is this a bad idea?

[Snowrydr01]

Sometime next year Im putting one tons under my jeep witch leaves me with an extra dana 35 taking up space.

After the jeep is finally done i also plan on some sort of of road trailer or offroad pop up.

So hear is my question, does anyone see a problem in using the D35 as a trailer axle?

Yes i know id have to cut all the brackets off. Since it is a C clip design i was thinking of just pulling the pinion out and sealing that hole then tacking the C's onto the shafts to make sure they always stay in the tubes. If i ever needed to replace a bearing i could just grind down the tack and slide another shaft in?

 

[Root Moose]

People have done it.

Obvious downside is weight and clearance.

I'm not sure I'd trust a Dana 35 for anything, even if there is no power being transmit through it. LOL

Check your locale's regulations. Some jurisdictions do not allow using converted vehicle axles for trailers.

 

[Snowrydr01]

local regs

Good point

 

[7slotgrills]

I used CJ front spindles and welded a tube to them added spring mounts and
you are ready to go.Don't bother with the dana 35.

 

[sseaman]

I would just buy a new axle, they aren't that expensive. Also as has been said some states do not allow this, in TN anything goes as we don't have to register a small trailer

 

[Hilldweller]

I would just buy a new axle, they aren't that expensive.

Ditto. You can get a 3500 lb axle with any hub and feel safe with it; avoid the hassle.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Pulling the pinion is not a good idea. It helps to "sling" oil into the axle tubes and therefore into the outer bearing areas.

 

[roadkill]

if he was insistent on pulling the pinion and keeping this axle he could just overfill the diff and be ok.

I had a custom axle made (custom width) for my M416 and it and the U bolt kit was less than $110 with tax included. for the trouble your gonna go thru to make this work I would just get a trailer axle and be done with it. plus you could have trailer brakes if you wanted or needed them. I plan on adding them to my axle sometime in the future.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Roadkill, you are correct about overfilling the axle. Still, probably not worth the effort to keep the 35.

 

[highlandercj-7]

There's nothing wrong with using it complete. I have been using a complete CJ AMC 20 rear under my CJ trailer. The benifit is all the parts even the entire diff can be installed from the trailer to the CJ should I be off and have a major break down. I have been pulling my trailer like this since 2000. In your situation,nothing will transfer back, so the D35 will be better off sold and then you can use that $$ to buy a trailer axle. I have seen the TJ rear 35's bring good $$ depending on how desperate a guy is. If you want to use a D35 use one out of a YJ they are a dime a dozen, the TJ one is still worth good $. You can also buy a trailer axle to match the wheel bolt pattern of your new diffs.