D30, HP30 or HP44 ????

[wildman4x4nut]

Well the headed says it all.
I have a 97 TJ SE. So I have that high horse power engine.
I plan on running 35" MT/R's or 36" IROK's. I am currently regearing to 4.88 gears.

Then in the next year I plan on building the 8.8 I bought this weekend at the swap meet. I would like to go to 5.13/5.38 gears in it. Because I have the low pinion front diff can I use older D30 gears? I know I have 297 u-joints in my axles & have also just purchased the Warn hub kit for the front. So what are the benifits of going with a HP44? I know ring gear & pinion size but who really ever breaks them on the D30?

If I do go with the HP44 what width do I need to make it? Can I use the new Rubi axle shafts? What other shafts could I use?
I don't want/need full width axles. The trails I run can be pretty tight sometimes. So if I change to the HP44 my plans are to run adapters for the 8.8 to match the bolt pattern of the HP44.
Do they make one to go from 5 on 4.5 to 5 on 5.5 or do I have to go to 6 lug?

Wildman
www.4x4nut.net

[Road Head]

Well, here is my 2cents worth. Get a Grand Wagoneer front axle from 1980-1990 (except for 83 & 84). It will be low pinion, 6 lug and about 3" wider than the ford 8.8. Then you can get 5x4.5 to 6x5.5 wheel spacers for the rear which will widen your rear out by 3". Same width, same bolt pattern, cheap strong axles. If you choose to go full width, get a HP D44 and a D60 from a 78-79 F250 truck.

[AndyN]

Sorry for the quote-fest

Originally posted by wildman4x4nut
Because I have the low pinion front diff can I use older D30 gears?

-Nope, wrong pinion shaft.

So what are the benifits of going with a HP44? I know ring gear & pinion size but who really ever breaks them on the D30?

-Ring and pinion will be much stronger with a HP44 and people have been known to shread them on TJ D30s with 35~37"s, not often but it can be done (but as a saying I just heard goes, there are people who can break an anvil with a rubber mallet). Also spline count goes up and the shafts are a little bigger.

If I do go with the HP44 what width do I need to make it?

-60" will make it match your current D30

Can I use the new Rubi axle shafts?

-I don't think there's any point, I'm fairly certain Rubi's use a 27spline 760x(297x) shaft, the same one your D30 takes.

What other shafts could I use?

-Waggy's are a good choice, it should make the axle ~62"

So if I change to the HP44 my plans are to run adapters for
the 8.8 to match the bolt pattern of the HP44.
Do they make one to go from 5 on 4.5 to 5 on 5.5 or do I have to go to 6 lug?

-Yes, adapters are made for 5-4.5 to 5-5.5, useful for widening the rear to match a 62" front, or 8.8 shafts have enough matieral to re-drill them for new studs at 5-5.5, just take them to a machine shop.

[CJ-Jeeper]

Originally posted by wildman4x4nut
So what are the benifits of going with a HP44? I know ring gear & pinion size but who really ever breaks them on the D30?

bigger inner shafts & real hubs

A guy I used to wheel with broke the gears in an XJ HP30 on 35's

[CJ-Jeeper]

Originally posted by Road Head
Well, here is my 2cents worth. Get a Grand Wagoneer front axle from 1980-1990 (except for 83 & 84). It will be low pinion, 6 lug and about 3" wider than the ford 8.8. Then you can get 5x4.5 to 6x5.5 wheel spacers for the rear which will widen your rear out by 3". Same width, same bolt pattern, cheap strong axles. If you choose to go full width, get a HP D44 and a D60 from a 78-79 F250 truck.

Why mess with the 8.8? Just get both axles from the Waggy.

[wildman4x4nut]

Well here is why!
If I am going to change out my front axle then I want to put a HP44 in there. If that means I have to narrow the axle to fit great I'll do it. I want the added strength of the HP.

Okay so next question.
Are the short inner and long inner shafts the same length on a Waggy front axle, no matter if it was a drivers side or pass side drop? If they are the same then that will help out a little in finding some.

Thanks
Wildman

[XJ Sean]

Rubi's do use 30 spline 44 shafts, but the inner would be the only one that's any good. The outer is gonna be a stubby thing because of the unit bearing hub crap.

what I would do is get an HP44 from a Ford and cut it down to waggy size (62"ish) you get 5x5.5 with real hubs and the ability to use spare junkyard shafts

[AndyN]

Originally posted by CJ-Jeeper


Why mess with the 8.8? Just get both axles from the Waggy.

The 8.8 is a really good axle, lot's of people just can't seem to see past C-clips.
-Much bigger pinion supports (same as a D60)
-Hair bigger shafts (1.32" vs. Dana's 1.31)
-Factory disc brakes.
-I'm fairly certain Ford's listed max torque rating is 6600ft/lbs, MUCH higher than a D44.

I understand it much better on rigs with a low pinion 30 front but I don't really get the Waggy swap - a LP44 really only gains strength in axleshafts over a HP30, the increase in metal is wiped away by pushing them on the slope side. And I (according to your sig neither does CJ-Jeeper ) still don't think a 44 is a good swap for a Jeep rear, I'd do something bigger - 8.8, D60, 9", 14-bolt, etc. I guess the main reason why I don't get it is that if going to go to the trouble of swapping axles I want more than a 6% increase in strength.

[MossMan]

look here and here . I've been thinking about doing the same thing. And I'm running the 8.8 rear with 4.88's and 35's with no problems. Just make sure you weld to tubes to the center.