Just another XJ

The Luke · Mar 27, 2017

Cool, I'll check them out.

TBItoy · Mar 27, 2017

You gonna gear em?

Fwiw buying brackets and kits seems expensive to me, you can buy tabs from a place like DIY4X for dirt cheap then just trim/box/bracket as necessary for like 1/2-1/3 the price of buying premade brackets and such.

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The Luke · Mar 27, 2017

I've not counted yet(rear tag was missing and front was covered in filth). But I believe they have 4.10. If they do, I'm going to run them as is.

I'll check them out as I progress. This will be in the running for longest build on here. I'm aiming to have everything together and swap it all next winter.

nhl_bullitt · Mar 27, 2017

I've built a **** ton of XJs. Blue one was on 1 tons, red one on 3/4 tons, but was honestly just built for my girl as a mall crawler.

3 link the front! Get as much wheelbase as you can (within reason). Blue was 114, red was 107, with leafs still in back on that one btw.

Are you plated yet? Get ruffstuff stiffeners if not. Awesome starting point.

Posted is a pic of the passenger side upper link frame mount. Build your link mount on the inside of the frame rail. Then run a plate ALL the way from outside of stiffener to the edge of your new mount, across the top. Then run a long grade 8 bolt through that WHOLE thing. It is stout as hell, and will not fail you. Make sure that link mount is welded to a big plate that you rosette welded to the inner frame rail though.

blue buggy1 https://www.flickr.com/photos/146897672@N05/

DSCN1742 adjusted https://www.flickr.com/photos/146897672@N05/

DSCN1803untsze https://www.flickr.com/photos/146897672@N05/

00A0A_kPzZXrfeKCo_600x450 https://www.flickr.com/photos/146897672@N05/

20150924_195751 https://www.flickr.com/photos/146897672@N05/

3link https://www.flickr.com/photos/146897672@N05/

The Luke · Mar 27, 2017

That's a huge help. Thank you.

I don't have any frame stiffeners yet. They're on the list. Since I cut out my rockers, I will tie all of it together also.

What about driveshafts? I snagged everything to hack n tap mine. On the red one were you able to run a stock front shaft or did you end up having to go with a custom driveshaft?

nhl_bullitt · Mar 27, 2017

The Luke said:
That's a huge help. Thank you.

I don't have any frame stiffeners yet. They're on the list. Since I cut out my rockers, I will tie all of it together also.

What about driveshafts? I snagged everything to hack n tap mine. On the red one were you able to run a stock front shaft or did you end up having to go with a custom driveshaft?

On the blue one, I ran 2x4 where the factory rockers were, then ran DOM to the ruffstuff stiffeners. It worked out well.

Yes, I do believe I ran a factory front driveshaft on the red one. The front was pushed forward about 2.5", but the center section shoots out farther being that it is a bigger axle than stock, so it worked out nicely. There is a good chance the yoke on the 44 is a 1330, so you can just do a cross joint there. Even if you have to lengthen the factory front shaft, it isn't too big of an ordeal.

The Luke · Mar 27, 2017

That's almost exactly what I'll be doing on the rockers. I've got 2x6 in place now.

nhl_bullitt · Mar 27, 2017

The Luke said:
That's almost exactly what I'll be doing on the rockers. I've got 2x6 in place now.

Awesome bud.

Nice find btw. That's cheap as hell. Stick around a 35-36" tire, you'll have some fun with out breaking every weekend. The problem is those damn ujoints, they tiny.

I incorporated a truss on the long end of the 44, but it would probably be wise to get that 44 cleaned up and truss the whole thing since it will see some abuse.

The Luke · Mar 28, 2017

Both are definitely getting trussed. I'd really like to step up to a 37 ish. I wheel pretty conservatively for the most part. I think I can make them last.
Otherwise I feel like I'll be dragging that 60 over everything

The Luke · Mar 28, 2017

Darn all you! You're in my head now. Hell if I know my what to do. My only concern with the super duty axles is turning this into a money pit. Couple hundred Here and there add up real fast. Only reason I even snagged these is they are basically ready to roll and the price is right. Y'all talk like they're a pair of d30's.

onepieceatatime · Mar 28, 2017

Re:

D30s aren't bad if ya drive smart and keep your tire size right. I'd keep running them until I had the money for tons.

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The Luke · Mar 28, 2017

So 38's are bad?

TBItoy · Mar 28, 2017

The Luke said:
Darn all you! You're in my head now. Hell if I know my what to do. My only concern with the super duty axles is turning this into a money pit. Couple hundred Here and there add up real fast. Only reason I even snagged these is they are basically ready to roll and the price is right. Y'all talk like they're a pair of d30's.

I mean, the shafts are Dana 30 size...
All it takes is a shaft/joint upgrade in the 44 and your at real one ton money.

An old rear 30 spline Dana 60 has all the weight of a one ton and all the strength of a Toyota.

:stir:

And Ford/Dana has drop in 1550 shaft assemblies for the standard F250/350 axles.... for under $400 for the whole axle. Granted they are still OEM material 1.5" 35 spline, but the 1550 axle joint should be a decent upgrade over the regular 1480 stuff. Mine will be here Friday :****:

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ranger11 · Mar 28, 2017

Re:

Mdo817 wheeled for years with chromolly shafts and alloy USA ujoint, in a xj never broke a shaft but had a cap failure I think. I will get him to chime in. He was running 38.5 tsls. Maybe he'll post some pics of his as it was leaf sprung as well.

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Zjman · Mar 28, 2017

Dana 30 and the 44 share the same ujoint so your only gaining a small shaft diameter, I'm that guy who put way too much money in a d30 and yeah it's pretty tough for the size but I wasted my money, o run 36's and have broken prob 6 shafts in 5 years, my buddy ran the 44 like the one you bought in a 4.3 v6 Yj on 38.5's and exploded the 44. I'd get a set of 60's and be done

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mdo817 · Mar 28, 2017

Re:

ranger11 said:
Mdo817 wheeled for years with chromolly shafts and alloy USA ujoint, in a xj never broke a shaft but had a cap failure I think. I will get him to chime in. He was running 38.5 tsls. Maybe he'll post some pics of his as it was leaf sprung as well.

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Yep, I spit a cap once, which got the shaft ears, 10 Factory replaced them, tack welded the caps and rocked on.

muddinmetal · Mar 28, 2017

A 44 is just a stop gap, but a good deal is a good deal

mdo817 · Mar 28, 2017

muddinmetal said:
A 44 is just a stop gap, but a good deal is a good deal

I totally agree ^^^

paradisepwoffrd · Mar 28, 2017

Re:

http://www.nandsautoparts.com.

According to their site, they have an 06 sd60, 4.10 for $500. Knox has 5 or so 3.73s for ~$300. About same money for their rears too.

tonybolton · Mar 29, 2017

With all the D44 love....I broke alota stuff in a D44 with 35" tires and was also able to kill an 8.8 shaft and R&P on separate occasions with 37's.

I'm not even gonna count the 5+ Warn premium GOLD lock out hubs I had on the D44 that exploded once a month. I remember everyone telling me, "I aint never seen the premiums break before!"