The strength of the D35?

[Chico XJ Dude]

Lets say someone doesn't have the money for a rear end swap any time soon. He also has noticed some traction issues while tooling around in the high lakes. If he were to put an inexpensive locker in his D35, how long would it be until he broke an axle, assuming he is mildly to moderately hard on his rig at the most?
I don't know why I'm talking like this individual isn't me... Anyway, if I were to do this, would it be a good idea to eliminate my c-clips so that if I do break an axle I can limp home rather than leave my rig as a permanent fixture of the vista at Long Lake? The axle will just slide out if I break it right? Would I indeed be stranded then? Would a c-clip eliminator solve that? Does this logic make any sense or am I just completely confused? Sorry for the length of this post.

[rguignard]

youll have lots of people tell you to get rid of the dana 35 BUT i ran a lockrite in mine and it made WAY to much noise for me lots of poping around corners so i just welded up the spider gears it like having a spool in it

http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo174/rguignard1/1264262530906.jpg

i was talking to ironman andy and hes going to do a wright up on welding one up. i wheel mine pretty hard and i havent broke anything in the rear end yet im running 31's. i do carry a set of axles with me in the jeep just in case :smiley-laughing021:.btw i didnt do anything with the c clips and mine is a dd as well. i hope this helps :thumbsup:

i have the same hair interior as you she wont let me go anywere without her:smiley-laughing021:

[DETOURS]

Mild to light moderate......you'll be ok for a while.
Years ago, I ran a YJ with a 35 & a Powertrax on 33's........mild wheeling, it was fine........'mild wheeling'

[4.3LXJ]

Conventional wisdom says you can run 31s with a locker as long as you don't get too crazy. But personally, I am not going to chance it. Mine is coming out this winter.

[Chico XJ Dude]

O.K. Thanks guys. Now if I do lock it up, should I eliminate my c-clips since I won't be carrying extra axles? If I break an axle with the c-clips I will be stranded as the axle and wheel will fall off, but if I've eliminated them I can limp out in 4wd with all four wheels still attached, right?

[drakan1908]

O.K. Thanks guys. Now if I do lock it up, should I eliminate my c-clips since I won't be carrying extra axles? If I break an axle with the c-clips I will be stranded as the axle and wheel will fall off, but if I've eliminated them I can limp out in 4wd with all four wheels still attached, right?

The c-clip eliminater kit is a little expensive http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=42680 By the time you do that you may as well do a 8.8 or find a chrys8.25

[pingpong]

Speaking from experience the d35 is tougher then ppl give credit. BUT I would not spend any money on one. You can find 8.8's, xj d44's and isuzu d44's cheap enough not to spend money on a d35. It is only a matter of time before the explode. I personally never broke mine, but I did bend the housing:eek:

[Mudderoy]

Speaking from experience the d35 is tougher then ppl give credit. BUT I would not spend any money on one. You can find 8.8's, xj d44's and isuzu d44's cheap enough not to spend money on a d35. It is only a matter of time before the explode. I personally never broke mine, but I did bend the housing:eek:

From all that I have read, it isn't a C4 charge waiting to go off, it's just a lite axle that will be fine until it isn't. Time and time again people say "Don't waste your time building one up."

So as long as you understand that it may fail when you are off road, and you'll have the issue of getting it back home, then there's no reason not to run one. Hell even two, I mean spare Dana 35's have got to be cheap if no other reason than their woefully low reputations. :smiley-laughing021:

[DETOURS]

HERE-----> http://www.cincyoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5395

Looks like it needs a replacement spring kit, tell um 100 bucks shipped. :)

[cantab27]

http://www.billhughes.com/dana35c/

[nismo5]

every xj in chico pnp has a d35 rear just go get yourself some spare shafts and call it good and if you dont know how to change em youll learn while you pull em

[pingpong]

only problem with thqt theory is yu have to get the broken shaft out

[drakan1908]

only problem with thqt theory is yu have to get the broken shaft out

and hope it hasn't tore up something else

[pingpong]

and hope it hasn't tore up something else

Most of the broken d35 shafts I have seen have broken in the spline.. or in the center of the shaft.. meaning you have to remove the boken shaft, in order to replace it.. talk about a PITA.

Better to just swap it out with an 8.25, xj/isuzu d44, or an 8.8. SOme require more work then others to install, but are everywhere.

A 27 spline 8.25 is just as weak as a d35.. so make sure you get a 29 spline version. The XJ d44 is a direct bolt in. The isuzu requires new spring perches. These are 30 spline units.. and can be upgraded to 33 spline. Using a 95 newer 8.8 with disc brakes is a huge upgrade. For some more coin you can do a super88 kit. Which eliminates the c clip.

[CT99XJ]

get a LockRight, then when the D35 blows, move the LockRight to your D30. It's a direct fit. You might need to change springs but that's it.

[4.3LXJ]

There are times you can get away with a locked 35. If I was still living in Northwest Oregon and just mudding and sand dunning, I would not worry too much about it. But in other areas such as where I am at now, having a locker in an axle can put it to the test in a hurry and surpass its capacity. It is in an area like this with lots of big rocks that I would not lock one, and I haven't on my own nor will I go above 31" tires until I change out my axles.

[Mudderoy]

get a LockRight, then when the D35 blows, move the LockRight to your D30. It's a direct fit. You might need to change springs but that's it.

What year did you do this on? Year Dana 35 and Year Dana 30

[Chico XJ Dude]

Thanks everybody. I really appreciate the advice... (well, save the post from "cantab27." I realize the link 'speaks for it's self' in some peoples eyes, but the reality is you can take any axle and compile a shitload of photos of it broken. How do you think media slants reality? To be fair it was amusing, however) Anyway, I did my first big wheelin' (as in not mud, hills, ponds or to the hunting blind, etc.) yesterday. I was in an area we call "the high lakes." I was amazed at what the rig was capable of. I underestimated it the whole time. I had my buddy spot me in the tough spots and after a while he got annoyed and refused to do it anymore stating that every time "you had a butt load of clearance." I figured out quickly that the best thing you can do while picking a line is attempt to run over everything! This seems rough, but it keeps the rig high. Now I know this doesn't sound counter-intuitive to most because they have done this before, but it did to me at first. I don't know anybody who wheels, so I have no mentor. It's trial and error. Anyway, I didn't scrape a darn thing even once. I'm kinda happy considering a book of northern California wheelin' trails calls this one "advanced" as apposed to "mild" or "moderate." To end this long story (I apologize) I found two glaring flaws with my rig: 3.07 gears are far to high for crawling on rocks (my clutch hates me now) and a locker is much needed (I found that running starts solve the lack of locker problem, but pose a handful more.) To conclude (very sorry for the story) I am going to prioritize locking the rear, but before that I'm getting at least an 8.8. Your comments and advice have all been helpful and it all came into perspective when I started climbing bigass rocks! Many thanks.
Please don't be shy to tell this tenderfoot anymore advice or wisdom. After all, I will have to be able to advise other tenderfoots some time in the future!

[pingpong]

I never said you couldnt wheel it with a d35. I had one in my MJ for a yr or so when I started wheeling. Hell I even wheeled Tellico(when it was open) ON 33's:driving: and drove it there and back.. but after that trip I got rid of the d35

[4.3LXJ]

Glad you had a good time at High Lakes. Yes these rigs are very capable. When you get your 8.8, a word of advice if I can. Get one with the 4.10 gear ratio from an Explorer with the towing package. Then find a D30 with a 2.5 or 2.8. It will have 4.10s also. Then you will be right in the ball park with the gears for cheap.

[nismo5]

theres a ton of exploders with discs at oroville pick n pull last time i was there not sure about the gears though and theres a d30 with 410's at chico pick n pull right now problem solved shoulda been on here a while back i had a spare d44 layin around i sold on chico craigslist we need to have a meet again sometime when we can all make it from the chico/paradise area maybe a run to the highlakes and camp out or something

[Chico XJ Dude]

High Lakes trip sounds like fun now that I'm not afraid of anything that isn't mud. Thanks for the info on the locations of the goods. Unfortunately, I'm busy trying not to embarrass myself with a winch bumper I'm working on. But, that may be mostly done by Sunday night. Then axles! But, I actually don't know where to start on those. If it doesn't simply take a set of sockets and a can of Knock'er Loose then I will need to do quite a bit of research.:confused: