Ok here's the skinny. 88 YJ that is still street legal in PA. 4.6L stroker, NV3550, NP231 (for now soon to be a twin sticked, flipped, 4:1 Dana 300), 8.8 rear with 4.56 gears, Super 88 Kit and Detroit locker, front axle is HP Dana 30, 4.56 gears, tj front axle shafts and open. Suspension is 3.5" BDS SUA setup with boom shackles (planning on a front 3 link with coilovers in the future). I would still like to keep the YJ street legal since I like to drive my rig to the trails, wheel all day, and then drive it home. I'm currently running 35's (probably the biggest I will go on this rig) on 15" wheels and just got Staun internal beadlocks on. Reason I say that is because i would like to stay with the 15" wheel size which I know will limit what axle I can install on the front end.

I have done some research and I'm still up in the air as to what I should run. I would love to install a Spider 9 with 60 outers but I'm not sure if the brake components will allow me to use my current 15" wheels. I will not put a Dana 44 up front so lets just get that out of the way. I know the HP 30 can take some abuse but with me planning on doing front digs I know it wouldn't hold up that well. So what would you build that could hold up well and take the abuse? I plan to build overkill just in case I install a V-8 or do some grass roots comps in the future.

Should I start with a fresh aftermarket housing like Spidertrax or Diamond Axle or go with a junkyard build? I don't mind either but if I'm going to do it I'm going to do it right from the get go. Post up what you have, your rigs specs and how you abuse (or use) them. Clearance is a huge factor just to keep that in mind. Thanks for the help and the advice!

For you I think the currie hp8.8 thing would be the way to go. I run a hp60 shortened to 62" and 5 lug 15"wheels so either a high9 or 60 can be done but for 35s and a low hp not really needed if your 8.8 in the rear is holding up.

wouldnt it be cheaper and easier to use all stock components, like for instance my front 44 has a bronco short side and a scout long side shafts with CJ outers. then again you have to remember which one you just broke and need to replace. still probably easier than taking measurements every time.

I have a front HP60(1989 F350 donor) with chevy calipers and rotors and will clear 15" wheels

I have a front HP60(1989 F350 donor) with chevy calipers and rotors and will clear 15" wheels

I'm going to look over your front axle build again when I get home from work. I'm going to see if I could find one in the junkyard and based upon that work from there. Would you do this swap again or did you ever wish you started with a fresh aftermarket housing?

Keep the info coming guys.

My advise (witch you already know I think).. Is don't spend your $$ on the Dana 30, like I did.. Mine has held up, but I have about $4,000 into a dana 30 and for that kinda $$ I would much rather have a currie or high 9", or Dana 60.

I think the high 9" would be the best for you. It provides great clearance, the housing is strong and can handle rocks against it and not leak (a must for a street driven wheeler) dropout is easy to work on if needed and parts are pretty available, well all the bearing seals exec. The axle shafts might be harder to find but if you had a spare, you would be in great shape.

I was leaning towards a Hi 609 setup for up front. The main thing that is worrying me at the moment is that if I go with the True Hi 9 third member, you can only run a max of 5 degrees pinion angle from what I have researched. Since this rig will see extended highway trips, I didn't want oiling to be a problem but I also didn't want my pinion to be dragging on every rock along the way. Just trying to think ahead here before I make any decisions. I know a guy in my club is going to be swapping one in his TJ in November but I'm impatient as all hell to find out how it is going to hold up.

Any more suggestions or advice? I know it is hard to build it and keep it street legal but that is my goal and I'm trying to stick to it. I enjoy driving it to and from the trails just as much as I do when I'm wheeling it!

Nothing else???

Did you end up making a decision?

>front axle is HP Dana 30, 4.56 gears, tj front axle shafts and open

Are you breaking it now? For 35's that's not really a bad setup.

Did you end up making a decision?

Yes I did. I was going to wait until I had the parts to post up but since you asked I will be going with a Spider 9 with most of the spider bling. The way I look at it is if for some reason I want to run something bigger or anything for that matter, I might as well build it right from the start and never worry about it again. I'm just waiting to see how the funds pan out after I get some other necessary mods done first (full cage) and see how things look and go from there.

>front axle is HP Dana 30, 4.56 gears, tj front axle shafts and open

Are you breaking it now? For 35's that's not really a bad setup.

I'm not breaking now ::knock on wood:: but I don't want to break either since I don't have a tow rig and trailer to get to/from the trails. I'm thinking about just throwing an Aussie locker up front for the time being and see how it does. I can get material for free to make a truss so I figured that would help out some as well to keep it alive. Thoughts?

I made mine 63.5" WMS and found it to narrow for 37s with 4.5" BS rims. If I had to do it again I'd go 66" minimum. For now I'm using wheel spacers but will end up buying new 3.5" BS wheels to get rid of the spacers.

Are you going to stretch? I did and it was a bitch to get it all in there. Shafferoffroad was kind enough to cut me a DIY steering arm kit so I could bring my tierod down. It was bashing into everything.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t52/glee57/2003%20Jeep/DSC_0136.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t52/glee57/2003%20Jeep/DSC_0134.jpg
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t52/glee57/2003%20Jeep/DSC_0124.jpg

just one question i am not to famiular with the spidertrax shit. but can't you build a cheaper version of the spidertrax. junk yard housing retubed then use the 60 knuckles and a currie hi 9 3rd member with the 31 33 or 35 spline housins. granted its more work but as far as bang for your buck isn't that cheaper or do you want the bling?

I made mine 63.5" WMS and found it to narrow for 37s with 4.5" BS rims. If I had to do it again I'd go 66" minimum. For now I'm using wheel spacers but will end up buying new 3.5" BS wheels to get rid of the spacers.

Are you going to stretch? I did and it was a bitch to get it all in there. Shafferoffroad was kind enough to cut me a DIY steering arm kit so I could bring my tierod down. It was bashing into everything.



Very nice rig and thank you for the tech! That helps a good bit since I'm still in the planning stages. As far as the stretch goes I was thinking maybe an inch or two at the most. Mainly because this is still totally street legal and I must keep it that way. Plus I didn't want to run into all of the other problems associated with the steering linkage since I can't run full hydro and it still be legal. I will keep Shaffers in mind if I need one of those steering arms. Thanks again!

just one question i am not to famiular with the spidertrax shit. but can't you build a cheaper version of the spidertrax. junk yard housing retubed then use the 60 knuckles and a currie hi 9 3rd member with the 31 33 or 35 spline housins. granted its more work but as far as bang for your buck isn't that cheaper or do you want the bling?

Yeah you probably could build one like that, in fact I know you can. Reason I'm going this route is mainly I know everything is fresh and I'm not going with a Currie hi pinion 3rd member. True Hi 9 is :smokin: After everything is added up it really isn't THAT much cheaper. Plus even if the Spider stuff is a little more now, what is your time worth to you after you get the fresh build done and would still be working on the junkyard version? Again I'm going with the build it right the first time mentality.

point taken and understood i was just asking if its possible good to know it is. some of have lots of time so it might not be so bad lol

Yes I did. I was going to wait until I had the parts to post up but since you asked I will be going with a Spider 9 with most of the spider bling. The way I look at it is if for some reason I want to run something bigger or anything for that matter, I might as well build it right from the start and never worry about it again. I'm just waiting to see how the funds pan out after I get some other necessary mods done first (full cage) and see how things look and go from there.



I'm not breaking now ::knock on wood:: but I don't want to break either since I don't have a tow rig and trailer to get to/from the trails. I'm thinking about just throwing an Aussie locker up front for the time being and see how it does. I can get material for free to make a truss so I figured that would help out some as well to keep it alive. Thoughts?

Heck, if it were me, I'd toss an aussie in it and leave it as is until I had a reason to make a swap. I run 33's with an Aussie (Aussie is tough as nails) without problems. I know the 35's are pushing it, but if you are going to have a problem with a locked D30, it will be the axle shafts that snap usually. I'd buy a couple stock ones from the bone yard and make sure you carry fluids and tools to swap an axle shaft out in the field. If this becomes common place, then upgrade axle.

point taken and understood i was just asking if its possible good to know it is. some of have lots of time so it might not be so bad lol

Haha that is very true and trust me, if I did have a lot of time on my hands I would have gone that route.

Heck, if it were me, I'd toss an aussie in it and leave it as is until I had a reason to make a swap. I run 33's with an Aussie (Aussie is tough as nails) without problems. I know the 35's are pushing it, but if you are going to have a problem with a locked D30, it will be the axle shafts that snap usually. I'd buy a couple stock ones from the bone yard and make sure you carry fluids and tools to swap an axle shaft out in the field. If this becomes common place, then upgrade axle.

Don't get me wrong I'm trying to make the 30 live as much as possible until I get everything to swap in. I'm easy on my rig and know my limits unless an obstacle starts pissing me off then I give her a little bit of hell but I know never to get on it while the tires are at a full lock or almost full lock on the steering wheel. Doing so will spit out U-joints right and left!