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I am likely going to get some 88 waggoneer dana 44s for my comanche. the front is trussed out for an xj/mj missing a carrier and gears manual locking hubs and the rear has 4.27s and a truetrac. Think I am going to put 4.88s in there to turn some 35s. any tips advice. I dont know what I going to do for front locker maybe a lunchbox

Are you asking for help on setting up the gears, or just general info about the axles?

both kinda. and any opinions on what locker/ carrier I should run in the front

If you plan to wheel those 44s hard on 35s, consider getting chromoly axle and stub shafts. I would probably put a limited slip in the front.

Personally, I do not like automatic lockers up front. But a lunch box locker is the cheaper way to get a locker up front compared to a full carrier limited slip like a tru-trac or a selectable locker. But as I have to drive in the snow during the winter, an automatic locker up front makes 4wd pretty much unusable on the street when it snows.

As mentioned above, chromoly axle shafts would be a good investment over 33 year old stockers. Although a tru-trac will be more forgiving on them than say a detroit or the like.

If they already have 4.28 gears, then the carriers may have already been changed to make them ready for 4.88 gears. Or maybe they just have thick gears on the carriers meant for 2.73-3.73 gears.

Otherwise the axles are a pretty well known quantity these days. They will live with 35's under an MJ without too many issues provided driving style isnt too crazy.

Thanks! very helpful. that's the only thing I am worried about is if I want to do street driving in 4wd witch isn't uncommon in the winter here in utah. If I would never use 4wd on the street I would throw a spool in and call it a day. I think I will upgrade eventually to chromoly shafts. I am leaning lunch box right now. how is the reliability on the locking hubs?

Jesse J wrote: ↑Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:14 am Thanks! very helpful. that's the only thing I am worried about is if I want to do street driving in 4wd witch isn't uncommon in the winter here in utah. If I would never use 4wd on the street I would throw a spool in and call it a day. I think I will upgrade eventually to chromoly shafts. I am leaning lunch box right now. how is the reliability on the locking hubs?

The hubs are pretty good. You can go to the warn premiums over the standard warns for a bit more durability. They can still break, but when they do it tends to mean you just saved an axle joint from breaking.

makes sense. I think I am gonna get them and build them up eventually. they are some assembly required (that's why they are 600 bucks and come with 4 rims) I might rebuild the hubs so they give me minimal issues

Does your Comanche have the 4L? If so, 4.27s would be fine with 35s'. If your not going to use 4WD on the road a Lunch Box Locker is a affordable option. However, Ive run Lockrite and Aussie lockers in 3 different rigs and I broke pins in all of them. Now, theres a Company making them without pins. That's the one I would get in the future or invest in a durable selectable front carrier.

Yeah it does have a 4.0. It would just be cheaper to replace only one set of gears right now rather than 2. Yeah I am still debating exactly what I am going with on the front might put another true trac in the front. intresting on the breaking the pins. and I think it is torq who makes pinless ones
I

Getting hardened pins do help a lot to prevent breaking them. But it is a reason detroits have 4 pins.

I was running hard and abusive with 35-38" tires to break the pins.

hardened pins would be smart. and yes I know 4.27s would probably turn 35s ok but I want my truck to have some get up and go and I am ok sacrificing some top speed.

I still need to figure out steering for the front axle. they guy said he ran just stock wagoneer steering on them but since I need something new from pitman arm to tie rod should I upgrade to something different?

Basically should I buy stock steering or should I upgrade to something like 1 ton steering?

The steering steering setup is pretty strong. But it may be worth doing high steering or crossover steering. Several kits to do this. It does require flat top knuckles. If your axle has them, then you can have them machined at a machine shop. If you dont have flat top knuckles, then you need a passenger one for cross over steering, or both for high steering.

BUT, as you have coils, this limits you kind of. As you need the drag link to match the panhard bar angle, or you will get some nasty bump steer if they are different. So the type of steering depends on your panhard bar angle.

Oh makes sense. still don't know what I am doing for a trac bar.