[MikeW]

I need help in deciding which lug route to take, 5 or 8 lug.
I have a 8 lug HD-44.
Dogonmut is sending me pics with the 10.25 in full view.
I plan to run 35s for daily driving and 37s on the trail as soon as I can afford them.
If I decide to run 8 lugs, I might go with 8 lug 8.8 shafts until it blows and upgrade to the 10.25 or D60 if I can get it to work.
Who makes 8 lug axleshafts for the 8.8?

I would like to know the following:

A)clearance of the D60 rear with 35's and 37's

B)clearance of the 10.25 with 35's and 37's

I was thinking the D60 was more desirable since has more ground clearance than the 10.25.
I will have access to a machine lab when I go back to school.
I was thinking I could drill three holes halfway in the ring gear, and three in the tone ring, put cold rolled steel in the holes, that way the tone ring would mount on the ring gear with the ABS sensor on top. What does the RABS consist of? Where is this RABS stuff located on the 8.8 and 10.25?

 

[Andy351]

where you gonna get 8 lug shafts for an 8.8? that would be some big time $$$$$ if you could even find someone to custom make them.

also, from what i remember a rear D60 uses the same size shafts as an 8.8, so the only real advantage if what i remember is correct is that you can find a D60 in FF. but it will still be 8 lug. and if you go to 8 lug, you may as well step up in strength and get a 10.25, D70 or 14 bolt. but with 35s-37s, you may even be ok with the 8.8, and probably even better off with a 9" if ground clearance is such an issue, the only drawback to a 9" is that it is SF.

if you want ground clearance and strength, get a 14 bolt and do this to it:

i bet that has more clearance than an 8.8
it will all really boil down to your driving style and what you want to do? are you gonna be bombing full throttle through mudpits or just slow crawling down trails? another thing to consider is if you need to keep the VSS and RABS, because then you're pretty much stuck to an 8.8 or 10.25.

 

[badblack88]

You can get 8 lug 8.8 shafts from ford. some light duty 250s had em in like 85. I have a friend that has one....

Oh yeah... go with the 60. The 10.25 is overkill and a rock anchor with 35s. broncobandit has a 5sp, 40s and wheels the hell outta his rig, and never broke it as far as I know. Maybe he will chime in. he took the 10.25 out and put the 60 in because of the ground clearance.

I always fight with people over this......

I will measure my clearance later...

 

[Dustin]

You can get 8 lug 8.8 shafts from ford. some light duty 250s had em in like 85. I have a friend that has one....

thats not going to be cheap

 

[reptillikus]

You can get 8 lug 8.8 shafts from ford. some light duty 250s had em in like 85. I have a friend that has one....

Leonard's father's p/u truck has this elusive rear.
I saw it at paragon, and did a double-take....i was sure that i didnt see a 8 lug 8.8, but i did!


If you want to stay 5lug, id go for the 9". If you want to go 8-lug, id go for a shaved 14-bolt. IMO, anthing else w/ 35-37s would be a waste of ground clearance.

 

[badblack88]

yeah I grilled my friend about it when he got the truck.

besides the 14 bolt, try to find a dana 70. just as strong but smaller.
my.02