I guess if I ever break the 8" I'll be looking for something more stout. It is a tiny ring gear for such a heavy truck. A definite weak spot. But, I'll just run the 8 for now. In my jeep days the cj came with an oem 8 7/8" ring gear and a 2 piece axle shaft, with another spline out at the flanges. I put one piece shafts and a Detroit in there. Lots of guys were putting 9" out back and dana 44s up front. I ran 33s and didn't push it hard or beat the thing up and it never broke. That jeep was all over Moab, several years at Easter safari, choke cherry and other technical trails, including one up in Northern California..