New front and rear ends

[TheWeiss]

I want to replace my front and rear end when I do my lift. But I need to know the best way to do this. I know that they both have to be geared the same to keep me from burning them up on the road. Should I do both at the same time? Or can I do one the rear then the front. If so, can you guys (and Melissa) help me come up with a battle plan for a good rear-end to search the junk yards and a step by step process to work through the process of the install of both the front and the rear (i.e. what to do first, what next, what can wait, what needs to be done all at once. I ask this both for myself and for the use of others in the future.

I'm eyeballing an 8.8 out of an 95+ Explorer with disc brakes for the rear but no idea for the front. I've also seen people pull Dana 44's out of Isuzu's and Scouts...any thoughts?

[4.3LXJ]

The Explorer 8.8 is a good way to go with good after market support. As far as regearing, I think you can't go any deeper then 4.88 with those. With a D44 you can get further down.

The front is the hard part really. Yoy have to be able to fabricate to go with a heavier front end.

[W.O.R.P.Offroad]

if you can find it get a high pinion d44 from a cherokee. they where only in the south americian xj's but you can find them where someone bought them complete from jeep.

[JeepinOutfitters]

What are your reasons for wanting to swap out your current axles? You've got a HP D30 front, and since it's a '96 you've probably already got the larger 297x ujoints. That axle is perfectly capable of handling up to 35" tires.

A late model Ford 8.8 would be a good swap for the rear though. You'd get stonger shafts and disc brakes in one shot, and the bracketry for the rear is pretty simple and inexpensive. Isuzu and Scout D44 rear ends will be the wrong wheel bolt pattern.

[xj4life2]

What are your reasons for wanting to swap out your current axles? You've got a HP D30 front, and since it's a '96 you've probably already got the larger 297x ujoints. That axle is perfectly capable of handling up to 35" tires.

A late model Ford 8.8 would be a good swap for the rear though. You'd get stonger shafts and disc brakes in one shot, and the bracketry for the rear is pretty simple and inexpensive. Isuzu and Scout D44 rear ends will be the wrong wheel bolt pattern.

I agree completely , go for the 8.8 with the disc brakes and leave the front. If anything you could cromo the front but not needed . I have run open frt and rear with stock axles and 35's and never had an issue or broke however gas milage on the street was horrable.

[TheWeiss]

Alright I'll leave the front as is. do have the high pinion and the larger U-joints. But regarding the rear.... If I'm pulling an 8.8 at a you-pull-it is there anything specific that I should be looking for? I know some of the 8.8's off of 95 and later Explorers have different gearing. Ideally I'd like to go as low as possible. Is there any way to tell what the gear ratio is beyond spinning the tires and counting?


Also, any advice and where to pick up brackets for the leaf springs to flip the rear from sprung under to sprung over?

[4.3LXJ]

You can cut the old ones off and reuse them. But any of our vendors have those available. I understand that the towing package has 4.10s and a limited slip. 4.88 is as low as you can go on a D30.

4.10 is as low as you can go for JY parts with a 4 or V6 front and the 8.8 towing package