decision time

[beaker]

I trying to plan my upgrades for the winter. This year it involves lockers and axles.

I have four ways I can go.

One : Keep my existing axles 30 / 35 and stick lockers in them 4:10 gears already.

Two : Upgrade to an 8.25 rear, keep the 30 front and put lockers in them 4:56 gears in boxes

Three : Swap on some dana 44 knuckles onto my front dana 30 and do an axle upgrade (to get 5x5.5) on some kind of rear axle Ford 8.8, ford 9", dana 44, 8.25, Like a super 88 on an exploder axle.

Four : Go full width dana 44 front and ford 9" rear with custom long arm (ford i-beam based). As you guy's have seen, my setup is narrow so wider is probably better.


I'd like to put on 34's too, but the budget may or may not allow. Depends on sales.

What do you guys think?

 

[xjmark]

Option four.
Do it all this winter, instead of doing it over again in steps every year.

 

[massxj]

ya beaker do a 60 and 14 bolt......... just remember to do the motor too. lol sorry mark i had to do it

 

[aafish]

Do it once,heavier the better.When the unibody rots away take em out and put em under another rig.Proper offset,skinny tires and the 44/9 inch will give good ground clearance and stability. To wide???? depends on what YOU think.

 

[cjshloman]

Go full w/ hummer wheels, theyll tuck nice. Bull

 

[beaker]

After seeing much wider trucks doing trails I thought were narrow

I no longer think full size axles are too wide.

 

[CJKarl]

:Tools:

 

[jon]

Option 3 will be more expensive than putting one tons under it. To swap the 30 knuckles for 44s you need to swap the inner Cs . Rubicon outers will slap on but they are sill just dana 30 outers.

Having wheeled with a bunch of guys on full size axle and then a bunch on narrowed one tons. I would go the narrowed route all day long.

Thats just my opionion, but I have definatley seen the full widths get hung up, and the additional distance between the axles makes the pig even more of an anchor.

I think it is a k van can't remember but it is 63" wide. that sounds perfect.

If you are gonna do full width don't wven waste you time with a 44. go straight to a 60

 

[aafish]

After seeing much wider trucks doing trails I thought were narrow

I no longer think full size axles are too wide.

:grinyes:

 

[xjmark]

If you are gonna do full width don't wven waste you time with a 44.  go straight to a 60

I've been telling him that for months.

I did a LOT of price, ease of modifying, parts availability, and durability research last year when I was looking to upgrade from the d30/d44 axles.
IMHO, the full width hp60, 14B, stock H1 wheel combo is one of the best bangs for the buck.
I'm very happy with that setup. Only things I would have done different are shaving the heck out of the pumpkins, and drive flanges.
That's on this winter's upgrade list. :wink:

 

[toyworx]

Only things I would have done different are shaving the heck out of the pumpkins, and drive flanges.

That and a set of 40's :wink:

 

[beaker]

I like the idea of the d60 and 14 bolt however if I don't go atleast 36's I won't get much ground clearance. I don't want to go that high yet. IT's my only truck and I use it for snow driving and going to get parts. Plus the whole D60 $$ for a front high pinion is mor than I want to spend.

I already have the D44 front, I also happen to have all the parts to do the dana 44 knuckle conversion onto the dana 30, as for rear axles, I have a spare d35, a ford 9" (wrong gear ratio to match dana 44) and an 8.25

I also have new 4.56 gears and instalation kits for a hp dana 30 and 8.25.

Sitting on a pile of parts and am having a hard time deciding.

If I go 5x5.5. I already have wheels too.

 

[xjmark]

Sounds like you spent a lot of money trying to find an inexpensive solution. :razz:
oke:

 

[beaker]

Sounds like you spent a lot of money trying to find an inexpensive solution. :razz:
oke:

:-[ Well : Not that much money but :doh:

 

[beaker]

Got one

It's a 12' with a 5 horse outboard.

 

[gorilla_skater]

The 4.56 gears are completely useless. Give them to me for proper disposal.

 

[MasterDrazhar]

You can dispose of those? I can only rid someone of 4.88's :mrgreen:

.

 

[beaker]

The 4.56 gears are completely useless. Give them to me for proper disposal.

For the right price :wink:

Once I figure out what I'm doing, I'm getting rid of a whole bunch of extra parts.

XJMark has been trying to convince me to go full width and hummer rims. I have found a ford dana 44 from a f250 that supposedly has the ford flat top knuckles 1978 F250. So I may have a couple different axle combo's for sale. Now I just need a way to get it and a rear axle to match. (north eastern ma). I think they'd be a little heavy for my cherokee (atleast putting them in the back).

 

[toyworx]

Bernie,

How much tire are you HONESTLY ever plan on putting on that rig? Just be SURE you have decided on how much tire before you keep buying axles.

 

[beaker]

My next set of tires are going to be atleast 34's and what ever I do for axles will get atleast one locker.

As for beyond that. I'd like to do the DWE in a year or two (probably two) and for that I'd need ~36's. I don't need indestructable however I'd like to get my truck up to handling 36's for the way I drive.

I want to keep it streetable for now. It's not my DD however I do have occasional use of it as my only truck. For that purpose I was intending to do major trimming to fit the larger tires. Switching to my current tires for utility purposes.

I'm trying not to buy any more axles until I decide and commit a budget to doing the work. I'm working out the numbers of my options and trying to make a decision however the decision is not coming easily.