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Upgrading a Dana 35?

54K views 68 replies 35 participants last post by  thatoneguy 
#1 ·
Is there any way to beef up the Dana 35 rear? I heard its a weak rear end, and I plan on doing mild off roading with my Jeep, and I plan on doing a 4 inch suspension lift soon and eventually 33 inch tires with that. It makes me a little nervous to do this if the rear end is weak. So I was wondering if theres any way to make it stronger so it holds up to more. I dont really want to spend a ton of money getting a Dana 44 to put in it, I'd rather just try to make what I have better. Any help would be appreciated
 
#10 ·
while the new axles are extremlt tough unfortunatly its till a dana 35. the case is weak. i twisted my diff housing almost 180 degrees then the axle finally gave but its not worth the money for the super kit. find a junk yard with a few rubi 44 axles and call it good. maybe the best 1500-2000 youll ever spend.you might be able to talk the guy into including the controls for the lockers.
 
#4 ·
For those that say the turd can't be polished and it is cheaper to replace an axle, please post links to axles in good shape that will go right in w/o welding or repairing. I always see posts like "it's cheaper to do D44 swap/ 8.8 install" but never see documented pricing. Finding a cheap axle isn't always easy and 8.8 often require welding and mods to fit - more resources to be spent that never get factored in for some reason.

The Super 35 kit is a seriously viable option for those that don't have the knowledge or skills to do a swap. I did a cost analysis when I did mine and compared a D44, 8.8, or a D35 upgrade. Given my resources (money, knowledge, time), the S35 upgrade was the most feasible way to go.

Now I don't pound the crap out of my TJ like some do. My solution is not the skinny pedal when stuck. Gotta drive smarter than the rocks you're going over. My 35 upgrade has been solid reliable for the 5 years I've had it (and it IS locked with an ARB). My only wish was disc brakes vs the drums I have, but I can live with that.

I also regeared during this time, so the labor differences for installation were minimal (I didn't get double dinged for those labor costs.

Yes, the Dana 35 can be problematic - if you drive in such a manner as to put it at risk. But for those that realize the limitations of their rigs, an upgraded D35 can be a viable option. Would I have preferred a D44 or 8.8? Sure, but the downtime for my rig, storage space while I had things apart, my lack of welding tools, and extra parts I'd have to buy to make either work (think driveshafts, spring perches, etc) just made those solutions impractical for ME.

I don't have the kind of luck to have a cheap D44 with driveshaft or TJ-ready 8.8 fall in my lap for a stupid-low price like some here seem to have.
 
#23 ·
#6 ·
A super 35 kit has the following:

- Upgraded shafts that goes in the axle tubes. 30 spline vs the standard 27 and made from a stronger alloy.
- Locker (either selectable or automatic depending on choice). Now you CAN choose no locker, but you would only have 27 spline shafts vs 30 but it would be the stronger alloy.
- Other stuff

Here is a kit on Northridge 4x4 (man, they've gone up in price!)

Northridge4x4 Jeep Parts: Rear Axles
 
#7 ·
Im just finding out that a s35 kit with the detroit locker plus 5 speed doesnt play well together.Its said that a 5 speed with a detriot auto locker in the rear,makes the 5 speed hard to shift thru gears.

I'd go with the arb locker option,and just deal with air,or look into just the s35 axle kit and use a diffrent locker
 
#8 ·
Ive never heard anyone say that a detroit makes it hard to shift a 5 speed. Im not even sure why the rear end would change how your transmission shifts. I could be wrong, so anyone with some knowledge on this, enlighten us.

As far as running a super 35...you can only run the lockers that they provide because the super 35 changes your spline count, so unless you can find other lockers that are 30 spline dana 35 lockers, youve only got a few options.
 
#11 ·
The super 35 kit is a great kit from what I've seen. One guys that I used to wheel with would hammer on his on the rocks, and he couldn't break it. He now runs it in the same TJ with a 318 under the hood. He has yet to break it.

I think a trussed D35 with the super 35 kit would be great. The axle housings are cut from the same stock as a TJ D44 anyways.
 
#12 ·
svtyone said:
while the new axles are extremlt tough unfortunatly its till a dana 35. the case is weak. i twisted my diff housing almost 180 degrees then the axle finally gave but its not worth the money for the super kit. find a junk yard with a few rubi 44 axles and call it good. maybe the best 1500-2000 youll ever spend.you might be able to talk the guy into including the controls for the lockers.
Like mike said. The tubes are the exact same as a d44
 
#13 ·
I think when I do it i'm gonna go with the super 35 kit, I'll buy it with a locker too. Seems like the cost effective route. I'm really not doing anything too nuts offroad mainly I'm gonna have it out on the beach, and sometimes on some of the trails around the area that arent too intense
 
#21 ·
Super 35 with Locker



I think that you can find some good package deals on the upgraded axles and a locker kit as was posted. I just got mine through 4 wheel parts and they had a 1/2 off labor special during the recent sales event. I went with the super 35 (EV35LK) and an Eaton E locker and paid about $1600 installed, but if you do the work you could take $500 off that. I paid for the install because the project is well over my mechanical comfort zone. Superior also sells their axle kits in combination with lockers.
 
#14 ·
I still say go 8.8. The super 35 kit costs over $1000, then add the labor of installation, $200 - $400 depending on where you go. And you still have a d35 that I would not trust with anything over 33" tires.

For the same price You could have a ready to bolt in 8.8. (Yes I said ready to bolt in.) I have been building 8.8s for TJs for a little while now, In fact I just shipped one to a forum member 2 weeks ago. $1200 shipped and that included labor for a gear change and master install kit.
And you would still have your old dana 35 laying around that you could probably get $200 for. So now you have $1000 or less invested into a rear that will handle 37s all day long with disk brakes and huge aftermarket support.
 
#17 ·
No problem and thank you. The one I shipped out 2 weeks ago went to Mobile Alabama.
 
#20 ·
Thanks, No locker but it does have a limited slip diff. The 8.8 is the most cost effective axle upgrade even if you have to pay someone to weld it for you. I can buy 8.8s at the local junkyards all day long for $300, The bracket kit is $250, the only other things you need are, Driveshaft adapter ($35), e-brake cables ($60) and the labor for cutting off the old brackets and welding on the new brackets ($250) and you are ready to bolt it in.

I am picking up another 8.8 on Thursday and should have it together sometime next week. It will have 3.73 gears and a limited slip. No rotors or calipers. I will be selling it for $750
 
#22 ·
erickpl said:
For those that say the turd can't be polished and it is cheaper to replace an axle, please post links to axles in good shape that will go right in w/o welding or repairing. I always see posts like "it's cheaper to do D44 swap/ 8.8 install" but never see documented pricing. Finding a cheap axle isn't always easy and 8.8 often require welding and mods to fit - more resources to be spent that never get factored in for some reason.

The Super 35 kit is a seriously viable option for those that don't have the knowledge or skills to do a swap. I did a cost analysis when I did mine and compared a D44, 8.8, or a D35 upgrade. Given my resources (money, knowledge, time), the S35 upgrade was the most feasible way to go.

Now I don't pound the crap out of my TJ like some do. My solution is not the skinny pedal when stuck. Gotta drive smarter than the rocks you're going over. My 35 upgrade has been solid reliable for the 5 years I've had it (and it IS locked with an ARB). My only wish was disc brakes vs the drums I have, but I can live with that.

I also regeared during this time, so the labor differences for installation were minimal (I didn't get double dinged for those labor costs.

Yes, the Dana 35 can be problematic - if you drive in such a manner as to put it at risk. But for those that realize the limitations of their rigs, an upgraded D35 can be a viable option. Would I have preferred a D44 or 8.8? Sure, but the downtime for my rig, storage space while I had things apart, my lack of welding tools, and extra parts I'd have to buy to make either work (think driveshafts, spring perches, etc) just made those solutions impractical for ME.

I don't have the kind of luck to have a cheap D44 with driveshaft or TJ-ready 8.8 fall in my lap for a stupid-low price like some here seem to have.
I got $500 in my 8.8 swap, that's rebuilding the whole damn thing from a new carrier to all new seals. I spent some money I shouldn't have on mine as well, and I've parted out my old boat anchor and made $150 off it so far and still have axel shafts. So all in all $350 in it. I wish I kept my receipts to show your ass. Lol
 
#24 ·
The 8.8 is a much easier swap into a yj though. You can get away with not buying an aftermarket bracket kit since you have no control arms or spring perches.
 
#27 ·
95-01 explorers come with disk brakes and 31 spline axle shafts.

Solman, you pay $300 for junkyard axles? You need to move your business here! I get them all day long for $130 :)

Currently have $350 in mine with about another $1000 to go.
 
#29 ·
I paid $180 for mine which had a open carrier, I then got a like brand new ford arrive for $25. I had to shop around for a few weeks but I found a great deal. People was all over the place with prices on one. I had a junk yard local to me want $500 and my Dana 35 for a 8.8 (ya I let them know how insane they were). I just kept shopping and found a great deal
 
#31 ·
Got 4 Lo said:
not to be off topic but do you think i could run 33's and a auto locker in the stock D35 rear with the 2.5L with some mild wheeling mostly DD?
You can run whatever you'd like. Is it recommended most say no. I don't understand the point of putting a $600 locker in a turd axle. If you got the money for a locker put that towards a better axle first, then do a locker in that.
 
#32 ·
Very interesting thread. I am running a Super Axle Super 35 Kit w/ Detroit locker and 4.56 gears. I installed mine last year after exhausting every means possible to upgrade to a
D44 or a 8.8. The D44 can NOT be purchased for less than $1200 anywhere near Iowa. I would have had to still regear and add locker. As mentioned earlier the D44 axle tubes are the same as the D35(See Jerry B). The 8.8 swap in a TJ is not nearly as easy as a YJ swap. Again by the time you add up all the LITTLE things that people are leaving out it is just not cost effective. If you don't have to regear this makes a huge difference and the 8.8 becomes VERY attractive. Again I could not find a 8.8, locked w/ 4.56's for what I paid for my Super 35. DO NOT buy a fake S35 and the best prices can be found from Gerald at Savvy.

You do not have to Baby a S35 either. I have 33's and can follow anyone anywhere. It is not the axles that make my Jeep week it is the driver.
 
#33 ·
#34 ·
This is just my two cents, but I have a D35/D30 combo with 3.07s on 32"s and I'm not going to upgrade either. I know a guy who grenaded his r/p twice on 31" bfg a/ts. I mean, the shaft size in a d35. is 1.18" and the shaft size in the d30 is 1.16. Do you really want to beef up something that small? It's gonna take money and fab work, but if you really want to run bigger tires, why not get a junk yard Ford 9 inch? They're stronger than a d44, and you can find them just about anywhere. Plus, if you're lucky and stumble across an old F150/Bronco with the 9" rear end, you've also just found a HP44 front end which is nice.
 
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