78 is also going to be cast wedges which usually requires running the stock radius arms off of the bronco. Your 8.8, if its out of a later model Bronco or F-150 it may have the correct bolt pattern to match. If its an Explorer, Ranger, or Crown Vic rear its going to be the 5 on 4.5 pattern which means you will need to have the shafts drilled or replaced. Not a bad time to throw some Mosers in there.
Yeah bolt pattern is the least of my concerns. I just don't know much about Broncos - or 44s for that matter so i want to make sure it's a worthy upgrade from the D30.
Is it worth spending money on, compared to the 30?
Is it wider than the D30?
Did those Broncos have leafs or coils up front? Drums or disc brakes?
Full size bronco will have a full width axle. May as well throw a 60 under it and call it done. You will brake axles and hubs with 37's especially locked unless you do not plan on wheeling. However, it is way stonger then the 30. Oh yeah, the bronco was coiled with radius arms and disc brakes
Hmm.. the thing is i really dont want / can't have full with axles. The Jeep has to stay street legal for a while and that just will not happen on fullwiths..
What are my options here.. am i stuck with the turdy or what?
Not true. I am building a full width street legal TJ for my wife right now. Should be done with it by this weekend.
'76 F-150 HP Dana 44 is about 67" WMS but I am running a set of H2 wheels on her setup so its not terribly wide. The rear axle is an old school version of the 14 bolt. This is a picture of the rear axle sitting on its own weight and thats with stock flares and 35 x 12 x 17 Dune Grapplers on stock H2s. That axle is 65" WMS, which you can find plenty of full width rear axles that wide.
Don't mess with the Bronco front axle unless you want to run those stock radius arms. Find a pre 78 F-150 axle and convert it to 8 lug outers. If you are looking to do this cheaply though. Its not really gonna happen.
Also as far as strength. I've been wheeling an F-250 HP D44 in my TJ for about 3 years now with 38s and have had zero failures aside from a warn hub gear that cracked, granted I have Chromo shafts, cryo treated gears and locker, etc etc. But still, the axle has been holding up well and will survive with 37s if you put some decent axle shafts in it.
Alxj64 that sits not wider then my YJ with an 8.8 and aftermarket wheels. Another option for a front axle if you can find it would be a D44 out of an early Bronco they are about the same width as a stock XJ, YJ, or TJ. Now they are rare but about the same width, have 5 on 5.5 lug pattern so it would not be hard to make your rear axle match the same bolt pattern. The full size Bronco axles aren't reall your best option for what you are looking to accomplish.
Thanks for all the info guys. Really helpful. :beer:
Might try looking for a '66-77 Bronco D44 then, sounds like the easy way out for staying narrow.
I'm gonna do competition wheeling with this XJ eventually and i'll be up against loads of Zukis so going full with would be a disadvantage..
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