hows this for a donor?

[hiridin]

[QUOTE='97 V8]i got gears taken care. its great to know someone who will take a couple cases of beer to do em for ya [/QUOTE]

i got lucky on gears too. cost me nothing to get them installed. i'm talking about the gears themeselves with master install kits and a couple lockers. over a grand just for parts. and i shopped around for the better deal and got free shipping and it was still that much.

 

['97 V8]

ohh, no lockers for me till i can afford em. if i keep the 8.8 i got an aussie for a great deal from a friend who has one...120, and the 4.10's that i got from you. i have a master install kit for the 8.8 (dad got me it, cuz i got the highest in the class on my poli sci midterm lol) and the 44 i have nothing for yet. And i dont think it will have anything till september. My cost is based on the direct swap, from ripping my ifs out to hjaving her move on her own and be able to turn. I'll worry about my front gears later.

 

[everythintech]

see thats why i am saving up. i will probably go d44, with 4.10s maybe 4.56, and i want a long travel coil setup, i hate the way leafs look up front when compared to coils. i want to leave my self limitless when it comes time to take care of this project. im not looking to build a monster, im sticking with 33s, but i want full flex. this is still a dd for now, so thats why my 33s. when i do this i am no going to skimp just to make my straight axle work, not saying that anyone else did, but i am not on a high school budget. I have just about hit my max on credit within my personal standards. I have so many plans, and they all will get done. But i am leaving my self the next 1.5-2 yrs to complete this beast, and this is just the suspension, not alone the supercharged 331 i have planned. Besides, im 19, and i am about to buy my first house, this $hit can wait till i have a shop to build this in, and not hear my landlord telling me i cant work on vehicles in my carport. For those that will be on this site, im sure many will be, i am going to have the best explorer on here with 33s. that is my goal and that is what i will accomplish.

 

[dreamr]

I only give a quick comment. Go with whatever axle you think you need. A d30 is great for moderate wheeling with nothing over a 35 and no gear deeper than a 4.56 (make sure it is HP with the non-vacuum axles). If you want to play hard (mostly trail rig) go D44. If you want a dedicated crawler go with a beefy 44 or a 60.

As to the cost factor take the $1000 97v8 estimated and double it. If you lack Fabrication equipment or skills add another grand to two for tools and screw ups. This is why mine hangs in the garage. I was going to outsource the work, but even with the special deal I had worked out I was looking at close to 2500 plus axle rebuild, tires, and gears. If I do it myself I can bring it in around 2k as I have all the tools neccessary to do the job. Well, I need a plasma, but I can do without. All in all I ain't got a couple grand to drop right now.

P.s to re-gear a d30 with a ARB (axle already stripped) is 1400 dollars at Randy's ring and pinion. Add an 8.8 to that and it doubles. So if you have never set up gears and want a locker you can add another couple grand bringing us up around 4-5 k ballpark to do it well with new parts. Cut that in half if you plan on reusing old parts from your donor. Me I want it to be all new under there, hence I will put it off for a year or more