Giant 8.8 Trussed Diff Cover

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:11 pm

Has anyone here done this mod? I have some other things I'd like to do before spending money on a new rear end. Do you think that trussing the axle tubes and installing the bolt on truss cover is effective in helping the 8.8 survive under our heavy rigs?

Same truss as pictured in this link, but without the daily driver link kit.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Giant-Mo ... =1&theater

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:59 pm

Hadn't seen that exact layout before. That looks pretty cool.

Rustbucketracer · Post by **Rustbucketracer** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:43 pm

Baja wrote:Has anyone here done this mod? I have some other things I'd like to do before spending money on a new rear end. Do you think that trussing the axle tubes and installing the bolt on truss cover is effective in helping the 8.8 survive under our heavy rigs?

Same truss as pictured in this link, but without the daily driver link kit.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Giant-Mo ... =1&theater

Glad you asked this. I was about to purchase the same kit. It's made to order, I called Giant and it takes 4-6 weeks.

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:35 pm

Yes, but you still have to weld the truss to the axle tubes. If you have the equipment and skills, it's pretty trick I think.

Trever Leach · Post by **Trever Leach** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:18 pm

It is 100% with it to save your 8.8. I smiled my f150 different really bad in my f150. However if you plan to go 9 inch soon then save your money. Geoff has been beating his 8.8 in his bronco for over 3 years now with no problems and plans to continue. Yes there is welding involved but what isn't in building a "go fast bronco"? Lol

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:48 pm

Trever Leach wrote:It is 100% with it to save your 8.8. I smiled my f150 different really bad in my f150. However if you plan to go 9 inch soon then save your money. Geoff has been beating his 8.8 in his bronco for over 3 years now with no problems and plans to continue. Yes there is welding involved but what isn't in building a "go fast bronco"? Lol

I couldn't agree more. I did stop by to speed to Geoff today. Nice guy. I was trying to give home the money to do mine, but he couldn't fit me in before a trip I have coming up in a little over 3 weeks. I respect the fact that he doesn't make false promises and put off existing customers work. All to common enough in that industry. I may still buy the parts and have someone else fab it.

Seabass · Post by **Seabass** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:22 am

How much is that?

Trever Leach · Post by **Trever Leach** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:47 am

Seabass wrote:How much is that?

$399 includes diff cover and weld on axle tube truss

Jbfab · Post by **Jbfab** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 5:23 pm

Now i am debating if i should sell my artec truss and get this one instead.

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 5:31 pm

Jbfab wrote:Now i am debating if i should sell my artec truss and get this one instead.

The Giant unit does look pretty sweet

Jbfab · Post by **Jbfab** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:44 pm

Think its any better then a top truss? i was going to get a ballistic fab cover and bolt it to the truss. I just dont know its good eye candy.

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 8:32 am

Jbfab wrote:Think its any better then a top truss? i was going to get a ballistic fab cover and bolt it to the truss. I just dont know its good eye candy.

LOL it does look sweet, but I dont know how much better or not it is. The only thing I know is that every axle I have seen in the off road world is trusssed in the back, but then again, that is most likely for ground clearance issues.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:18 am

Is there enough room under the bed for a top truss, so as not to impede up travel?

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:40 am

I hate to always hate on 8.8 topics but I feel the need to put it out there every time. Why not save the $$ for the 9"? 81-86 Bronco housing is bolt in, .25 tubes, big bearing and can be had for a few hundred bucks.

Baja · Post by **Baja** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:05 am

cs_drums wrote:I hate to always hate on 8.8 topics but I feel the need to put it out there every time. Why not save the $$ for the 9"? 81-86 Bronco housing is bolt in, .25 tubes, big bearing and can be had for a few hundred bucks.

Then buy another 4.88 R&P, and selectable locker (both of which mine have), VSS relocate, drive shaft, set perches/shock mounts for correct pinion angle/shock placement, . Plus, if I do change rearends, I'm not going to want to stay stock width with my 4.5 over front end. I think it's safe to say that I am out of the "few hundred dollar" realm

Valid point for sure though. If you can, do what you said to start off with. If it wasnt for me getting a really good deal on the parts that I do have in mine, I would have jsut built a kick ass 9".

I figure at this point, it is worth the $400 to make this one live a longer life, do some other things that I want, then eventually build something really nice.

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:11 pm

Sean (Convoy's old bronco) had Geoff put this set up on the bronco. He's happy with it so far. Lots of Mex miles and no problems. That thing gets beat on, too.

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:48 pm

Baja wrote:
cs_drums wrote:I hate to always hate on 8.8 topics but I feel the need to put it out there every time. Why not save the $$ for the 9"? 81-86 Bronco housing is bolt in, .25 tubes, big bearing and can be had for a few hundred bucks.

Then buy another 4.88 R&P, and selectable locker (both of which mine have), VSS relocate, drive shaft, set perches/shock mounts for correct pinion angle/shock placement, . Plus, if I do change rearends, I'm not going to want to stay stock width with my 4.5 over front end. I think it's safe to say that I am out of the "few hundred dollar" realm

Valid point for sure though. If you can, do what you said to start off with. If it wasnt for me getting a really good deal on the parts that I do have in mine, I would have jsut built a kick ass 9".

I figure at this point, it is worth the $400 to make this one live a longer life, do some other things that I want, then eventually build something really nice.

Considering the money already invested in yours Id agree the truss is a more cost effective route?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:33 pm

cs_drums wrote:I hate to always hate on 8.8 topics but I feel the need to put it out there every time. Why not save the $$ for the 9"? 81-86 Bronco housing is bolt in, .25 tubes, big bearing and can be had for a few hundred bucks.

Building a 9" isn't as cheap as one thinks. I got buddy deals on most of the parts for the 9" that I had built, and it still ended up costing me almost 3 grand.

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:23 pm

You have to compare apples to apples.

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:23 pm

yup. From what I've looked at $3k is on the very cheap end of a BUILT 9".

But...
stock for stock you'd be throwing very similar $ at a 9" to an 8.8 when it comes to gears, truss, shock mounts, disks, etc. Difference in cost is VSS kit or mod & driveshaft mod. That's not a ton of cost difference there for a bit more piece of mind.

That's if starting from scratch though and we've already see the OP already sank some cash in the 8.8.

Giant 8.8 Trussed Diff Cover

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