Full width or not? What to buy?

Speed Freak

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Location
High Point
I have a 94 YJ 4 banger with a Skyjacker double military wrap 4" lift, 6" shackles, 3" body lift and 33" tires. I have already bought (but not installed) 4.88 gears and lockers for the front and rear with an 8.8 rear axle. My plan was to go SOA removing the body lift and returning to stock shackles with them going reversed. I have been told this will be to high and I should just buy stock springs and go SOA.

I can't decide if I want to use the stuff I already purchased or start over and go full width.

I will be using the jeep to drive to and from the trails and Sunday drives. I would like to end up with 35" tires and a fairly decent Crawl rate. I know that no rig is indestructible but I would like to build one I can depend on. The jeep is already a trail rig and would make a great "project rig". I'm not worried about cutting sheet metal and I'm even thinking of adding some exterior caging.

So should I start over and go full width? The lowest I can go with the D30 is 4.88 and add the 4:1 reduction at 1500.00. With the full width I can use axle gearing to get a better crawl rate with out the expense of a reduction unit. I am trying to keep the cost down and not have to build the jeep only to rebuild it next year with bigger axles. So where do I go from here I just can't decide? :confused:

Any and all comments welcome. I am new to this so be gentle.

Thanks
Guy
 
ditch the shackles, lower your bumpstops and cut on the fenders to get what you need for 35's and use the axles you have. if you wanna start swapping axles might as well just redo everthing
 
you should be able to sell off what ever you decide not to use. i'm starting a 94 yj project myself and will be running full width 44 and 9". i'm planning on running xj rear leafs flipped backwards in the rear with soa. and probably some tj coils up front.
 
A wise man told me do it once so you don't have to up grade later. So that is what I am doing now after redoing my lift 3 times. I would go full width since you can get lower gears and more strength for less than trying to build what you already have. I am doing the 44 and 9" combo my self as soon as I get the funds.
 
if you're tryign to save money the full widths won't do that..... i think i've spent about $2500 so far on my hp44 and 60 from a 79 f250 including EVERYTHING for the rear axle and NO internals for the front..... My best guess is that i have another $1500 to finish the front so i'll have 4wd again.....


so if you want to keep a low budget.... i'd say this isn't the route you'll want to take...

but if you want to build a rig with damn near indestructible axles then yes, full widths are the way to go :)



it aint cheap to play :(
 
I agree with Erik, I got my D44HP and 9" rear for $150 for the set. It is going to cost me about $3k-$4k to have them set up with everything I need to put them under my WJ. That includes locker, gears, chrome moly shafts, rear disk brakes with e-brake, high steer knuckles, high steer, etc.
 
Erik said:
if you're tryign to save money the full widths won't do that..... :(
Click to expand...
Thats a completely true statement. However if he builds the ones he has now and tears them up this summer he will be back to where he is now next fall. If he spends the money now that is money well invested. If he does it now he won't be back here next winter. That's why I am going full width. Plus full width looks so much cooler and you get a much wider stance for balance. Erik your stuff is just sick looking now.
 
What do I need to purchas to convert to full width? What type axles, drive shafts, steering mods etc... I know gears and lockers. Anything special about the leaf springs?
 
You CAN do it for pretty cheap... and upgrade you internals along and along... D44 and 9" are a dime in a dozen and run up too 600 per set and CAN be found as low as 300 maybe less (someone correct me if I'm wrong) all you will need to do is move the spring perches and shock mounts for the axles to fit under. If your lucky you can possibly use your old D-shafts if they (axles) have the same U-joints as what you are using now. You will need (recommendation) to upgrade your front knuckles to high steer http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/flatop_knucles.html and get arms that fit (top is above springs if SOA)

I think I'm just under a grand putting a D44 and Ford 9" under mine but that is with a lift.

I'm tired if that doesn't make since someone tell me... Ill fix it in the morning
 
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