[Dustin]

Ive been wanting 37s for a while now but Im concerned with how the locked 8.8 and D44 is going to hold up. from what Ive seen a 37 is pretty much max on this setup, but is it pushing it? Im not a throttle junky and have yet to bust an axle with 35s even on the ttb. I been starting to run some pretty tough trails lately(see the terminator post) so I figure I will have to at least get ctms and warns for the front to feel comfortable running the 37s on it. I will also need to regear but thats not a big deal.

thoughts?

 

[Davids78Bronco]

my zuk on narrow 38;s is twisting the splines on my rear d44, 30 spline shafts.....

my bronco just ate the 8.8 for lunch....
i like the throttl eon my bronco somewhat.
the zuk is driven by faness, and the skinny pedal is only used when im in the mud, or on a longer steep hill climb to keep my revs up. i know when to back out of it on the rocks. if i get one hop i keep going, if i get a second ill ease out of it, on the third the clutch is in.

 

[mda]

If you're going to stick with 37's then you would be best off to build a nice 9 inch rear. 33 or 35 spline with an ARB or spool. Since you seem to do mostly rocks that would work best with the most ground clearance.

If you stick with a 44 front do the upgrades you mentioned and I'd highly recommend an ARB or some other selectable locker.

Since you're not a big throttle guy you'll probably keep breakage to a minimum.

Pick you're tires and rims proplerly and you will save alot of weight. 37" BFG or MTR's really don't weigh that much. That makes a big difference IMO.

 

[mda]

Again if you're going to stick with 37's then I would not change the gears. Keep the 4.10 since they are quite strong.

Save for an Atlas T-Case. I found that there was really not that much of a change when I went from 33 MTR's to 37 MTR's.

Plus you have an auto so the TC helps you alot in 1st gear.

 

[Dustin]

well im stuck with either the 8.8 or a 10.25 due to the speed sensor deal. I could do the 10.25 but that means a ton more money to convert the front to 8 lug and get new wheels.

I think 37s with 4.10s is going to be a dog, I need at least a 4.56. even know I wanting a lower gear than the 4.10.

an atlas twin stick would rock! what are they 2k?:cry

I know some of you would say get a 60, well I not paying 1200 bucks for a beat axle, its just not worth it to me. plus I cant find shit for axles around here, I cant even find a 44 to get spare axles from.

I just keep running these numbers for all this crap and damn it makes my head hurt.

 

[WES]

run warns and ctms in the frontan arb and 4.56, with 37 inch krawlers, then beef up the rear with moser shafts and run a detroit out back with 4.56 gears, i think that since you have yet to break anything on 35s, with 37s you will be fine. now if you were to get an atlas II you would be multiplying the torque much more and you would almost have to go 60 and 10.25. but with the somewhat high low range in your transfer case i think you will be ok

wes

 

[Davids78Bronco]

but krawlers seem to soft to run on the road....

 

[mda]

If your dogging with 35's and 4.10's your motor must be half dead. My 302 just about leaps off the ground in low range with 37's and 4.10's.

Sounds like your at a turning point with your Bronco. Is it going to be a DD/Wheeler or a Wheeler only? I just bought a 79 to wheel and keep my 92 for dual duties. Just too much into it to thrash.

 

[Dustin]

krawlers are too expensive...I would get mtrs

yeah I woundnt mind a trail only vehicle but I just love to drive this thing on the road and I think its always going to be that way. I love the fact I can drive my truck to the trail, wheel it, and drive home. I usally swap between driving the bronco and F250 so it does get driven less than it used to.

when I say dog I didnt mean gutless. It will get up and go but but not like when I had the 33s and 4.10s. It will also cruz down the highy way at 90 just fine. I am just afraid it would suck on the road with 4.10 and 37s

 

[Broncobob]

Steel scott's 8 lug outers when he gets his 60 in.:twak

:toothless

 

[plug ugly]

here is my worthless 2 bits.
Take the plunge and do the 8lug swap and sterling. if you are starting to hammer on the truck more, and then add 37's, you are going to start hurting that 8.8. The shafts seem to be plenty strong, and in fact I think their diameter is like 1.3 or so, so they are fairly strong, but the tubes are seeming to be the weak point. I know dave blew his up at the tubes and spring perch, and mine are in the process of failing there. thus the sterling, aand then thus the 60. ( i couldnt see a reason to have a one ton rear and not a front. evil bronco always wanting more money)

the 44 with warn$ and ctm$ will be strong for the most part. i dont think you will have any probs, or few, with the shafts/uj's. the knuckles will start to be the weakest point. You will want to start carrying a spare set, and prolly spindles too. When I was going to stay with a 44, I was looking to have a complete spindle out, (with balljoints, bearings etc) ready to go in the spare parts box while wheeling. I also have/had a complete set of spare shafts assembled with uj's ready. With all my buddies here running 44's, we got really good at swapping joints and stubs on the trail, so I figured I would save the time and just swap everything, thinking it is faster to tear down and put back together, then add fixing time in there too.
Ball joints, knuckles and hubs are going to be your weakest point, so just expect to fix it and you will be fine. this was not something I wanted to deal with frequently, so I bit the bullet and went 60/10.25.
As for the 9", I am sure I dont need to tell you this Dustin, but forget about it. it would be a waste of time to do that and not the 10.25. Also, forget the mosers for the 8.8 and what ever build ups you can do, just go 10.25 if you are going to do that. you are where I was a few months ago. I knew I wanted 37's ( at least,may go as big as 40's with my 5.13's), and I just started talking with people and looking at everything/all the variables. wih that tire size chioce, you are pushing your limits, and at the low end of 1 ton stuff. you can get a 10.25 pretty cheap ( i got mine on half off day at PnP for 75 bucks) the locker was like 550 on a deal, and then gears, which you are going to have to buy anyways. You could always just get the gears and weld it:shrug if you can deal with the road habits.

As for gearing, I would say at least 4.56, better to go 4.88. i am going 5.,13 cause i am tired of taxing my tc all the time. I am sure you know with the e40d, 4.10s and wheeling would kill your tranny with 37's. Way too much heat.

sorry for being long winded. Like I said, I had the same "come to jesus" debate a while back. good luck, will be interested to see what route you go.

 

[TTBlows]

37's do seem to put quite a load on D44 wheel joints, so go CTM's or carry lots of spares. I wouldn't say BoulderBronco is a throttle junky by any means but the locked front stresses the joints regardless.

As for pinion strength and size, that's the least of your worries I'd say. And yeah, I'd think it will be a dog with 4.10s and 37's. I'd go at least 4.88.

I think the Atlas is a joke. It's expensive as hell and it's all aftermarket components. A doubler is a far better alternative, and cheaper I would think. Plus you can get parts for it since its' just a 203 and 205. Ignore poeple who say the doubler will make your rear d/s too short, it only adds a couple inches over a 1356 and that could easily be remedied by moving the rear axle back two inches (an ideal Moab-type mod anyway).

 

[TTBlows]

Oh, and Plug Ugly speaketh the truth, but I didnt' think you wanted to hear any of that Dustin, so I didn't say it :goodfinge

I'm having the same "come to Jesus" issue right now 'cause I want some 40" MT/R's, but I think my truck will be unacceptably gutless on the highway with them. The plan is a 460 controlled by GM TBI injection, a bigblock C6 (damn good trannies no matter how you cut it), and a doubler. I just can't see putting any money into my 351; blowers are way too expensive and the EEC-IV just ain't worth the effort IMO. But GM TBI is simple, reliable, and parts are readily available.

This will all be with 4.10s or 4.56s, eliminating the need for OD while the bigblock will have plenty of low end power (there'll be a few tricks like a different cam that speed density would never happily accept). The doubler gives me all I need for trail use and I'll actually gain a couple inches in my rear d/s over my current setup. FWIW

 

[plug ugly]

moving the axle back would be the only way, and with a sterling, it would still be pushing it i think. Are you running an e40d keith, I cant remember. What is the length difference between a doubler set up and a 1356, like 12 inches or something? I dont know how you could get that to work, but would be really interested in that since my tc is taking a shit soon

 

[Dustin]

good info, keep it coming

when I posted this I knew I wasnet really going to like what I was going to see. I agree with everything said here and I guess I kinda already knew the answer to my question, just wanted a second opinion. I was just thinking of this today when I saw the junk of tire ripped off and belts sticking out of my 35. now I have to buy another tire figured why buy another 35 when I could have 37s.

right now my setup works well for what it is and I would just like to get bigger tires on it for the added ground cleaance, but dont want to loose the reliablity I have. I dont like to sit there fixing my shit in the middle of nowhere all the time. speaking of ground clearance, I saw scotts 10.25 try and take a few rocks home with him yesterday, talk about a moster tho didnt even fase it.

guess its time to "come to jesus"

 

[Damager]

amen brutha

 

[godless]

Something that everyone left out, is that:
37' MTR's are not a true 37" tire when they are mounted.
Mounted on a 15x10 rim they are 35.4 inches give or take a millimeter.

Mounted on your 15x8 rims they will probably be more like 36.5 "s

Also as someone mentioned earlier the MTR's are a really light tire compared to most 37's so take that into concideration as well.

Oh and I have to throw my 2 cents into the gear part also.

I say go 4.88's because your e4od will love you for it. I am sure you will never concider going smaller tires, and if you ever decide to go 38's you will still be fine.

The issue with the 8.8.....
Like Damon said the inner shaft is fine since your not a thrttle junky, but why cant the tube be reinforced?
Dustin welds, so why not weld on reinforcement throughout the tube and diff.
I have seen and heard it done for a Sh1t load of the jeep guys here in SLC that run the 8.8 swap and there running 40" tires with no problems.
I am not a welder (yet) but I think it can be done fairly easy.


Like I said before I am no where near experieced as Damon, or Keith but I just wanted to give my feedback as well.

 

[mda]

These conversations are always really interesting.

Keith's idea is right since he's planning a 460, C6 and a doubler. Go 1 ton due to the power and weight. Not sure what the affinity to an Atlas is but hey, to each his own. In this description the doubler makes since. I don't see the driveline issues because tons of people have done it.

Plug in one sentence says he can't see doing a 1 ton rear and not a front. In another says to do a 10.25 and a 44 with warns and CTM's. Sure the 9 will cost more to build than a 10.25 (maybe) and if the sensor is something that must be retained then that would be the way to go. But on the other hand seems like NAMELESS has gone a long way with a 9 and D44.

What it really boils down to is how much you gonna spend and how far do you want to take THIS truck.

Come to Jesus, Yup. Thats why I just picked up a 79 with a 400, c6 and 203. I find a 205 and I can do the doubler for less than a grand. I'll upgrade the 9 since a friend is giving me a 33 spline spool and a set of 33 spline shafts left over from his drag racing days. I'm pretty sure it will hold together long enough for me at least. The 44 I'm planning to checkout the LongField D44 joints. Significantly less than CTM's but stronger than stock although the jury is still out. Superior shafts or Warns are in my plans also. I'm going to hold at my 37's so I believe that setup will work. I'll keep my 92 because I too love to drive that on the roads and it works great in the snow around here.

Keith you mentioned something very interesting that I had not heard before. GM TBI on the 460. Did a little searching today and found a company in Michigan. Here is the website:

http://www.affordable-fuel-injection.com/index.htm

Is this the deal you are referring to or are you piecing it together. If there is another company post up a link if you would.

 

[78Bronco4x4]

37' MTR's are not a true 37" tire when they are mounted.

I know exactly what your talkin about. I bought 31x10.5 Michelin Liberators for my 78bronco. All the weight of the truck squatted them down to 28" with 15" rims.

 

[Damager]

evrybody talks about Warn shafts and CTM's ... then there is the time spent to rebuild and install

wouldn't a D60 right outta the gate be comparable in price after all is said and done :shrug

then it will be a bombproof front that you really wouldn't have to worry about anymore ..................... you saw what Jopes has done to his setup already