Ford 8.8 to TJ Axle Swap
by Nick Scribner


Reinstall the calipers and get out the brake hose kit from Currie.  Install the Banjo bolts into the calipers and find a good place to mount the hose bracket on the housing and tack it in place.  I routed mine over the topside of the caliper and mounted the tab to the outside of the shock mount pointing along the tube. Find a good spot to attach the “T” hose
 


 

I welded a nut (7/16” fine thread) to the tube just to the inside of the trackbar/panhard mount. 

Now it is time to bend new hard lines to fit.  Take your time and make sure they fit properly.  The hard lines are 3/16” tube.

I now had to get my ring and pinion gears changed out to 4.88:1 to match the front ratio.  I also installed an Eaton limited slip unit.  I considered another locker, I run an E-Z locker in the D35, but decided I didn’t want to be bothered on the street by it.  I’m out east in Virginia, so I don’t do a lot of rock crawling where I have a tire in the air quite often.  For this reason I think that a good limited slip will work fine for me.

Install the companion flange (yoke adapter) and now you are ready to put the axle under the Jeep.  Pull out the old one and bolt in the new one.  If you have done a suspension lift before, it should be pretty straightforward.  Bleed the brakes and you are almost done.  Pop the hood and remove the combination/proportioning valve from the brake master cylinder.

After both rear calipers were on and the brake lines were attached, we pulled the combination/proportioning valve and removed the small black o-ring from the stem and then buttoned it back up.  Be careful when removing the threaded cap, since there is a spring inside which keeps it under tension.  If you have a friend near by, solicit some help as it is much easier to reassemble this with two people working on it.

You’re all done, enjoy your new axle.  Now its time for bigger tires J