swagger what are the plans for your rig??

[PaulW]

Post a pic of the rear are you looking to go Full width or Do you want to stay about the same width as your current rig

if you want to use the dodge axles then you'll have to really consider full width axles.  cutting them down and re-splineing the shafts is possible, but a lot of work.  if you want narrow stronger axles, then your beat.  if you really want your junk on 38's then you'll want to skip that dodge anyways.  it still has unit bearing front hubs, which are good for 35's max.  not to mention the dana 44 will break on anything over 36's.

if your going that large in tire, you'll need at least dana 60's.  but the toss up from 35's to 38's is a hard question to answer.  dana 44's will hold 35's no problem.  38's should be on dana 60's.  but unless you shave the 60's, you'll have the same amount of clearance on 38's with 60's as you do 35's on dana 44's.   more ground clearance is the reason for bigger tires.  bigger tires always means bigger axles, bigger axles means bigger housing, bigger housing means less ground clearance.  hence why i wan tto build a sami on 33's with sami axles.  i'll have more ground clearance under my diffs then you guys on dana 44's with 35's.  but small diff=weak parts and i'll have to carry spare diffs.  it's always a toss up.  until there's a way to make portal hubs work cheap, then we'll have to sacrifice one for the other strength or ground clearance.

[Swagger]

well, its one thing at a time really.  I aint gonna roll 38's until my rig is beefed up enough to handle that kinda rubber. so if all i have is a 60 in back and a 44 up front i want roll any bigger than say 36's.  38's are my end goal, so i'm gonna be working up to them.  i was thinking about full length axles becuase of the cost.  i know when i had y 9in shortened and resplined on my mustang a few years back, it cost me an arm and a leg.  what ever i do, when i do it, my rear diff is moving back atleast 5in.

[PaulW]

well, its one thing at a time really.  I aint gonna roll 38's until my rig is beefed up enough to handle that kinda rubber. so if all i have is a 60 in back and a 44 up front i want roll any bigger than say 36's.  38's are my end goal, so i'm gonna be working up to them.  i was thinking about full length axles becuase of the cost.  i know when i had y 9in shortened and resplined on my mustang a few years back, it cost me an arm and a leg.  what ever i do, when i do it, my rear diff is moving back atleast 5in.

Why build it three times?  If your going to build it bigger,  then just go to your end goal at once, so you can enjoy it.  Why do you think i've had my sami for 4 years, and am still collecting parts for it??   I only wan to do it once.  Granted it's only going to sit on 36's, but it'll wheel just about anywhere.

[Swagger]

Well, it's a problem of having a daily driver and a rig in the same vehicle. i have to go in periods of short builds at a time.  I cant afford for DD to be out of commision for that long of a time.  Low rank in the NAVY equals small paycheck.

[PaulW]

Well, it's a problem of having a daily driver and a rig in the same vehicle. i have to go in periods of short builds at a time.  I cant afford for DD to be out of commision for that long of a time.  Low rank in the NAVY equals small paycheck.

That's why you save the $ and build it all at once.  I mean I'm not in the navy or anything, but kids suck up all  my $.  I'm still putting dana 44's under my Jimmy in a few weeks.  It'll be sitting on 35's. I'm re-gearing the axles next weekend.  I think 4.88's should be low enough to keep me sane on the highway and not throw my trans computer crazy.  `Or the easiest thing to do would be to get a second vehicle.  That's why I bought my Ranger 2 weeks ago.  I needed something to drive when the Jimmy goes under the knife.

[kirksjeep]

I have to agree with Paul on this one.  Not too many guys would tell you that daily driving a rig on anything bigger then 33's is a good idea, but you could go up to 35's like Will and Kevin and be ok.  If you are thinking full width, 36+" tires, etc...  you should look into a beater.  You are going to need something to go get parts in, and your going to need something to get back and forth to work when you break your Jeep, and no matter how well you build it, if you wheel it, you will break it.  Just look at how many guys have a second car, it almost becomes a necessity at some point. 

I know the low pay= few parts at a time.  I was an E-1 when I bought my first Jeep.  You might want to consider upgrades that you can afford and keep wheeling.  I have about $11K into my Jeep with the purchase, lift, tires, and many, many upgrades.  That $11K has been over the past 9 years so it has been a little more affordable (about $100 a month). 

Good MT tires(in the 33-35" size), a ford 8.8 or D44 rear and a locker (or 2) will allow you to wheel any trail I have been on over the past year.  After seeing how Ed's axle shaft looked when in snapped, a D35 upgrade is a must.

[PaulW]

I still don't believe in wheeling a DD.  If you do, then there are going to be a lot of Sunday nights in the garage until 4 am Monday putting the POS together to get to work for 8 am.  Been there done that.  My main point is that it is a LOT of work to put custom axles in a rig.  If your going to do it, get the set that will hold up to the 38's that you want in the future, and build the rig around that.  It will save you so much time and money in the end.  If you want to put in the dodge axles that's cool, but not really practical.  You'll be on 35's and in no time will out grow it's wheeling capabilities and look for harder and harder trails, then before you know it you'll be on 38's with inferior axles.  If you do it, do it once and do it right.

[Swagger]

well, the axles are now definatley on hold, because the guy decided he would sell me the whole truck for the same price. And then, he said that he would just give me the truck for the cost of taxes(free for military) title and liscencing (also at a discounted rate).  Its got a cracked block, but i've already got a cheap donor 360 for the transplant.  Now i just gotta convince the wife to let me inherit said rough cut diamond so that i may park and build the jeep.