needs less the shafts from ruffstuff.

https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/SA6018-5.html
 
It is already trussed and the axle tubes are welded. I would like to keep the current width because it stuffs the tires well. I will probably cut off the ends and install proper 9 inch ends when I decide on locker and gears. It is the GF's Jeep with a v8 but she is fairly mild on the skinny pedal.

Is the Eaton locker the newer and stronger design?

Are the cut to length axle shafts any good?

I have been running an 8.8" for going on 11 years in my Bronco II. I had 35" tires when I first put it in, and I have been running 37" tires for the last 2.5 years. I am running 5.13 Superior gears and an Eaton Elocker. No issues with the axle itself, but I had to rebuild the ELocker once because the ball and ramp locking mechanism design Eaton uses on their 8.8" locker is complete garbage. I would avoid the Eaton ELocker if I were building another 8.8".

I picked up a Yukon "Ultimate 8.8" kit (a rip off of the old Superior "Super 8.8" kit) shortly after going to 37" tires, which gives you 4340 axle shafts (stock spline count), eliminates the C-clips and converts you to Set 20 bearings, and adds 2" to the WMS width. I never got around to installing it because the stock shafts have been holding up so far.

My Bronco II weighs 3,900 Lbs, has a 125:1 crawl ratio, and is powered by a gutless 2.8L V6 for reference. I am a fairly conservative driver, but I tackle fairly difficult trails in it. The 8.8" will hold up well to 35-37" tires in my opinion, but if you are a throttle jockey, you can break it. Another buddy of mine had one in his XJ when he was running 36" TSLs and never backed down from a hard line (raisin body :laughing:) and it lasted a good while before he broke a stock shaft. He went to tons and 42"s afterwards instead of upgrading shafts or messing with C-clip eliminators.
 
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