Getting ready to start an 8.8 swap in the rear on my '92 YJ and I am 2nd guessing the axle I purchased a while back. Looking for opinions.

Vehicle is a '92 YJ, 4.0, ax15, 231, HP 30 front with 33's

Future mods will be soa, T-18/300, 35-36" tires and a waggy or scout 44

The axle is out of a '93 explorer, (drum brakes) and I bought it because the price was right. Plan is gear to match the front (4.56), lock it, possibly a super 8.8 kit.

Other option is to sell it and get an 8.8 with disc brakes. Anyone here used the drum brake 8.8 and are happy with it? Or should I not bother with the early explorer axle?

If you got it cheap I would sell it and get the disc brake one.

You should look into the Rodeo/Passport Dana 44 rear.It will have Disc Brakes Match the Bolt pattern/Width on a Waggy 44 and have decent gear ratios from the factory.

you could look at the isuzu stuff just because you can get it in 4.56 in its stock form. only issues are 93-97 are 58" wms-wms or smaller, bolt pattern is the same as a waggy, the 4.56 is only in the 2wd/4 cly version (or so i can find) and 4.56 only has drum brakes. a 98+ axle is a little different. it is 93 inches wms-wms, has a bigger pinion then a normal 44 so you can't put A off the shelve install kit in it if you ever had to regear, and the carrier wont except a lunchbox locker (allegedly). a pre 97 will have spring perches, a post 98 will be 4 linked. both use thick gears instead of a carrier break. so if you ordered a Detroit or arb or w/e order 3.73 and down.

I think the Waggy is 61"s so the older Rodeo/Passport would be fine.Swap the disc and you get the deeper gears and disc and bolt patterns to match.And wont have to cut all the 4link brackets off

yes let me tell you how much fun cutting all of the 4 link stuff off was....:shaking:

Hmmm, you guys are giving me more to think about. I read about the Rodeo 44 in JP a while back- seems like a good option.

Here is why I have been leaning toward the 8.8- The mods will need to happen in two stages, possibly a few years apart.

1st- 8.8 rear and soa just to have a decent Jeep to wheel again.

2nd- Stroker, t-18 and D300 from my CJ-5, along with a Front D44 and 35-36" tires.

I'll have to re-read about the Rodeo 44. JP gave me the impression it was an (almost) exact match to the YJ trac width. The factory 4.56 and matching width are huge pluses. I'm sure a company (Moser maybe)could make a set of shafts with a 5 on 4 1/2 bp.

I would just stick the 8.8 in so you could drive/wheel again then when you swap the front Waggy do the Honda/Passport rear at the same time.I wouldnt bother getting shafts for the 5on4 1/2 because when you install the 44 in the front you be either 6on5 1/2 or 5on5 1/2

the only issue is i found the 4.56 to be a bit rare around here, but then again i think this is the only area where a waggy is hard to find too... we are currently getting our 6 lug shafts getting redrilled and machined to fit 5x4.5 just to note a cheaper alternative to new shafts

What shafts are you getting redrilled?

1998 isuzu D44 6x whatever it is to 5x4.5.... the machinist said he could do it...

Getting ready to start an 8.8 swap in the rear on my '92 YJ and I am 2nd guessing the axle I purchased a while back. Looking for opinions.

Vehicle is a '92 YJ, 4.0, ax15, 231, HP 30 front with 33's

Future mods will be soa, T-18/300, 35-36" tires and a waggy or scout 44

The axle is out of a '93 explorer, (drum brakes) and I bought it because the price was right. Plan is gear to match the front (4.56), lock it, possibly a super 8.8 kit.

Other option is to sell it and get an 8.8 with disc brakes. Anyone here used the drum brake 8.8 and are happy with it? Or should I not bother with the early explorer axle?

Don't sell it just because of the brakes! The housing is identical to the newer ones. Go ahead and build it, then when you get a chance grab the disc stuff from a junkyard and swap it over.

The only thing to watch out for is if the older axle had 28 spline shafts. Pretty sure they all had 31 though.

At this point, that is the cheapest option.

Any idea if the Super 8.8 will work with the older axle? searched and all I could come up with is that they fit '96 and up (disc) axles.

I swapped a drum brake 8.8 into my buddies TJ. It worked out well. You dont have to change master cylinders or mod the proportioning valve. You can always get the shafts redrilled later on to match the front or go to aftermarket shafts that already match the bolt pattern of your front axle.

All explorer 8.8's are 31 spline. I have regeared or rebuilt over 20 of them at work. The 8.8 is also one of the easiest axles to regear. Only install ford motorsport gears in the axle and 9 times out of 10 you can get away with the stock shims if using the FMS gears.

Paul