Locked D35? Or wait for the 8.8?

[Aaron]

So, how ok is it to lock a D35? I've heard mixed reviews everything from "the shafts break on a D35 easily without lockers so with them is twice as bad" to "I've had mine locked for 10 years with no problem".

I've been sort of thinking I would wait till I put an 8.8 in mine but opinions would be good. Also, who has a fixed rear locker on a Jeep and how rotten is it on the street?

So, you all know I like to number my questions...

1. Am I looking for trouble locking my D35 with something like an Aussie? I'm running with a 3.55 ratio on 33s.
2. If I am planning on going to an 8.8 when the funds allow (probably this or next winter) it it worth it?
3. How hard are they to install for a white collar redneck dad (sorry Charlie).
4. How crazy is it going to drive on the street?

[gm4x4lover]

I put a spool in the back of my cherokee for a total of: $36 for the spool, $15 for diff fluid, and $4 for right stuff. i wasnt sure i was going to like and i will upgrade to a more street able option in a few years when i put 4.88's in it but for now its great.

[Trailrat99XJ]

I ran my XJ with a 35 and a PowerTrax locker for four years. Lots of wheelin here and the badlands of Utah. Loved it and I never had any probs!:2c:

[Funrover]

Seen many a D35 locked and do just fine, seems the 8.8 has more issues from what I hear.. being offset some eats u-joints

[Brody]

So, how ok is it to lock a D35? I've heard mixed reviews everything from "the shafts break on a D35 easily without lockers so with them is twice as bad" to "I've had mine locked for 10 years with no problem".

Yes, it is. You are still dealing with one of the weaker Danas, so it is your call how much $$ you want to toss at it. Many people have run locked D35s with no drama. A big part of any rig is the driver...hammer down with a 35 with the wheels bound up and something will break..

I've been sort of thinking I would wait till I put an 8.8 in mine but opinions would be good. Also, who has a fixed rear locker on a Jeep and how rotten is it on the street?

I don't know what you mean by 'fixed'. You either have a locker, a posi of some sort, a spool, a Lincoln, or a selectable. I will hazard a guess and assume you mean a Detroit. Detroits are fine, but they load and unload with quite a noise. It will be much more noticable in a short wheelbase rig.

So, you all know I like to number my questions...

1. Am I looking for trouble locking my D35 with something like an Aussie? I'm running with a 3.55 ratio on 33s.

Aussies are good...but how much do you want to toss at the 35?

2. If I am planning on going to an 8.8 when the funds allow (probably this or next winter) it it worth it?

Avoid the hassles with the 8.8 and stick in the Dana 44 from a Rodeo and put a locker in that.

3. How hard are they to install for a white collar redneck dad (sorry Charlie).

Depends on what you get, but most people can do it with regular tools in 2-4 hours, dependent on the locker. Posis have many more parts. ARBs take longer due to the line running and drilling ino the housing. Some diffs, like my Taco rear axle, require that bearings get pressed on with a bearing press..


4. How crazy is it going to drive on the street?

You will experience some tire chirping when you hike a hard corner. Other than that, no real difference. That and the load/unload noise which sounds like something breaking at first. Doesn't happen al the time, but the locker build up pressure and when they release, it does it with a loud bang.

The place where you need to learn to drive differently is on icy or snowy roads that have a camber to them. If your speed is constant, you won't notice much difference. If you have to start on a camber (and this goes for trails, too) your ass end will try to slide sideways. This is one of the reasons a selectable is so nice.

All that said, I have had a Detroit, spool or Lincoln in 95% of all the 4x4s I have ever owned. I am now on my 11th or 12th(or more...I could remember all of them...) 4x. I like em. When the ARB was working in the Taco rear and I was able to run 'open' I didn't even notice any difference. Jeff is picking up my V6 Detroit and we are doing a swap for gears and a spool. Why? Cause I want the rear locked up and simply don't care if it is a Detroit or spool. When I want traction, I want traction, even if I have only 1 wheel on the ground...I have run spooled rears on the street/DD for years and never had issues. I am about to do it again...

Think more on the Dana44 rather than the Chrysler 8.8. Your options are better....

As an aside...if you ever sell your Jeep at some point and have a Dana 44 with a locker it will get a 'COOL' response. If you lock up the D35, you will get a "Why did ya do that?' look...

[Chris]

I've had mine for years and it's fine. The first time it unloads is a bit scary but overall no DD issues at all. The big issue is snowy/icy trails where it wants to slide off the trail but considering it's a fraction of the price it's a nice way to go.

[gm4x4lover]

My burb has a powertrax ratcheting locker in the back and i get no negative feed back from it on the street. You can hear it click some times in a parking lot when turning really sharp. It doesnt wear tires, pop, clank, unload, or even drive funny in the snow. Last winter i only had to put it in 4wd once on the street.

I also am throwing money at a under sized and commonly prone to fail rear axle assymbley. I have a 10 bolt which most guys are scared to run over a 33" tire on. I have 35's with a mildly built motor, low gears, i wheel it hard, tow a heavy trailer for a half ton (over 9k). I up graded axle shafts and thats it. So far to date i have ruined 2 shafts. I am getting ready to put a 454 in it and tow with it a little more.

I would build a super 35 rear axle. Toss in some heavy duty axle shafts, and locker gear it down and call it good. I have seen guys wheel for years on super d35's with 35" tall tires. I know the later model d35's are non c clip and are less likely to leave you stranded on the trail or the side of the road.

[Hypoid]

Now there is somebody who would know: Which 8.8s with limited slips were recalled?

[Patrolman]

I would personally just spend the $ on the 8.8 and stay open for a bit longer. No point in dropping cash into something you know you won't keep. The 8.8 can be found reasonably priced on CL. Especially now as people need extra cash.

[Brody]

Another plus is that it is every bit as strong, if not stronger, than a dana 44!

Thanks...this I didn't know. I also did a little more research and found out that there is a fair amount of after market support for the 8.8s, too.
Here is what I found:

Semi floating-spline count of either 28 or 31-try for the 31
Factory ratios-2.47.1-4.10.1
Maximum tire size size for stock axle-37"
Strong point-same pinion diameter as a D60
Weak point -C clips (get the eliminator kit). Also the diff cover is very thin. Get a good aftermarket cover.
Junkyard finds-Fullsize Ford trucks after 86 with ABS as these have the larger 7/16" cross pin. Late model Explorers as they already have disc brakes.
When you build it, apply silicon to the pinion splines as they are prone to leaking.


Seems you have about the same number of people saying to keep the D35 as are saying get the 8.8 (D44).

I think that, based on experience (and much of it expensive experience), any time you do any kind of upgrade...any time at all, you should always upgrade to something stronger and beefier...always. This alone would be the main reason to not mess with the D35.

Price an axle upgrade/beef up the 35 stuff, then price a used D44 or 8.8. See which one is going to give more bang for the buck.

[gm4x4lover]

The only good 8.8's imho are out of the explorers with rear disc. Any of the others are either to wide, or not any stronger than the d35. I was cruising around the fsbronco forum and found that just about any 8.8 with a limited slip carrier is prone to failure. In a cherokee i see the 8.8 being a much better option as you only need to weld 2 spring purches and 2 shock mounts. In a tj were so much welding and time needs to be spent setting it up correct i dont see it as nearly as much of an upgrade.

[Patrolman]

In a cherokee i see the 8.8 being a much better option as you only need to weld 2 spring purches and 2 shock mounts. In a tj were so much welding and time needs to be spent setting it up correct i dont see it as nearly as much of an upgrade.

I completely forgot about that... Maybe a 44 would be more practical. Get one out of a Rubicon or something that is being upgraded to full width.

If you want an 8.8 still, here is a rear disc setup for $320 in Pueblo.
http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/1231992464.html
and one in Colorado Springs for $325
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/pts/1228881455.html

And a drum rear setup with a LSD for $80 in Colorado Springs
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/pts/1219419657.html

[Patrolman]

$1500 can get you bolt-in Dana 44's with lockers and all. Basically won't ever have to worry about these axles!
http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/1228767778.html

[JeepersCreepers]

Me personally I have heard that if you can get the 8.8 and set up properly then you'll be able to wheel 35" or 37" tires as hard as ya like without anything to worry about. But of course if you can find a d44 from a rubi then I would go that way since you wont have to worry about welding on the brackets or getting the angle set properly like you would on the 8.8. I will probably go with an 8.8 once I have the funds to do so, only because they seem easier to find than a d44. just my :2c:

[Brody]

I have posted up quite a bit of information on doing the D44 swap from a Rodeo. These are easy to find. I counted at least 5 at Colorado Auto Parts a couple of weeks ago and over that at the U Pull It on 66th and Pecos. In other words, pretty much any yard you go into, unless they are specifically an 'all American' yard is going to have Rodeo Dana 44s. These axles make a very popular swap for the Jeeps as they are almost the identical width of the existing axle.

Since both places sell the D44s from these, end to end, for $125-125, this would be a no brainer for me if I was considering an axle swap in my Jeep.

Bottom line, once again, is how much money do you want to spend. A $150 junkyard axle, new gears and a locker is going to run you around $1k installed. This makes the $1400 one from Jeep a pretty attractive offer especially when you consider the fact that they are a bolt in.

[gm4x4lover]

Do the axle shafts swap in from the jeep d44s? Other wise you will have a 6 lug rear and a 5 lug front. I still think building a super 35 is the most viable option. With that set up you would be in it 800-1200 dollars and would be just as strong as a 8.8 or 44 for what you are going to use it for. The worst part of a d35 is the axle shaft breaking and walking the shaft out of the housing. Aarons later model d35 should bolt in behind the backing plate like a 44. With a locker in the back no reason it couldnt be driven off the trail and home to replace the shaft in the garage. By the time you buy an axle 150, gears and install kit, 325, still have to buy a locker 500, brackets 150, and misalanues (sp??), parts 100. Thats $1200 assuming you can do all the labor, welding, and fabricating your self and with a cheap locker. A super kit is good to 35's easy upgrades to 30 spline shafts your choice of a locker including selectable's.

http://www.sams4x4store.com/SuperiorDana35AxleKit.htm

http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=EV35-12134&Category_Code=AXL

http://www.footeaxle.com/Pages/evolution.html

No what from what i can tell the grands ZJ and WJ were non c clip axle shafts and the YJ, XJ, and TJ were c-clip shafts. They say the saftey barrier for the super kit is 36's, so i think 37's would be fine.

[gm4x4lover]

I agree with you to some extent. But the truth is how big is it gonna be built to. If it was a buggy running 40's then yea it would be stupid but if it is a dd/ wheeling rig with 33's or 35's then and no further then its a great choice. The common weak link for the d35c is broken shafts. Every super kit includes chromealy (sp??) shafts and a carrier upgrade to 31 spline i think it was up from the factory 27 spline.

I have seen guys run 10 bolts welded with 38's on 7k k5's and not break an axle or destroy the housing.

The best choice for strength is an xj d44 not a wrangler or grand 44. You could spend the extra for one of those but you still would need to weld all the brackets, regear, set up, and still need to upgrade it.

[Patrolman]

So I ran across an 8.8 that I picked up. Figured I would either pass it along or maybe use it in a later project.

It is an Explorer axle with rear discs. Has a factory LSD, but unsure of the ratio. Still has the tag, so it can be decoded. Will need the rotors replaced, new pads, and new shoes for the parking brake. Has the calipers and everything else. No parking brake cables but all the hardware on the axle is there. Can send pics if you like. $250 firm.