Ford 8.8 VS Ford 9', which axle is better?

In this video we discuss which axle should you build for your project. I have built and wheeled both for many years and I prefer the 9", based on aftermarket support, ease of setup and strength. A couple things I didn't mention is the 8.8 stock width is 59.625 with the super 88 kit adding about 1" per side giving you a total width of 61.625. The 9" from the bronco for Ford F150 width is 65" so it will give you a wider stance by almost 3 1/2" inches. Also another cost to the 9", if you want to upgrade the pinion support to the Daytona large bearing, it will cost you between $100-$200 depending on what support you purchase. Hope this video helps and happy new year!

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[FlawedOffroad]

i did an 8.8 the first build and it was awesome, never an issue. now I have a dana 60 beefed up from 30 to 35 spline. I miss the ground clearance on the 8.8 haha. i drag this 60 on everything

[zowhat]

Some 9 inches were factory disc brakes. Mid late 70s full size ford car, and the Lincoln Versailles was disc. The Versailles was a pretty narrow rear end, pretty close to a ranger or explorer and was 5 x 4.5. 9 inches also take more power to turn vs the 8.8

[batmanlives]

The secret to the nine inch is the extra bearing on the pinion greatly enhancing the pinion strength by supporting it on both ends
It’s a no brainer

[TheMuffinMan]

That was a great video, I searched that topic on YouTube and could not find a good video, I'm glad you covered it

[JEEP-N-DIRT]

Really great info. I'm an 8.8 guy and stuck on it (95 YJ, 4.10, 3 speed auto, 35 inch tires, spring over lift). But as many folks state below, depending on your area you may not find a great deal on a 9 inch. But your info really helps those who are trying to compare and figure out the best option. I'd also like to add, that another budget thing to think about would be not going the super 88 route and keeping stock axles and or just getting the chrome molly in standard configuration. This allows you to keep your stock shafts as spares in case anything goes wrong. I'm not sure why so many people are hung up on C-clip this, that, and the other. Yes there's an advantage of being able to unbolt that axle and perform a swap, however if you break and axle and pull the broken piece out, then you're still stuck having to open up the pumpkin to push the smaller broken piece out. That said, if you're going to be there anyway, why not just keep the standard configuration as I mentioned above and just swap the axle and go. (That comes from jeepers with way more experience than me. lol.) I've bounced my 35's pretty hard and have yet to break the stock 31 spline shafts in mine. Not to say they can't be broken, just saying it's not something for anyone to worry about like the D35-C axles that came stock. Great info.

[motownXJdad]

the thing to do it what i did on my Fox mustang. cut the ends off the 8.8 and welded on 69-70 ford Torino big bearing 9" housing ends, get 35 spline axles, and put on a cost effective wilwood 9" disc brake kit and call it a day, Jeep guys can learn alot from the Fox mustang guys, theyve done it all with the 8.8 rear 2 decades ago. dont be afraid to go poking around on the ford racing forums and FB groups, i ran 1, 300 HP through that rear and never once had a failure ever and that was street driving\racing it in addition to racing at the track

[thumpstar]

I love your break downs, like the tire sizes for gears that you did awhile back . I would really like your take on wms for different axles you can run together front and rear . Srw-drw . An so on

[danhambrick]

Just getting ready to build a 8.8 for my XJ..😁👍👍

[Willytwoscoops]

Stoked to see real world numbers and feedback.

[trackbd]

Currently building a 9” with Detroit full spool and weld on disc kit, it has been a nightmare trying to find aftermarket 31 spline shafts for some reason but I finally found a way to make mine work and this helped a bit on decided to keep mine before swapping it for an 8.8 i got coming out of a buddies jeep on account of him doing a ton swap 🤘🏻

[MrJoelb]

I definitely like both these Axles and been running an 8.8 for many years. Most my buddies went with the 9in. Although they are similar in strength and decent budget wise to build I find a few annoying problems with the 9in. 1- servicing is a pain if you don't weld on a drain plug
2- while servicing a conventional style diff I really like to inspect everything such as pinion teeth and ring gear teeth, check for loose components and make sure backlash isn't getting loose.
3- the stock housing on a 9in will get dents from rocks all over it, also if you hit the extremely low pinion it will start leaking at the bottom of the 3rd member.
Like I said I don't hate the 9in buy its just a few things I've found that get annoying after being around them for the last few years.

[Wayne_Nero]

One of the best explanations on YT - thanks

[haywoodjablowme]

Thanks for this video! You just absolutely made my mind up to go 9 inch. Always look forward to your review videos!! But can't wait to see more of that automatic trans out on the trail! Hope you had a great holiday!!

[piasprojects]

Great comparison video. I’m very happy with my 8.8 but now that I know the cost very similar I can see a 9” on a future build. Always appreciate the solid knowledge provided in your videos! Happy New Year!

[differentbydesign]

my favorite things about a ford 8.8 are same lug pattern as stock front axle, I can pick them up for $80, almost same width as front axle and disk brakes

[WDTrek]

Great video bud. Crazy to see those axle shafts side by side. I went for the ford 8.8 for my mustang build for the disc brakes. I don't think that thing will need anything more than the 31 spline. However when I start looking into doing the axle swap for the Jeep, I'm definitely going to want to step up to 35 spline axles! Thats some great info there!
Thanks for the video!

[TheBamster]

I picked up a 9” out of full-size Bronco for $50. Pretty much all I am keeping is the housing, everything else is getting upgraded. True Hi9 third member.

[guitar]

I had an 8.8 to start with and it’s a great axle, but I definitely like the 9” I have now better. Another great option for the 9” is to shave the bottom for more ground clearance. I have more clearance under the 9” than my front Dana 44.

[VictorVectorJKU]

Great run down and comparison of the 8.8 to 9” Kelly!

[garywilliams]

Overall good video. I have an 8.8 with an Artek truss under my TJ currently. Working on 9” / D44 front from a 79 Bronco. Having the front axle retubed in the next couple of weeks.