Dana 35 Repair/exchange

Hey all, alright I have been hearing a bearing sound coming from my rear axle. Being a single full time dad I haven't had the time to look at it and took it to a friend's shop to have him look at, with the understanding the I will be fixing it myself. He told me the axle tube bearing are bad, the rear diff has metal shaving in the oil and the springs are needing replaced. :rant: So I am looking for a replacement rear axle assembly. How do I find out the gear ratio if the tag is gone? Can I upgrade to a heavier duty axle assembly? What about using a Dana 44 assembly? What happens if I install the wrong ratio? :bang: I am not a novice but hardly an expert and am needing some advice.

Which transmission do yoi have, standard or auto?

Well first off welcome to the forum. There's lots of great guys here with tons of good information. I hope this helps.

It looks like you have a little bit of a mess there. Not to worry you have options.

Question #1 How do I find out the gear ratio if the tag is gone?
A- Your gear ratio is more than likely 3.55 if it's an automatic which most were.

Question #2 Can I upgrade to a heavier duty axle assembly?
A- Yes you can and you have many options. You could put another 35 back in and have exactly what you have now. Jeep put 2 rear ends in the XJ, a Dana 35 and the Chrysler 8.25 axle. For an upgraded axle I (and many others here) are going to tell you to look for the 8.25 out of a 97 or newer XJ. 97 and newer have a higher spline count (stronger) than the older ones. Some also came as a factory limited slip but they are hard to find. The advantage of going with the 8.25 is it is a direct bolt in. You'll need to bypass the factory ABS system, ie pull the relay. You will need different u-bolts but beyond that it's pretty much plug and play PLUS you get the strength that is comparable to a Dana 44.

Question #3 What about using a Dana 44 assembly?
A- Yes it can be done. If you're lucky you can find one from an 87-90 XJ with the 1 ton tow package and it's bolt in minus new bolts and plates. They're out there and they're spendy, I know I was lucky enough to find one. If you have the time/patience/ability to strip one from a truck and put it in it will absolutely work.

Welcome! Let's see how we can help ya out.

Like mentioned there were three axles offered.
(1) Dana 35 84-01 standard axle. They were non c-clip up until '90. Other wise pretty similar between years.
(2) Dana 44 87-89. Hard to find and usually expensive when you do but a great option none the less.
(3) Chrysler 8.25" 91-01. Plentiful and cheap as the majority seem to have gotten them and its not much of an upgrade for other vehicles so they're not plucked clean. They were 27 spline from 91-96 and got the stronger 29 spline in '97 till the XJ finished its run in '01. Built can handle 35s+, depending on build and driving habits. They do take up a bit more clearance than the 35 but worth it if you're planning on bigger tires.

The gear ratio can be found three ways without a tag on an axle you're looking to purchase.
(1) rotate the drive shaft (if in the vehicle) or yoke (if out of the vehicle) one full revolution nearly exact. While you do this count how many times the axleshaft turns. Markings will aid in this. I.e. 3.5 turns of the shaft to one turn of the yoke equals 3.55:1ratio.
(2) open up the diff cover and the ring gear should be marked of the ratio on the side face.
(3) count the ring gear teeth and divide it by the number of pinion gear teeth.

Since you have the Dana 35 you may also have abs. Swapping in a 44 or 8.25 will negate the necessity of deleting the abs operation.

If you do end up going with an axle other than the 35 try to obtain one from a model with the same transmission as yours and get the drive shaft as yours will not be the right length.

If you're doing the work, why not upgrade! :D

Sent via messenger pigeon. I talk, he types.

Alright, I was able to get a rear axle from a '94, drum to drum complete, 3.55 ratio, w/ABS. Now all that said, what all is suggested to repair/replace? I do not have enough $ for new springs right now but that is on the list. I will be switching over brakes since I just changed them 9 ish months ago and tires. I also have new rear shocks to put on as well. Anything else I am missing? ABS Sensors, brake lines? Are the brake shoes, drums and hardware interchangeable between 94 and 01?

Brakes will be interchangeable. If it is out of an XJ, it will bolt right in. Changing the oil is about all you will need to do