Pete M

Is getting the maximum airflow really all that necessary on engines that rarely get above 5k rpms? :hmm:

I'd go with a newer 2.5L block like out of a TJ. It's a better block and it should go in with minimal hassle. If there's one thing I hate, it's overly complicated projects that end up taking forEVER to finish (if they ever do). Of course, that hasn't stopped me from starting them, but I hate them none the less. Simpler is better. :D And how is this not tech?

There's only one way to know for sure. Care to be the guinea pig on this one? :brows:

Out of curiosity, were you running 260s or 297s?

But you have to break a shaft in an 8.8 before the clips come in to play. Good luck doing that! :thumbsup:

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/te ... pgrade.htm

The #3 leaf has the guides attached. Feel free to experiment. With the wide range of conditions in random packs found under our trucks an in the ‘yards, it’s hard to say what will give how much lift.

The big reason for not using the entire Explorer pack alone is that it will lower even a 2wd MJ. I don't understand why you would want to move the shackle mount location? That part is just fine. It's the location of the center pin in the pack that pushes the MJ axle forward in the MJ wheel well.

The top leaf is MJ-specific so you'll have to find another. try car-part.com for junkyards.

This one: http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1658

You can't do it like that. The gears must be "set up" properly. If not they can burn up or break within miles or even less. Gear set-up is one of the very few things I will gladly pay to have a pro do (and it's $150-250 per axle). And I would personally NEVER consider using a Dana 35 for 33s, no matter what other people have thus far gotten away with. Especially when Explorer 8.8s are everywhere in the junkyards.

Use a big hammer and show no mercy!! My Peugeot once got stuck in second for no particular reason and when it looked like a tow was inevitable anyways, I pushed hard on it with my foot. It popped out with no great fanfare and I never had that issue again. :dunno:

Do you know how to set up gears?

laziness wins again! :cheers:

Hard to find?! Phooey on that. I picked up my latest in Toledo for $300 and all it really needed was a new slave cylinder and a floor (of course I can't stop there). They are out there if you look hard enough. And dirt cheap if you look long enough (and can fix things yourself). Finding a rust-free one for sale up here? Now that's hard. :( Are you on greatlakes4x4.com yet?

:rotfl2: Saving up for a nice MJ? :brows:

I know what went wrong. You were running a Dana 35! I blew one up on the way to work one day and I was only running 30" tires. They just spontaneously explode like that. There's nothing wrong with the drummed 8.8. It's just as strong as the disk version. Just make sure it's from an Explorer/Mountaineer.

35" tires can break parts in Dana 44s, let alone Dana 30s. Nothing is indestructible. 35 inches is a lot of tire and the Dana 30 is a small axle, but if you get shafts that run 297 or 760 'joints and leave the front open it should be fine. Of course, longevity is also dependent on the tires you get, the terrain you travel, and how much you like the skinny pedal. If you want to run big tires, expect to pay for it somewhere.

Have you ever set up gears before? They don't "just bolt in". While Dana 35 C-clip axles are technically concidered worse than Dana 35 non-C-clip axles, the difference won't ever be noticed until you break an axle shaft. My personal feelings are that the Dana 35 SUCKS either way and needs to be replaced with something that is truly better. :D

3.54 paired with 3.55 is perfectly normal. It's only 0.3% off. There's usually a greater difference than that between your tires front to rear. :D

Beats the hell outta the 18k I paid for my R/T. :D

Yup. Trying to run on the street in 3 wheel drive is ill advised. The biggest issue I see here is that you want to run 35" tires on the little 260 U-joints. That won't last long.

As far as I know, only the grand cherokee had an aluminum Dana 44. The 07 Wranglers have some darn good stuff under them. Can't go wrong as an upgrade, though I seriously doubt they bolt in.

You'll need to get the front axle too since the wheel bolt pattern was changed to 5 on 5.