Fred, 8.8 is one tough axle, c clips are a bain, but can be lived with. The 8.8 or D44 swap would handle 36" tires with no trouble and weight a bunch less than a d60. If the loose nut behind the wheel is a nutty throttle jockey, any 30 or 31 spline axle can be broken. The weak part of an 8.8 is the tubes walking out of the center section, that needs to be burned in well by a quality welder.

The only elusive about the D60 is the FACT that with VERY rare exception (j20)(charger)(c clip van) are there any 35 spline d60s living in the wild. Trust me there is no such animal as a d60 full float with 35 splines anywhere on this planet that was ever built at Dana.

I however, build them everyday. That is what I do. Semi float full float high pinion low pinion hybrids whatever ALL are 35 spline that you will never break. The elusive part is many can't find the cash to have me build one. I'll beat Curries and Dynos price anyday.

I build 35 spline 9" axles too.

The main hassle with swinging a big axle in an XJ is weight.
My wheeler at this time is a 95 xj, with frame supports and hd sliders, bumpers...bla bla, the fact is XJs are tin crap unibodies that are weak as hell. Add a 14bff and it will tear every mount off everything unless massive reinforcing is done...Mine has a 9" with a detroit and alloy shafts. the front is a HP 30 with chromos and arb.

SD

Sorry anyone who claims they have not broken a 35 has never wheeled it hard.