busted 8.8 rear end swap to 9 or 8.8

[entity-unknown]

My rear end is leaking and I already put in the special seal bearings a year and a half ago when I got this axle from the junk yard. As far as I'm concerned this one is scrap now because it was leaking to begin with and the last one broke so I'm really looking for a new axle. I don't wanna go through the BS of removing another from the junk yard again cuz that sucked especially to find a year and a half later this one is busted now too. SO the finer point of my questions....

If I go with a 9 in rear, do I need new rims? Will I also need a new drive shaft?

If I swap to the 8.8 with 9in tubes from Currie, will I need new rims as well? (I'm certain the last question covers that but can't hurt)

For those that have made the 9in swap, how much was your final bill in parts only?

Does anyone have a large batch of thermite pre-made so I can satisfy my desire to melt my old axles to a smoldering puddle of steel for all the shit they put me through like having to pull the rear from a truck in the middle of July at 113 degrees with an ambient temperature over 120 laying on crushed asphalt, glass, oil, and who knows what else while cranking on seized bolts then having to lift the damn thing onto a cart then into a truck and swap it (had to paint a picture /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> )?

I couldn't find anything answering my questions through the search on here (pretty hard to narrow a search when you can't search for 3 characters or less and the keywords I need are just that 8.8 9in end), ford-truck.com, broncolinks.com (thanks Miesk!) or google in general and maybe this post will have an all inclusive set of answers for someone else.

P.S. Just noticed my status really speaks for my current situation.... cuz It's only money right?...... :|

 

[AdamDude04]

I'd be interested in this too.. I don't have any problems, but looking at upgrade options.

My one buddy told me to throw some 1-tons under it. He did that on his F100..but he's also got a cummins oil burner in there too.....

 

[BLADE262US]

The bolt pattern is still 5 on 5.5 so you wont have to change your rims . The center to center on the spring perches is the same from 1980 to 1996 so finding another axle should be no problem at all the F150 has the same one and there are literally millions of them . The 3/4 ton trucks also have the same perch center to center so you could swap in a dana 60 full floater and never have to mess with it again but that would require different rims and a conversion of the front so you could run the same rims all the way around . If you find a complete chevy 3/4 ton front it is a dana 44 and all the pieces will bolt onto your existing steering knuckles after you cut off your current caliper mounts . I have one done like this very easy swap . /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[entity-unknown]

Thanks for the response! If I hadn't just put in an entire brand new axle setup in the front two years ago, the 3/4 ton setup would be pretty sweet. That's awesome to know bout the fact I won't need new rims for the 9in rear though. I don't feel like gettin new rims anyways cuz then they'll be nice and I'd be skerred of scratchin em, but skerred, shiny rims, and off roading just don't mix. It's startin to sound worthwhile to buy the few extra things I'll need and ditch this hunk or steel. Thermite + busted 8.8 rear end still sounds like a bad ass combo though.... I'm melting aaarrrrgggghhhh!!!

On a side note, it's interesting how McDonald's always smells the same in it's final moments regardless of what you eat from there, not to mention it's impeccable ability to define staining the air for long periods of time....

Sorry not sure why I had to share /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />