Can i beef up a Dana 35?
- Thread starter TJMilt
- Start date
BlackDiamondBound
New member
there is a super 35 kit you can get. detroit locker and thicker strong shafts. I ran one with 33s once and beat on it pretty hard nothing ever broke. if you where doing a light 35 like a bfg you would probably be fine fore a while if you took it easy. I would look into a ford 8.8 swap. you wont regret it, its piece of mind. all around a lot stronger then a d35 will ever be
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Ford 8.8 will swap in easily.
piginajeep
The Original Smartass
Yep, get one with disc brakes and 4:10's
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Yup! :yup:...
Bacon
Member
"Can I beef up a Dana 35?"
no. not enough anyway. everything is "beefupable" if you will, but as Eddie said, you're still stuck with C-clip axles. you're also still stuck with the too-small ring and pinion of the D35. save your money and look for a swap candidate. a lot of ppl will say get the 8.8, and it's not necessarily a bad choice. just get the right one from an explorer, not from a ranger-they have 27 spline shafts. it's been a while since I researched 8.8's -I had one in my old MJ, but I believe the good ones from are 1996+ explorers. the only thing about the 8.8 is that it is slightly narrower than the D35 you now have, and you'll have to get a mount kit to install it in your TJ. my suggestion would be to look for a TJ D44 to swap in. that way, it is literally bolt-in, no welding required, no spacers.
no. not enough anyway. everything is "beefupable" if you will, but as Eddie said, you're still stuck with C-clip axles. you're also still stuck with the too-small ring and pinion of the D35. save your money and look for a swap candidate. a lot of ppl will say get the 8.8, and it's not necessarily a bad choice. just get the right one from an explorer, not from a ranger-they have 27 spline shafts. it's been a while since I researched 8.8's -I had one in my old MJ, but I believe the good ones from are 1996+ explorers. the only thing about the 8.8 is that it is slightly narrower than the D35 you now have, and you'll have to get a mount kit to install it in your TJ. my suggestion would be to look for a TJ D44 to swap in. that way, it is literally bolt-in, no welding required, no spacers.
Jeeper4life.
New member
Are JK axles a direct swap for TJs?
Bacon
Member
no, the mounts are different, the width is different, the bolt pattern is different, and I'm pretty sure the way the driveshaft mounts is different.
while you can find the TJ D44 under all TJ Rubicons, you can also them under a lot of TJ Sports out there. A lot of ppl don't know that, they think the D44 only came in the Rubi. I think Jeep started putting the D44 in the Sports with the towing package around 2000. The gearing in those should be 3.73.
BlackDiamondBound
New member
if you go the 44 route dont get one from a zj. they have sketchy aluminum housings.
Unlimited
New member
Perfect point. Had forgotten about the 8.8s. They come with disk most of the time from later explorers and same bolt pattern. Don't get much easier than that
2010 RUBICON. With some stuff
sm31
Active Member
I haven't heard about this swap before. Sounds interesting!
David1tontj
New member
I learned the hard way.... I put an arb air locker in mine, and the warn full floater kit. Sounds greAt and is a convincing sell, but it just moves your weak point to the rear hub. I carried spare hubs and blew them any time I got on it with the locker engaged. Whatever you do, don't spend money on that 35!! I beg you!! Personally I'd go with the 44 out if the sport or if you have the money and time to wait for one, the rubicon is best. I waited with cash in hand for a rubicon axle for like 3 months. No luck. As soon as I went another direction, I saw a set in c.l. Good luck!! P.s. people want about a grand for the rubi 44