Ford 8.8 swap; School me!

[Bucket-O-Karma]

So, I found an 8.8 out of a '98 explorer with 4.10 gearing, disk brakes, and posi-lock for $350. I called the local off-road shop to see how much they would charge to swap it into my TJ, they said it would be around $750. So the entire axle swap will run me about 1,100 + tax (I really don't know the cost of a new shaft, or yoke/flange either) ...... does this sound right? I might be able to swing the cost of the axle, but there is no way Nica is going to let me spend that kind of money for the axle and labor..... Doing it all by my lonesome is a giant NO-GO as well, since I have NO clue what I'm doing.

Help!

[Rico]

I got exactly what you described only a 2001 i believe for 200$ put it in for about $100 in ubolts and odds and ends for the xj. find someone that can weld. you will need to buy spring buckets and shit though so count on it being more expensive.... find an axle on car-part.com or whatever it is

[grundlepunch]

the brackets for a tj rear can add up to some good money. so unless you can cut them off your old axle perfect i would just bank on a kit. if you cant do it yourself i think $750 is a good price.

i would say price out a bracket kit, and then figure the time/random expenses and effort it would take to do it yourself and judge if it would be worth it or not.

[Wide-J]

Check out these brackets www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/spring-options-c-26.html or www.polyperformance.com/shop/Axle-Chassis-Brackets-p-1-c-862.html or claytonoffroad.com/index.aspx?sdr=/get.doc.aspx&qs=LD:Products%20Other&l=category&p=susacc for a set of brackets to be welded on.

[DUG]

Wheel spacers too? I think its 1-2 inches narrower than a TJ axle.

[Rico]

5/8 narrower on each side... I dont have spacers it is fine

[YeaItsCold]

100 axle on craigs list

newhaven.craigslist.org/pts/990072350.html

[Rico]

here is an aweomse writeup i used for info ... he put prices of everything near the bottom.. but its a yj swap.. the second link is a tj swap
www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/ford88.html
www.stu-offroad.com/axle/8.8axle/8.8axle-1.htm

Do NOT GET A RANGER 8.8

[Burton58]

i have 2 8.8's out of crown vic cop cars. not sure on gears yet but they are disks

[Rico]

so even if they are 28 spline you still get disks.. u can upgrade it to 31 spline later one when something breaks.

[Uncle Hawk]

the crown vics won't have 4.10 gearing. grab a 97+ Explorer 8.8 with open carrier and 4.10s and disc brakes. Buy the brackets from ruff stuff and grind everything off of the new axle. you won't need wheel spacers, at least you shouldn't so long as you has offset wheels.

if you want to do it yourself, once all the bracketry has been ground off and you have smooth axle tubes, weld all the way around the axle tubes where they meet the pumpkin on both sides and weld in the plug holes as well.
find the sitting angle of the TJ 35 axle and set the brackets to match on the 8.8
burn it home.
install.

[CumminsJeep]

the ranger 8.8s arent 8.8s. they are 7.5. its smaller

[Bucket-O-Karma]

Okay, so I do or don't need a new shaft and yoke or flange? because that's all extra money. I don't know how to weld, but I would be willing to do the instal in my garage if I had all the parts I needed, and the welding was taken care of.

[Uncle Hawk]

LOL I can weld it for you if you bring it, the measurements and a case of beer to me. I odn't know about the shafts you can or can't run, but the 8.8 yoke is only a bit deeper than the d35. the adapter flanges can be found at a levines or napa auto parts store. ~$30..

[XJLI]

i woudnt do it without doing an SYE and new DS, especially on a TJ.