Go BIG (38" tires) or go home cost?

[JT1]

Seriously? Looks like you have a Wrangler, which as you are well aware is an SFA. Lifting a Solid Axle truck is cheap and easy, but fitting 37s properly with any thoughts of rock crawling is absolutely something you wouldn't do on a Dana 44.

Maybe a trailer park level lift and crawling is taken on with those small axles, but maybe you haven't broken one?

I have a buddy who runs Dana 60 on his 37s. Any serious crawler runs a 60 on 40s.

Lifting an IFS is a much different proposition than the SFA Wrangler, so like I said, it would cause for a totally new suspension to lift an IFS 3-4 inches due to the strain on the control arms to start. Everything would need to be beefed up; everything.

I don't question whether or not you're a wheeler. You're in Georgia and have a Wrangler, but I am questioning if you've had experience with an IFS; but to your defense, most haven't because no one crawls with an IFS really that they've lifted and tried to fit 37s or larger. Most serious crawling thus far is done on a Wrangler. Install Skyjacker and FOX and call it a day.

Which Dana 44 are you talking about? If its the new one in the JLs, Gladiators and the new Bronco, it handles 37s perfectly fine when wheeling it in the rocks. If you are talking JK or older, sure. These Advanteks are NOT the same as a Dana 44.

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[Gamecock]

Which Dana 44 are you talking about? If its the new one in the JLs, Gladiators and the new Bronco, it handles 37s perfectly fine when wheeling it in the rocks. If you are talking JK or older, sure. These Advanteks are NOT the same as a Dana 44.

That's what I had heard...I don't see Ford putting in a diff that can't handle a one tire size jump from stock. I guess we'll see in the real world; but I think a path to 37s in a solid build is going to be a lot more like $2k than the $20k that he predicted. I will run 35s though until a bunch of people field test the 37s for me!

 

[JT1]

That's what I had heard...I don't see Ford putting in a diff that can't handle a one tire size jump from stock. I guess we'll see in the real world; but I think a path to 37s in a solid build is going to be a lot more like $2k than the $20k that he predicted. I will run 35s though until a bunch of people field test the 37s for me!

Just a set of RCVs for a JL is $1300ish. Not including tires or wheels, you are looking at $5k minimum for something you can wheel hard, unless someone figures out a way to reuse the factory shocks.
With an IFS that's locked, I would overbuild the front as much as you can. 37's are big, heavy and hard on parts.

 

[SmilesPerGallon]

Seriously? Looks like you have a Wrangler, which as you are well aware is an SFA. Lifting a Solid Axle truck is cheap and easy, but fitting 37s properly with any thoughts of rock crawling is absolutely something you wouldn't do on a Dana 44.

37s on 44s has been pretty standard even since the old Dana 44s from the JK wranglers. The new Dana 44s found in the JLs are 12.5% thicker walls and have a higher spline count. I have several buddies running 40s on there Dana 44s and wheel then extremely hard. The all have hydro assist. I am a newbie when it comes to the IFS on the Bronco but the biggest issue you would run into is probably space not even longevity of the drivetrain. To even fit 37s on the rears on the wrangler you have to trim the pinch welds in the rear.

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

37s on 44s has been pretty standard even since the old Dana 44s from the JK wranglers. The new Dana 44s found in the JLs are 12.5% thicker walls and have a higher spline count. I have several buddies running 40s on there Dana 44s and wheel then extremely hard. The all have hydro assist. I am a newbie when it comes to the IFS on the Bronco but the biggest issue you would run into is probably space not even longevity of the drivetrain. To even fit 37s on the rears on the wrangler you have to trim the pinch welds in the rear.

Although I should not have spoken definitively since there are opinions all over the place on this with antidotes, what can work and what best works are a matter of perspective.

I think 44s are too small to get serious on rocks in a Wrangler due to breakage and overall failure, but I also know that will vary as well with opinions on either side of "when to switch to a 50.'

Guess I'm in a part of the world where guys rig up almost anything to go wheelin; everyone sees this, but don't usually stick around to watch them break. With all of the rocks and root systems throughout the Southeast; many can be hidden or under mud much like Pacific NW, it gets tricky.

Never wheeled in Texas, but out West, most of the times I felt I could "see" what obstacle was ahead of me better. This likely makes no sense, but just my experiences.

Like I said, should not have been so exact saying what you "wouldn't" do, and instead said more risky to do, or safer to upgrade.

My Bronco won't see rocks worth anything at least for years, but this is sort of why not for me.

 

[SmilesPerGallon]

Although I should not have spoken definitively since there are opinions all over the place on this with antidotes, what can work and what best works are a matter of perspective.

I think 44s are too small to get serious on rocks in a Wrangler due to breakage and overall failure, but I also know that will vary as well with opinions on either side of "when to switch to a 50.

Guess I'm in a part of the world where guys rig up almost anything to go wheelin; everyone sees this, but don't usually stick around to watch them break. With all of the rocks and root systems throughout the Southeast; many can be hidden or under mud much like Pacific NW, it gets tricky.

Never wheeled in Texas, but out West, most of the times I felt I could "see" what obstacle was ahead of me better. This likely makes no sense, but just my experiences.

Like I said, should not have been so exact saying what you "wouldn't" do, and in stead said more risky to do, or safer to upgrade.

My Bronco won't see rocks worth anything at least at for years, but this is sort of why not for me.

I almost exclusively rock crawl in both of my Jeeps which the reason I could never get a Bronco. I still have the stock Dana 30 on the front of my JK and it hasn't let go yet (110k miles and I've had it since 90k) It was babied before me and never saw anything other than pavement and I beat on it really hard. The frame rails have been rattle canned many times to prevent rust after scaping them. I don't have lockers either and have 35s but it still keep chugging like a champ. Most of the trails I run are 4s or 5s and use ever bit of articulation that my Jeeps have. I'm also in the boat of I'll break it and replace it when it comes to axles rather than then upgrade first crowd.

 

[BossMann]

I would say that 37’s are a good limit to push D44’s reasonably hard, seen it too many times to think otherwise.
Anything bigger I’d be cautious in the rocks, no bouncing/hop, but I’ve never seen anyone actually break D44’s.
D60’s to push 40’s hard through rocks and new gears. Also, have to think about the power plant turning those gears. I'm a crawler so I’ll go 37’s with the badland/Sasquatch package without fear, once the lift is available. I don’t race through rocks.

the tires will fit somehow. Even if I have to take a trusty hammer to welds.

oh, and a 1” spacer on my Tacoma front diff worked great for CV angles when I went to full 33’s.

 

[SmilesPerGallon]

I would say that 37’s are a good limit to push D44’s reasonably hard, seen it too many times to think otherwise.
Anything bigger I’d be cautious in the rocks, no bouncing/hop, but I’ve never seen anyone actually break D44’s.
D60’s to push 40’s hard through rocks and new gears. Also, have to think about the power plant turning those gears. I'm a crawler so I’ll go 37’s with the badland/Sasquatch package without fear, once the lift is available. I don’t race through rocks.

the tires will fit somehow. Even if I have to take a trusty hammer to welds.

oh, and a 1” spacer on my Tacoma front diff worked great for CV angles when I went to full 33’s.

I haven't obviously seen a bronco with 37s in person but you may have to trim the pinch welds similar to the JK wrangler which is a pretty popular mod and has been shown to be fine in the long run. You essentially notch the pinch weld with an angle grinder and hammer the new tabs you made back into the well well and then hit it with primer or paint to stop rusting.

 

[Ryuk]

37s on 44s has been pretty standard even since the old Dana 44s from the JK wranglers. The new Dana 44s found in the JLs are 12.5% thicker walls and have a higher spline count. I have several buddies running 40s on there Dana 44s and wheel then extremely hard. The all have hydro assist. I am a newbie when it comes to the IFS on the Bronco but the biggest issue you would run into is probably space not even longevity of the drivetrain. To even fit 37s on the rears on the wrangler you have to trim the pinch welds in the rear.

I'll take your statement back to the TJ Rubicon which had a hybrid D44 Front axle.
Stock was D44 Diff and D44 spline sized inner axle shafts. Hubs and outer axle shafts were D30 size.
Rear was D44.

I ran 37" tires on my 2003 Rubicon with the stock axle housing for years and upwards of 60,000 miles. I was no where near gentle with it and eventually did a full season of Rock Crawling competitions. I only upgraded the axle shafts. In this time, I snapped 1 rear shaft and 2 fronts. The fronts were both at full lock and the Spicer U-Joint went, and that caused the ears on the shaft to explode. On a Jeep the repair time is minimal and easy enough to do on the trail. I just always carried the stock ones as spares and to save time, had them already mated with the hub.

The Bronco Axle Tubes are thicker than the 2003 Jeep Dana 44. As such, I think most people would be more than fine running 37s with upgraded axle shafts and could call it a day.

FYI all 3 of the above Axle shafts I broke were replaced for free [Just had to pay shipping] by the aftermarket manufacturers. They knew I was running 37s.

 

[ryansbronco]

So I'm ordering the Base + Sasquatch for the all the upgraded goodies that matter. The lockers, gears, stronger axles, the works.

I'll drive the 35 inch tires for the first year until they go bald with the plans to upgrade too a much bigger size. Hopefully.

I'm thinking of going to 38 inch tires. And since the Bronco and Sasquatch package comes pretty built from the factory im thinking a 2 or 3 inch extra lift to fit them would work.

Whats your best guess on how much a lift would cost+ 38" tires installed. Im thinking $3,000 at the most.

So, from what I have read and heard, you need a 2 inch lift for 37s onto of the sas, so 38s id think 3 inch minimum. I was gonna go sas but I decided not to as you can't stack lifts and did not wanna go backwards, knowing I was gonna lift with 37s. Also the 4.7 gears you get are just due to the 35s and still needing to be fuel economic, and still travel at highway speeds. As for me, im gonna through in 5.13s in my diffs, fuel economy be damned. I want more crawl. As far as lifts go, and tires I think 4500 woukd be more accurate. I am gonna go with a carli suspension lift, they are not cheap but there fit, finish, and thought processes they put into there products are top notch IMO. I called them and they have to wait to get there bronco before they can start to develop a system. So I gonna be even more patient. But anyway, hope this helps abit.

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