Posts by chukwagen

This place is becoming more and more like pirate 4x4 everyday....lol.
....and that's not a complaint.

There's parking at Broadkill, not sure about slaughter.
One thing Broadkill DEFINITELY has is bugs.....and the fishing is fair
as long as you wanna catch horse-shoe crabs.
If it were me, i'd drive another 15 min south and go to Cape Henlopen State Park.
MUCH better place.
If it must be Broadkill, then I would pay attention to the weather report
(specifically wind speed/direction)
and make sure I'm going when there's a nice on-shore
wind. That'll blow the biting flies inland making it tolerable.
Never been to slaughter, but I would imagine it's similar.

Makes me so proud to be associated with great people driving great vehicles. Forgive the cheese, but this story touched me.
God bless that family, and all of you here that got the same warm feeling when reading that story. Thanks for sharing, Neill.

Thanx...

Hey guys...one more question about this lift...
I'm combing through the installation guide and it makes no mention of the
need for a drop pitman arm nor is one included in the kit.

Is this something I'll need? I know I'll have to take it to an alignment shop to shoot the beams
after I get the toe adjustment at least close with a tape measure, but I'm wondering if the steering linkage will be quirky without a drop pitman arm.

Any thoughts on this?

I'm liking the NJ axle too, but the guy hasn't got back to me. 450 is really more coin than I wanted to spend, but I was thinking that the powertrax/disc brakes
were worth it.

If this guy gets back me, are those upgrades worth spending 300 more than the one on BMJA?

(Thanx, Joe )

One other question I have...
When I come home with the 8.25, will it bolt right up? Are the rear driveshafts different lengths for an 8.25 rear Cherokee vs the dana 35 driveshaft?
Can't imagine there's that much difference in length, but just trying to think of all this stuff beforehand.
Gonna try and get all the parts together to do this axle swap, lift and lunchbox lockers next weekend, and wanna have as few surprises as possible..lo

He says it's geared 3.55 like mine, but I'm wondering about the shock mount thing, and if disc brakes will bolt up
to what I've got without massive wallet pounding.

Quote from 2000sahara

Where were you 4 months ago? I had an 8.25 in my garage for over a year and couldnt give the thing away. Finally someone came a took it. He gave me $20 for helping him load it. Moral of the story......Ask around before you spend any money.

Dang, man. Wish I was in the market then.

(feeling a little like joe dirt)

Found a 8.25 29 spline that already has a powertrax no-slip, already has a ZJ rear disc conversion and a diff guard for 450 on jeepforum.com in NJ.
He says that the only issue with it is "you either need to have high rise shock mounts welded onto it, or you have to drill one of the shock mounts out and nut and bolt
a stud through it because the post that the shock gets mounted to snapped off".

I made him an offer, and he has one offer pending before mine i think.

I find myself wondering if I'd really break an axle on only 31" tires & 3.55 gears.....even on a locked Dana 35.
I mean, don't misunderstand me, I get why it's dumb to drop coin into a turd...which is why I probably won't.

Thanx for the link. That's a 94 xj, so wouldn't that be a 27 spline 8.25?
Would a 27 spline be an upgrade to my 35?

So the 29 spline 8.25's were in xj's from 97-up? If I find one in a salvage yard that's already out of the vehicle, is there an easier way to confirm other than counting the axle teeth. I can do that, I guess...just thought there might be another easy way..

Found an 8.25 with my same gears (3.55) open diff out of a 99 xj for 350 in Elkton, MD. Is that kinda high, you think?

Crap. I have a turdy 5.

Ok, I'm confused. The dana 35 diff cover seems to look just like the Chrysler 8.25 diff cover in almost all the pics I've searched
on the web. How can you tell for sure what you have? Chrysler 8.25 is not a "stop-sign shape" like the Chrysler 9.25 right? So they're shaped pretty much the same, have the same number of diff cover bolts. It seems to me, that the only real obvious difference I've noticed is that the dana 35 has a drain plug in the middle of the diff cover.

That said, can I assume if I don't have a drain plug in the center of my diff cover that I have the 8.25?

To quote Peter Griffin, that NuKizer is Phreakin' sweet!

Quote from whatevah

If it's the D35, of course... don't lock it at all.

Just out of curiosity, why do you say this about the dana 35? It looks like they make aussies for the 35..

It's only 4.5 in. You think I'll be able to get away with not doing a SYE?

Quote from whatevah

I'd do a front locker... rear non-selectable lockers are a pain. I've got a full Detroit in my 8.25, and it's noticeable. You get understeer in turns and then instant oversteer if you left off the gas. The chirping tires in tight slow turns is kinda cool, though. lol It's not that bad really, just something you have to get used to. I've had mine since November.

Which rear axle does your XJ have? If it's the D35, of course... don't lock it at all.

I have the Chrysler 8.25.
Had a Detroit in the rear of the Dodge ram I had before my TJ.
I'm pretty familiar with the way they behave on road. As cheap as they are, might just do both axles.

Anyone have any experience with these, good or bad? Contemplating one for my rear axle.