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Jeep Wrangler YJ
YJ Build Threads & Member's Rides
8.8 rear end swap
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<blockquote data-quote="RangerRick" data-source="post: 429208" data-attributes="member: 19360"><p>Quote from the OP: <strong>"The donor is an early 80s axle from a Ford Explorer. "</strong></p><p></p><p>This 8.8 axle has to be from the early 1990's, (1991-1994) if it has factory drums as the first Ford Explorers came out late 1990 as a YM 1991 vehicle.</p><p></p><p>Yes it is nice the disc brake assemblies from a 1995 YM to 2001 YM Ford Explorer will swap over to the 1991-1994 Explorer axle and are basically dimensionally the same units but with drums instead of disc brakes. I have seen them as little as $25 on half price day in some salvage yards too. You can't even buy one new disc rotor for that price at a parts store much less get <strong><em>the whole enchilada</em></strong> for that!</p><p></p><p>I've installed an 8.8 axle in my CJ, in YJ's, TJ's an XJ and even had a friend who put one in his V8 5.9L ZJ Grand. Another friend of his put one in the later 2nd gen WJ Grand. They are excellent choices when you don't need 1-ton weight or strength requirements. They will easily handle tire sizes up to 37" without much trouble provided you <strong><em>use low hydrogen nickel rod and stitch weld the axle tubes to the center section. </em></strong></p><p></p><p> The axle tubes aren't super thick but they don't bend easily since bending moment is a function of tubing diameter and not just the tubes thickness. The larger diameter the tube, the stiffer it becomes within reason and at 3.25" for all but the neck down at the very ends, it is stout enough for even serious off-roading.</p><p></p><p>I've personally had powerful Chevy V8 strokers or LSx engines in front of them no issues.</p><p></p><p> <strong>Ford Aerostar minivans have the companion flange adapter for the U joint in both 1310 or 1330 sizes.</strong> You'll have to look under the van to see which U joint it has but I've robbed several off of them at junk yards to make the 8.8 fit with an existing driveshaft if the length is correct. It's a great low budget way to fit the axle in your Jeep.</p><p></p><p>BTW, I just left the tone ring sensor screwed into the top of the center section and left it unplugged to keep from leaking. No reason to weld up the hole or grind the protector ears off of the housing unless you want to go through all that extra trouble.</p><p></p><p>Great budget cost effective choice [USER=18654]@Walt Jaquith[/USER] !</p><p></p><p>RR</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RangerRick, post: 429208, member: 19360"] Quote from the OP: [B]"The donor is an early 80s axle from a Ford Explorer. "[/B] This 8.8 axle has to be from the early 1990's, (1991-1994) if it has factory drums as the first Ford Explorers came out late 1990 as a YM 1991 vehicle. Yes it is nice the disc brake assemblies from a 1995 YM to 2001 YM Ford Explorer will swap over to the 1991-1994 Explorer axle and are basically dimensionally the same units but with drums instead of disc brakes. I have seen them as little as $25 on half price day in some salvage yards too. You can't even buy one new disc rotor for that price at a parts store much less get [B][I]the whole enchilada[/I][/B] for that! I've installed an 8.8 axle in my CJ, in YJ's, TJ's an XJ and even had a friend who put one in his V8 5.9L ZJ Grand. Another friend of his put one in the later 2nd gen WJ Grand. They are excellent choices when you don't need 1-ton weight or strength requirements. They will easily handle tire sizes up to 37" without much trouble provided you [B][I]use low hydrogen nickel rod and stitch weld the axle tubes to the center section. [/I][/B] The axle tubes aren't super thick but they don't bend easily since bending moment is a function of tubing diameter and not just the tubes thickness. The larger diameter the tube, the stiffer it becomes within reason and at 3.25" for all but the neck down at the very ends, it is stout enough for even serious off-roading. I've personally had powerful Chevy V8 strokers or LSx engines in front of them no issues. [B]Ford Aerostar minivans have the companion flange adapter for the U joint in both 1310 or 1330 sizes.[/B] You'll have to look under the van to see which U joint it has but I've robbed several off of them at junk yards to make the 8.8 fit with an existing driveshaft if the length is correct. It's a great low budget way to fit the axle in your Jeep. BTW, I just left the tone ring sensor screwed into the top of the center section and left it unplugged to keep from leaking. No reason to weld up the hole or grind the protector ears off of the housing unless you want to go through all that extra trouble. Great budget cost effective choice [USER=18654]@Walt Jaquith[/USER] ! RR [/QUOTE]
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Jeep Wrangler YJ
YJ Build Threads & Member's Rides
8.8 rear end swap
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