My "Big Baby" Axle Swap thread

[2Greys]

I took it all out and drilled and tapped the hole for the air line. Got everything torqued down and did another pattern and it was all good again.
Need some RTV and oil and pretty much good to go under the jeep in March because we are going to have an early spring dammit!

The Ring and Pinion and locker for the 8.8 should be coming in between this week and early Jan depending on holiday shipping delays. Can't wait...

 

[bradleyfitz]

Looking good Chris!

 

[mucovich]

Nice work

 

[dwcjwerfner]

Good job!

 

[2Greys]

Thanks all!

 

[2Greys]

Well time to start on the 8.8.
First some before pics:

Cleaned the snow off and got the following done:
- Removed the sway bar
- Removed the shock (no idea what that was for to be honest) and bracket
- Opened it up and removed carrier (everything looked fine) and drained most of the fluid except some that is in the axle tubes

One thing I didn't notice when I got the 8.8 is the holes that I used on the HP Dana 30 for the diff spreader are welded over on the 8.8. Since the 8.8 is a more sturdy casing I may be able to get away with not using the diff spreader with the new arb and just use a deadblow to get everything in.

Definitely can see why people say the cover is thin. Even the stock Dana 30 cover isn't that pathetic

Next steps are:
- Remove old axle seals and bearings
- clean out inside.
- get rid of all old brake hardware as it is all shot.

New locker, gears and install kit should be coming in the next week or two. No rush though.

Needless to say Anne wasn't impressed with the smell. The Dana 30 was bad enough this had almost 3 times the amount of diff fluid in it so it really smelled. Really need to look at getting a new internal garage door, it isn't that air tight. Should be fine by tomorrow but it definitely didn't help make dinner appetizing with that smell in the back ground.


Lessons learned:
First thing I have learned is I should have removed the fill bolt up top. I haven't done it yet but from looking up info on the axle seals, I came across a website that mentioned that before cracking the seal on the diff that should have been done first. Not a huge deal necessarily as I am going with an aftermarket diff cover and get it adapted to have a fill plug put in if needed.

 

[KBjeep]

Check under that sensor on the pinion side there a fill plug. The bolt on top is just for a brake line.

 

[2Greys]

It came off easy, but from what I have read sometimes it doesn't. If the bolt had snapped, when I ordered my new diff cover I would just have them put in a fill plug.

On a side note to take advantage of the holiday sales I just pulled the trigger on:
Ballistic Fab Ford 8.8 Differential Cover
From ECGS:
Extended Rear Brake Line
Ford 8.8" 1310 Adapter Flange
Ford 8.8 Artec Swap Kit with Truss
Ford 8.8 Parking Brake Hardware Kit
ARB CKMA12 High Output Air Compressor Kit
Ford 8.8 Full Disc Brake kitFord 8.8 Left and Right Brake Caliper
Ford 8.8 ABS Sensor Freeze Plug

This afternoon I am going to see about getting the old emergency brake lines off. They are gunked up the wazoo so you can't easily tell where the line ends and the bracket it is attached to begins. Possibly start looking at taking off the old bracketry as well.

 

[Badweld]

With my 8.8 in my Cherokee, we welded a thick plate on the bottom to make a ramp where that big square peice hangs down. I was afraid of getting caught on rocks. The trick is to preheat, then make it cool slowly. I beat it pretty hard and it never broke off. The 8.8 is a very good axle.

 

[2Greys]

I could see that, I have also seen some people shave the bottom but with mixed results. The best one was a guy who had access to a waterjet and resourceful enough to make his own diff cover. Most I have heard end up leaking.

Cut off the brackets so grinding starts although since I am doing this at night, I don't feel like pissing off my neighbors after 9pm. I will probably take an afternoon (maybe New Years Day although really I should be tiling my ensuite shower) to deal with them. One thing I noticed is that there is a little rubber boot that is on the parking brake lever and one of them is torn. The cheapest I found a replacement online is $60. Yeah it's torn but not that torn...

 

[2Greys]

Firstly, Happy New Years.

That out of the way, I ordered a pair of new LCA Brackets for the HPD30 from Artec since I was already getting the truss ordered for the 8.8. Today I am preheating the garage as I right this and am planning on going out and grinding down the bracket remnants.

One of the weaknesses with the 8.8 is that they are loosely welded in and people will further weld in the tubes into the pumpkin to reduce the chance of the tubes twisting. Most of this appears to be due to experiences from before Artec brought out their truss and has since just been carried on. Do need really need to (keep in mind I am running 33's right now and at worst will go to 35s) ? Also I only have a 220v MIG, can I do it? From what i have read people recommend stick welding it. Anyone available to come over to do it (never done stick before)? The pumpkin is cast steel (not iron) does that change anything? Alternatively, do you know any place around Hunt Club - Merivale area who can do it?
Alternatively I could always get this:
http://www.artecindustries.com/88-Truss-BRIDGE_p_333.html
Thoughts, Opinions?


Well the house no longer smells of burnt diff fluid. It now smells like burnt metal.

Finished grinding the bracketry off.

Cut off the fins around the abs sensor as these have been known to interfere with the swaybar.

Next time will be cleaning up the tubes and then starting the regearing (once I get the locker and gears which should be any day.

 

[Kunker]

How does the truss attach to the center section? If it doesn't attach to the diff, it still wouldn't stop the tubes/chunk from spinning, so a few short welds around the tubes would help. If it already does tie into the center section, I wouldn't worry too much about welding the tubes, although it does offer peace of mind.

 

[2Greys]

the truss doesn't attach at all. But from the impression I am getting having the truss makes it less likely for the tubes to spin as both connections would have to fail but adding the bridge pretty much nullifies any chance since the bridge is attached to both the truss and the pumpkin. only way is if either the truss and the bridge and bith tube clampings fail

 

[mucovich]

Lookin good Chris!

 

[O.D.]

If you haven't already, get yourself a good quality face mask.. That shit off grinding will really fakk up your lungs.. Same goes with Weld smoke. My first build, i ignored it. Now i always have something on. In fact i just stopped this AM at Ottawa fasteners and got one of those respitory masks with the side vents as i find even with those paper cup masks, stuff still gets in. Also, flap discs are amazing for cleaning up cut offs and removing rust in general: http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Flap-Discs/ProPoint-4-1-2-in-Flap-Disc/8423295.p Looking good Chris. There's no better way to learn this stuff than to just dive in and give 'er.!

 

[Kunker]

the truss doesn't attach at all. But from the impression I am getting having the truss makes it less likely for the tubes to spin as both connections would have to fail but adding the bridge pretty much nullifies any chance since the bridge is attached to both the truss and the pumpkin. only way is if either the truss and the bridge and bith tube clampings fail

Ah, I missed the bridge on the Artec website. Yeah, if it attaches to the diff and truss/tubes, you're safe. I'd consider tacking the diff, but I'm pretty paranoid.

 

[2Greys]

I realized the dust wasn't good the first time I saw the black boogers :/
to get the brackets off I started with just normal cutoff discs (which are onsale this weekend at Crappy Tire for 75% off BTW) and the followed up with the flap disk at 60 grit. I still need to grind down the fin remnants but today is way too cold to be out there.
For the rust though I usually start with the knotted wire cups to get the bulk and then followup with the flap disk. it is amazing how.much more rust was on the 8.8 compared to the HP30 and it is 8 years younger.

Called up Artec and snuck the bridge into the same order as my new brackets. It only added 18 bucks to my order.

 

[2Greys]

Got off the phone with Ballistic Fab. I had put in orders with ECGS, Ratech and Artec (for the Pinion crush sleeve eliminator) and had fast response but have only heard crickets from Ballistic other than the order confirmation.
Started looking and I guess a couple years ago they were pretty bad and eventually got banned from Pirate. I think they finally had got their act together as things have quieted down. I gave them a call and sounds like they are super busy with the holidays. The guy said that he estimated about 3-4 days turnaround for it to be built. Needless to say I am giving them until next Friday and if I get the same time estimate, I will be canceling and going with my alternate.

 

[2Greys]

well I guess I was being paranoid. I just got the shipping number for my Diff cover. it was picked up today. I guess I was annoying enough to get it shipped asap.☺

 

[Kunker]

Yeah, Ballistic grew a little too quickly and failed to deliver to a number of folks. I've also heard that they have turned the ship around a lot in the last year or two, so I'm glad it worked out for you.

Looking forward to seeing more progress and motivation to get me out in the garage (well, when it warms up).