rear gear or new axle?
 

I am going to have to regear my axles in order to get my performance back out of my truck with the 38s. But i was also wondering if this would be the time to get a whole new axle...i know the axle has been replaced once by the previous owner...it is a 1996 on my 1997. i believe it is the 8.8 and i have been told that it has 3.55 gears. is this a good axle or should i get a new axle instead of reagearing this one? if so, what axle should i get? thanks

If you're getting a new axle then I would get a 9.75 rearend out of a 5.4 equiped truck. Also look for a late '99 - 03 one so you can upgrade to rear disc. So you can stop them big meats

yea i have drub brakes in the back and they dont seem to be stopping too good. where would i find an axle at? junk yard? also what goes into replacing an axle? any kind of conversion kits i need? or does it just go back into the same connections and everything as the axle i have now?

If you upgrade to a newer axle with Discs then you are going to need to run new hydraulics lines for the rear disc(if possible with the current brake cylinder or get a newer brake cylinder). If you'd pull the rear end out of the donor truck take any available linkage and even brake lines.

It would be easier and probably cheaper to just regear the 8.8" axle. I have one in my '02 V6F150 and have put 125K miles on it with 31"s and no issues. At the same time I only have a 4.2L and a 5spd to abuse it with.

If you have a heavier truck especially equipped with a V8 I'd definitely replace the rear end with a 9.75 even if you stick with drums.

ya. i would upgrade axles too. you might want to get some bullet proof glass while you're at it. lol (you know what im talking about)

haha i know exactly what you mean.

well what is the difference between a drum brake and a disc brake? (besides the obvious way it works) i mean like perfromance wise or what ever...or are disc breaks just easier to use?

but i do have the V8 with 38" tires on it right now. so it is pretty heavy. If i were to stick with drub brakes, would it be easier to do a swap that way? also if i get a new axle (unless i am lucky and find the right one) i will have to regear that one also right?

hmmm...it is a hard decision to make. I know i wont be doing "extreme" off roading very often but when i do, i dont want to break an axle. would the 8.8 with stand just normal offroading...nothing too extreme?

the 8.8 will put up with SOME abuse. i have 36's on mine. But im also on stock 3.55's

Either way you will be regearing one of the axles whichever you choose.

and the drum-disk swap isnt just mount and bolt theres alot of other things you need to do.
^^If you go that route then go with a 10.25 it will be alittle more but well worth it

IMO just regear the 8.8 then save up incase it breaks when it does buy a 9.75 or 10.25 and regear that to whatever gears you choose.. . probably 4.88's

i think that is what i will end up doing...i wont be offroading much and will hardly ever do any extreme things. (i dont want to break anything yet as i dont have much to spend on it.) :lol:

just remeber that is your weak link and be carefull.

willy, where in spring do you live? i went to KO up until last year.

yep but if i break it, it will force me to buy a new one... :lol: but i dont have the money for it now...but hopefully later i will.

i live in a neighborhood at the corner of louetta and stuebner airline...right across the street pretty much from Klein High School.

yep theres your reason for takin it easy

yea i will...but eventually i think i will get a new axle...what about the front axle? is there an "upgrade" for that or would putting a solid axle in the front be the only thing to do?