1997 cherokee with the inline six and a np231 transfer case. My question is will I be able to swap my broken dana 35 for a crystler 8.25 with 355 gears. I'm unsure of what my gear ratio is up front but will I be able to use this axle even if my front gears are a different size? I guess I'm asking if I can still use s wheel drive with two different gear ratios?

 

Do you have a manual or automatic transmission? Never mind I just looked at the drop down box for your info. With the 4.0 and auto trans you "should" have 3.55 gearing standard.

 

you absolutely cannot run different gear sizes in your axles, very bad things will happen. However you should have 3.55 gearing already in your axles. Be careful of the 8.25 if it's from another cherokee, they came with 3.73 gearing as well.

 

3.73 was a very rare option, but did you get the driveshaft with the rear axle? The D35 driveshaft will be to long.

 

I have the 3.73

 

You must have the factory tow package. It would be easy for to find replacement front axles, just swipe one from a ZJ. They mostly have 3.73s, but the rear would be a different story. Unless.... you did a real sweet real coil spring conversion. Then you could also find one of the V8 ZJs with the factory D44 rear axle. Mmmm tasty.

 

correct me if im wrong, but didnt they come with aluminum housings on the ZJs D44's?

 

You would be correct, and it would be from a WJ not a ZJ. Oh well a man can dream can't he.

 

AH! i knew it was one of the two

 

Well I was just doing a little research on it and the D44 was available from 96-04, so that would cover some of the ZJs too.

 

ooo, i was almost completely right then lol.

 

Yah! We both learned a little more today.

 

Thanks for the help guys. This forum has saved me so many times. How would I be able to tell if it has 373 gears? And how would I be able to tell what mine are? As for the drive shaft, you are saying my 35 drive shaft is too long right. What size should I look for.

 

The easiest way is to check the tag on the diff cover. If the tag is missing, then pull the cover and look on the edge of the ring gear, sometimes you can find it stamped on it. If that does not work, then mark one tooth on the ring gear and count the number of teeth. Then do the same with the pinion gear and divide the number of ring gear teeth by the number of pinion gear teeth.

 

is there a way to find out what gearing an axle has without counting teeth? i heard about spinning the pinion and counting how many times the axles spin...something like that...but not sure. also....i know that the 4 cyl cherokees sometimes came with 4.10's.....how rare is this? or is it pretty common?