Your thoughts appreciated

JGD

New Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
Location
Fayetteville, NC
I have a 1996 ZJ that I just started building. I a trying to decide if I should do an axel swap to 1 tons? I was thinking a ford 60 front and 14 bolt chevy rear. or maybe D60 for both? I want to run 33-38'' tires on a 7'' kit any suggestions on what I should do that will be the least painful?

Thanks
JGD
 
33 - 38 is a big range. If your going with 33 - 35 and want full width, I would go with a 9" and HP44. If your going with 37+ then I would worry about tons. If your staying with the 33 - 35 you could just swap the rear out for a 8.8 and be done with it.
 
JGD said:
I have a 1996 ZJ .I want to run 33-38'' tires
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Lots of room there for variables. 33-35" tires = no need for tons. 38" tires, mild wheeling, easy on the skinny = no tons. 38" tires, radical lines and lots of skinny = tons. Like I said too many variables. My ZJ with my style I'm thinking 35"s with an 8.8 or D44 in the rear and go wheeling.
 
I would say go with tons. you'll start off with 35s and then you'll move up more than likely and you'll need the extra beef. Go ahead and get it now and you'll not have to worry about breaking later.

Also, I'd go with a 60/14 combo. If you go 60/60 you'll have to bore the spindles on the rear to fit 35 spline axles. The 30 spline axles are just too weak IMO.
 
Ive got an 8.8 out of a bronco under mine right now. Im happy with it, however, I wouldnt mind stepping up to some beefier axles and larger meats
 
93redzj said:
Ive got an 8.8 out of a bronco under mine right now. Im happy with it, however, I wouldnt mind stepping up to some beefier axles and larger meats
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this is what everyone says, Including me

Like I said do the tons now, Even if you say i am only running 35s, When its time to replace them your going to say maybe I can get 37s, I know I did
 
A 14b on 33-37" tires? You'll have the ground clearance of a golf cart. 37's and below, you're going to have to beat on it pretty hard to break a 44/9" with non-yukon alloy shafts.
Anything 38 and above on a zj that's actually wheeled, and there probably won't be much zj left.
 
Well I run 42s but when I air them down to 7 psi I'm sure I don't have as much clearance as I would like. I'm thinking if you're running 35s and they are not beadlocked you'll actually be comparable in the clearance department (not the same but close enough). When you step up tire sizes and start airing down more (if you go with beadlocks) then I think you'll see what I mean. Also, you can shave an inch easy off the 14bolt without any major modifications. All you need is a sawzall.
 
I say do it right the first time and go ahead with the tons...as far as the lift goes..SAWZALL and keep it low.
 
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