driverdave Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I am in the process of buying a Ford 8.8 rear end. My question is should I snag the drive shaft also or are the drive shafts the same spline as Dana 35? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 where can I order the shock mount and what do I need to do to the 8.8 for the mj leafs to mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 For spring mounts, you need to buy a pair of spring perches and have them welded onto the Ford axle tubes, in the same position as on you MJ axle. The MJ shocks mount to the lower spring mount plate. No work is needed on the axle for shock mounts unless you intend to customize something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 You will also need the Spicer flange to mount on the pinion of the 8.8" so your driveshaft u-joint will mount up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 ok where can I get those parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64 Cheyenne Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 I got my local carquest to order mine. Spicer part number 2-2-1379. $37 delivered. I'm kind of in the middle of this right now,(8.8 swap) My understanding is that if you reuse the stock spring plates with their stock shock setup,you can reuse your stock shocks. Travel will be limited with this setup because of the shorter stock length shocks. My plan is to weld aftermarket shock mounts on the axle housing,so I can use a longer travel shock. Shock mounts can be purchased at many places online or you could fab your own. On my (stock)DS I mounted the Spicer flange (with new U-Joints),had to get a new output yoke (because I went from BA-10 2wd to AX-15 231tc 4wd). Set my pinion angle then measured total needed length of my DS. Sent it to the machine shop,had it shortened and balanced for $90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Shock mounts can be purchased at many places online or you could fab your own. :rotf: I wish I could fab my own but have never done body or metal work and don't feel like experimenting on my stuff, I need new leaf/shock mounts some rot on old ones so I am looking for new. Thanks for the part # i'm going to see if Napa can get it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 The best deal going for spring perches is the Mopar Performance Catalog. They sell a pair of really beefy perches for less than half what any aftermarket sources sells them for. I don't understand your point here, 64: I'm kind of in the middle of this right now,(8.8 swap) My understanding is that if you reuse the stock spring plates with their stock shock setup,you can reuse your stock shocks. Travel will be limited with this setup because of the shorter stock length shocks.My plan is to weld aftermarket shock mounts on the axle housing,so I can use a longer travel shock. Yes, if you use the stock plates and shock mounts with a lift, you would need to buy longer shocks. But if your plan is to use longer travel shocks anyway, why go to the trouble of fabricating custom shock mounts when all you need to do is buy your new shocks with the correct mounting eyes on both ends? Does not compute. Besides ... the original question didn't say anything about a lift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 The best deal going for spring perches is the Mopar Performance Catalog. They sell a pair of really beefy perches for less than half what any aftermarket sources sells them for. I don't understand your point here, 64: Besides ... the original question didn't say anything about a lift. Some one that actually reads and remembers threads lol. no lift questions from me seen enough posts I should be able do get every thing I need with out asking or begging for help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 get solid stuff at Ruff Stuff, good guys there http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/cat ... p-186.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 That's where I bought my perches and shock mounts. Very well made stuff. Had ordered perches for my 35 from them earlier and been happy with them also. Be aware a Ford 8.8 out of an Exploder is narrower than your stock axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64 Cheyenne Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 WELL EXCUSE ME THEN........ Seems kind of a moot point to me, to install an an 8.8 without using the available lift that can be gotten from it by going spring over. Oh wait! you mean I could have put my 8.8 in,sprung under,no lift,and used near stock tires? Well I'll be Durned,hafta look into that! Heck,I shoulda just kept the D35! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 I need to replace the axle so what would you do for the same money go stock or heavy duty? And not all of us need a 200 foot lift to want dana 44's or 8.8's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64 Cheyenne Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Same Money? You mean the cost of slappin a D35 back in? Sometimes/most D35= free + time. Got one in my backyard I'd give for free. 8.8? Depends on how you source your parts and how much you gonna do yourself. If I was to do an 8.8 on my own again,doing everything on a budget,I could do it for about $500 + my time,on the outside estimate. Right now,I'm into mine for about $700. IMHO, I wouldn't put any money into a D35 unless it was a last resort. If your not going to lift your truck,put larger tires,or should I say not too much tire,as restricted by stock or near stock height,put a D35 back in. Money permitting,do the 8.8 spring under. The only reason you'd have to redo it is when you decide that you want bigger tire,just because you can,then it'll be :I shoulda went spring over! You could also search for a D44 out of an MJ (good Luck! But not impossible) or possibly a Chry. 8.25 but I don't know if this is a bolt in to a MJ. SUPER 35,is still a D35 no matter how you look at it. You could build a nice 8.8 for less money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 my d35needs gears and leaf/shock mounts any ways I don't need to have it back in the truck until next summer so I can take my time rebuilding a 8.8 if I could find a dana 44 in the bone yard I will get that instead of the 8.8 but around here no one has a 44 8.8 are common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Oh wait! you mean I could have put my 8.8 in,sprung under,no lift,and used near stock tires? Well ... yes, you could. The lesson here is that no two people use, drive, or set up their trucks exactly the same way. You have to do as you think appropriate, but when I respond to a question I try to answer the question without superimposing on it MY criteria for how I use, drive, and set up my vehicles. There is no reason for you to throw a hissy fit because someone doesn't want to do a lift on his truck. We're all here because we like Comanches, and that should include all flavors of Comanche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 if you do a 8.8 I would really go for the spring over option as then you only have to buy and weld one set of perches on, instead of the spring under way unless you plan on staying that way as they do have up to like 4" of lift spring under leaf packs. It's just benefucial to go spring over to gain 5" of lift and save money being you just reuse you leaf packs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64 Cheyenne Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 :agree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I was thiiiis close to putting an 8.8 under my stock height 90. But since I already had the 44 sitting around... I'd happily put an 8.8 under a stock stock before another Dana 35. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 I was thiiiis close to putting an 8.8 under my stock height 90. But since I already had the 44 sitting around... I'd happily put an 8.8 under a stock stock before another Dana 35. :D thanks Pete my point exactly maybe I should have said it this way from the start. As for a soa I do not want 5" of lift MASS it will not pass inspection, I am only asking about the 8.8 not lifting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 There's no reason NOT to do the 8.8 conversion as a spring under. It's better than a Dana 35. But keep in mind that you will still have to deal with the axle width issue. The 8.8 axles are narrower, wheel mating surface to wheel mating surface, than stock MJ/XJ axles. In an MJ, the stock setup has the wheels close enough to the inner fender walls in the rear at when running 31x10.50 tires, the inner sidewalls are very close to the edges of the springs and any articulation results in the shoulder of the tire rubbing against the metal. When you do an 8.8 conversion you will either need to use spacers, or run aftermarket rims with less backspacing than Jeep rims. If you choose non-Jeep rims, you will then need to be aware that rims with less vackspacing may create other clearance issues in the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 There's no reason NOT to do the 8.8 conversion as a spring under. It's better than a Dana 35. But keep in mind that you will still have to deal with the axle width issue. The 8.8 axles are narrower, wheel mating surface to wheel mating surface, than stock MJ/XJ axles. In an MJ, the stock setup has the wheels close enough to the inner fender walls in the rear at when running 31x10.50 tires, the inner sidewalls are very close to the edges of the springs and any articulation results in the shoulder of the tire rubbing against the metal. When you do an 8.8 conversion you will either need to use spacers, or run aftermarket rims with less backspacing than Jeep rims. If you choose non-Jeep rims, you will then need to be aware that rims with less vackspacing may create other clearance issues in the front. ok this confuses me the 8.8 in narrower then the d35 I know that, but you said with an "8.8 I will need rims with less backspacing" wouldn't I need more backspacing to get the rim back towards where it should be, less backspacing will move it closer to the frame. Tire size will be 32x11.50x15 these tires are almost new so I'm using them (saving a few hundred) Plus I will not be doing any rough off roading no place around here just a lot of smooth dirt roads. Lifting will be done in either the Comanche or Grand Cherokee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoTGoD Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Backspacing is the distance from the mounting surface to the inner lip of the wheel, on a parallel plane. The less backspacing, the further the wheel sticks out. The greater the backspacing, the further under the vehicle the rim fits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driverdave Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 Backspacing is the distance from the mounting surface to the inner lip of the wheel, on a parallel plane. The less backspacing, the further the wheel sticks out. The greater the backspacing, the further under the vehicle the rim fits. now I'm getting more confused, on my XJ with my 32x11.50.15 the stock (wrangler) rims tires rubbed inside, I put in a 3/4 wheel spacer and no more rubbing. Alot of this is new to me I have read and seen enough pics but actually doing it is a different story. The rear axle I plan on sinking $500.00 to $1,000.00 dependeing on the locker I choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoTGoD Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 now I'm getting more confused, on my XJ with my 32x11.50.15 the stock (wrangler) rims tires rubbed inside, I put in a 3/4 wheel spacer and no more rubbing. That's correct. You essentially gave the rims less backspace, moving them further away from the body/axle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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