dana 35 ok for overlanding?

[BIGdaddy]

I'm thinking I just want to "run what I brung" until the 35 dies.

There's a few products that take the dana 35 rear and put bigger spline axles and a locker in , but what If you break something out in the boonies? no-one's going to have a spare?

I was thinking I could truss it with a Superior 35 truss, MAYBE run some chromo 27 spline axles, but that would be the extent of what I do....

Will it hold up to trails like coyote canyon and the rest of ocotillo? I'm thinking probably.

The other option would be to put an 8.8 from an exploder. anyone considered this or done this? are parts easy to find? I don't like that I would have a hybrid/custom driveshaft in that scenario (Jeep yoke/ford yoke/shortened)

just thinking out loud.

 

[NOMADIC_LJ]

What size tires are you running??

Coyote canyon can be done in 2wd so if thats the type of trails you are running, the D35 will hold up no problem.

Everyone bashes the D35 but truthfully its a decent axle if you are not crawling the hammers on 40's. Before I got my LJ, I was running a TJ on 32's. I did just about every trail in big bear, Jtree, Anza etc with no problems. Ran those trails for years and never broke a thing.

If you are really worried then get chromoly shafts or a super 35 kit. Don't believe all the hype on the internet. Is it an ideal axle to have? probably not but its also not as bad as most people would have you believe either.

 

[luk4mud]

BigDaddy-
My suggestion is to jump on jeepforum.com and contact a member there named "mrblaine". He has developed a number of upgrades to the D35 for one or more manufacturers and is quite knowledgeable in this area. Best of all, he is just up the road from you in Dana Point. I would be careful locking up that D35 without talking to Blaine first.
Good, luck,
Bruce

 

[ExpoMike]

My buddy (who actually got me into Cherokees) ran the D35 (factory LSD, 4.10) for the last 10 years and just recently changed over to a Chrysler 8.25 due to problems with the D35. Finally the case spread apart enough to cause excess play in the gears and was causing a whine.

He has been running 31" tall tires and all stock internals the whole time he had it (stock prior to him, his is a 92). If you plan to stay a 31" tires or smaller, unless you are REALLY hard on the gas pedal if you have the tires bound up, I doubt you will ever have a problem. As for D35, they are very common in the Jeep world so spares on the trails is more likely to be found then a Ford 8.8 or even the Chrysler 8.25.

If you want to throw money at the D35, there are a lot of ways to beef it up but money spent, the 8.25 or 8.8 would be better. Remember the 8.8 is narrower then any of the stock Cherokee axles, so you will have to run spacers or have custom offset wheels. Something to think about.

Personally, until you are ready to do a lift and figure out what size tire you want, run what you have. If you move up to 31" or larger tires, start looking at rear ends with the correct gear ratio and do the swap then. Otherwise, just get out and enjoy what you have!!!

Later Bud

 

[Lumberjack]

BigDaddy-
My suggestion is to jump on jeepforum.com and contact a member there named "mrblaine". He has developed a number of upgrades to the D35 for one or more manufacturers and is quite knowledgeable in this area. Best of all, he is just up the road from you in Dana Point. I would be careful locking up that D35 without talking to Blaine first.
Good, luck,
Bruce

Great advice, I heard Blaine was working on the weak link on the d35, if one can be made to survive, he would know...

That said, the d35 can be a pain, luckily parts are everywhere and can be had cheap if you look hard enough. I would carry spares of almost everything, especially spider gears, last couple of times out that seemed to be a common failure.

Yes, some people have had good luck with there d35... I thought I was one of those, went on several trips without issue. Beefed it up with full floater, ARB, all was well for a year or two, then first day out on an easy trail in Moab with BB4WA, I broke... no destroyed it. Lucky for me I had my Grand Cherokee out there and was able to salvage the rest of the trip, my Grand on Prichett was a riot...

Also, not sure where a good cut off point would be before cost would exceed value... It can be very easy to dump enough money into one that you could have something else and never have to look back...

Anyhow, I would be replace it as soon as it is feasable, time, budget, ect. I wouldn't let it stop from making a few trips, I would just be more cautious on hard climbs.

My 2 cents...

Dennis

PS. I have some d35 axle shafts laying around, pay shipping and you can have them.

 

[Root Moose]

Get a ChryCo 29 spline 8.25 from the junk yard for ~$100.

Bolt it in.

Done.

 

[StumpXJ]

Exactly what Root Moose said.

Unbolt D35, bolt in 29 spline 8.25 and forget about it. You can get them all day long at the junk yard for cheap.

I beat the crap out of my bone stock 8.25 with 33's.

~James

 

[CA-RJ]

I think you'll be fine. I ran the one in my first TJ, locked with 4.88's and 33's and only broke one shaft and that was my fault. You're not going to have a problem with it tooling around in the desert, especially if it's open.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Exactly what Root Moose said.

Unbolt D35, bolt in 29 spline 8.25 and forget about it. You can get them all day long at the junk yard for cheap.

I beat the crap out of my bone stock 8.25 with 33's.

~James

cool. I didn't know that...thats a great option. Sticking with factory jeep stuff, bolt in, major parts availability in the boonies, aftermarket support.

 

[Root Moose]

The only real caveat to the 8.25 is that it can't be geared as low as say a Dana 44. Used to be you could only go as low as 4.56:1 although spidey-sense is telling me that 4.88:1 gears are available now.

For the record, Dana 44 can go as low as 5.89:1. Not that I'd recommend that on a vehicle over ~2500 lbs and/or pushing more power than can be made by a 4 cylinder engine.

IIRC, '96 and up 8.25s are 29 spline. Check the tag and/or count shaft revolutions to be certain of the gear ratio. Most six cylinder XJs of that vintage will be 3.55:1. IIRC 4.10 was available in the four cylinder manual and six cylinders with the tow package might be 3.73.

Other nice thing about the 8.25 is that you can use Jeep parts to add rear disk brakes (search for how-tos).

FWIW, I have a 8.25 axle sitting in my garage. Pulled it from my XJ when I installed the Dana 44. It's a good sized axle. Has a strong "impression" to it if that makes any sense. I'd run it in a second if I didn't already have the full-float Dana 44 built.

HTH

 

[Eric S.]

Don't waste you money on the axle. It might be fine all depends on the trails, tire size, gears and how heavy your right foot is. If you are only going to run 31" you will be fine with the 35. You could also search around for a XJ dana44 they are a bit hard to come by but it will bolt right in.

 

[XJeeper]

The 29 spline (1997 up) C8.25s are considdered by most to be good up to 35" tires. I run 34" LTBs on mine offroad and hammer it pretty hard at times with no problems thus far. They are c-clip axles but still solid units. There are 4:88s available for them now: http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_33_103&products_id=2684 .
An all around great bolt in upgrade from the 35 especially if you're going to run bigger than 31'' tires, hit the rocks at any serious level or lock it. Putting lockers in a regular 35 is taboo.

Just my 2cents.

 

[troy]

Get a ChryCo 29 spline 8.25 from the junk yard for ~$100.

Bolt it in.

Done.

X2

Anyhow, I would be replace it as soon as it is feasable, time, budget, ect. I wouldn't let it stop from making a few trips, I would just be more cautious on hard climbs.

QUOTE]

I ran a 35 on a Yj and then a TJ for a combined 150K on 33's. My offroading was limited to overland style, and they were not locked. Don't let it stop you from making trips, but cheap bolt in solutions are readily available.

 

[BIGdaddy]

The 29 spline (1997 up) C8.25s are considdered by most to be good up to 35" tires. I run 34" LTBs on mine offroad and hammer it pretty hard at times with no problems thus far. They are c-clip axles but still solid units. There are 4:88s available for them now: http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22_33_103&products_id=2684 .
An all around great bolt in upgrade from the 35 especially if you're going to run bigger than 31'' tires, hit the rocks at any serious level or lock it. Putting lockers in a regular 35 is taboo.

Just my 2cents.

yeah, tires above 33's isn't in the books, but lockers certainly are. I'd like to go to a selectable, like an arb or an OX. I honestly have no desire at all to lift it right now. This is an excellent daily driver, daddy of three, car, and will be our main camping/long trail truck.

I always talk about coyote canyon because its my favorite trail, and also the first 4x4 trip I ever went on with my now passed Uncle. If the truck can do that trail pretty much stock as far as suspension, I don't see any issue. This'll mean engine/tranny/diff. skids, upgraded/skidplated steering, etc, but all that stuff can go on with no modification and little effect on drivability.

I, honestly, am considering the swap more for long term reliability under near-stock conditions, than I am for rock-smashing ability. I'd like a rear-end that I can simply forget about because of its intrinsic reliability, not unlike the np231 or the 4.0L.

 

[XJeeper]

yeah, tires above 33's isn't in the books, but lockers certainly are. I'd like to go to a selectable, like an arb or an OX. I honestly have no desire at all to lift it right now. This is an excellent daily driver, daddy of three, car, and will be our main camping/long trail truck.

I always talk about coyote canyon because its my favorite trail, and also the first 4x4 trip I ever went on with my now passed Uncle. If the truck can do that trail pretty much stock as far as suspension, I don't see any issue. This'll mean engine/tranny/diff. skids, upgraded/skidplated steering, etc, but all that stuff can go on with no modification and little effect on drivability.

I, honestly, am considering the swap more for long term reliability under near-stock conditions, than I am for rock-smashing ability. I'd like a rear-end that I can simply forget about because of its intrinsic reliability, not unlike the np231 or the 4.0L.

I understand completely. While my rig is reasonably capable in the rocks it is a daily driver. I run 31" ATs on the street because the 4banger in it does not like anything much bigger in high range. With the 34s it will pull well enough in high range to get around but as soon as it gets worse than a rough gravel road to the 4:1 low range we go. I'm sure I will break something eventually but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

A 29 spline C8.25 would be an excellent diff for your apparent needs and is an easy, cheap bolt in swap. I don't think it will even require any driveshaft mods but don't quote me on that.

Luv them Cherokees.