Fulltimer wrote:
Quote:
JJsKJ
Well then, The cheapest choice is a High Pinion Dana 30 out of an early to mid 90's XJ and for the rear, just leave the 8.25 in the rear and regear.
From there, the cost just goes up and up depending on what you do to those diffs or which other ones you choose.
You start getting into having to cut off most of the factory brackets and welding on new ones when you go to diffs out of other sources and/or what type of suspension you are running. The HPD30 is pretty close to bolt in (to the suspension) if running the Nth system and some others that utilize the stock front control arm mounting points. The 8.25 still has the tone wheel and just needs a long arm rear suspension fabbed up which can be "simple" and "cheap" or complicated and expensive.
I can think of several diffs that could be used but to figure out in order of expense would be tough since there are variables to consider such as suspension, fabrication, cost of initial purchase (varies by market), mods to those particular diffs, who's doing the work, etc, etc.
Well then, The cheapest choice is a High Pinion Dana 30 out of an early to mid 90's XJ and for the rear, just leave the 8.25 in the rear and regear.
From there, the cost just goes up and up depending on what you do to those diffs or which other ones you choose.
You start getting into having to cut off most of the factory brackets and welding on new ones when you go to diffs out of other sources and/or what type of suspension you are running. The HPD30 is pretty close to bolt in (to the suspension) if running the Nth system and some others that utilize the stock front control arm mounting points. The 8.25 still has the tone wheel and just needs a long arm rear suspension fabbed up which can be "simple" and "cheap" or complicated and expensive.
I can think of several diffs that could be used but to figure out in order of expense would be tough since there are variables to consider such as suspension, fabrication, cost of initial purchase (varies by market), mods to those particular diffs, who's doing the work, etc, etc.
That is what I was talking about. I would like to get a better front differential and leave the rest alone. When people look at the SFA and see all the $$$ people are spending it could give them the wrong idea. It's my understanding that certain Ford units will work also. If all of this info was grouped together under a sticky called Front Axel Swaps, or something like that, it would be very helpful to people.
Terry
Problem is leaving the 8.25 in there w/ a better front axle making it the weak link.
The D30 if properly built is Plenty for 33"'s on a KJ. Add some alloys axles w/ full circle clip u-joints and it is pretty strong, run hubs and probably never break an axle. There are plenty of folks running similar combos on heavy rigs w/ 35's and no problems. But like anything else, no matter what you run you can find a breaking point so where does it end.......oh wait.....talking Jeeps here, IT NEVER ENDS!
allyrand has been running a fairly stock front HPD30 for a couple years now on his SFA w/ stock axle shafts even and the only thing he has broken was a rear driveshaft so he drove home in FWD on the D30. Now he has hubs and still working fine on stock shafts. His 8.25 is holding up well too on stock shafts.
AFAIC, allyrands is about as close to "budget" as you can get considering the stock parts he still runs. Along the way he has made upgrades so it can only get better. (now if he would just wheel it instead of driving it to the mall all the time
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