Hey guys i have a d35 in my 91 xj now. I have a 93 parts xj with a 27 spline 8.25 in it. I want to have a locker in the rear. If i swap the 8.25 into my 91 with a locker and 31" muds will it last?

 

i would go to a junk yard and pull out the 29 spline shafts and diff , and put those ones in , but the 27 spline will hold up way better then the dana 35 , im running the 29 spline with 4:56 gears and detroit locker and it hold up great

 

it will last till it breaks (should be good for a long while if you dont drive like an *****). only if you spend the money on a locker for the 27 spline it wont go in the 29 spline

 

I would go for the 29 spline one, kinda wasting your time with the 27 spline

 

The ONLY strength advantage the 27 spline 8.25 has over a D35 is the axle tubes. They D35 has a thin walled tube that is prone to bending and twisting in the housing that cause axle shafts to bind and break. The 27 splines axle shafts are actually smaller than a D35, but only by.01. And of course the ring gear size.



Axles

Front Axles


Dana 30 high pinion - reverse cut - 27 spline, 1.16" diameter shafts, 7.13" ring gear - used 84-99 (some axles through 91 are vacuum disconnect, 92+ are non-disconnect, 89-95 with ABS have 5-297x u-joints, all 95+ have 5-297x u-joints, all others have 5-260x u-joints)



Dana 30 low pinion - standard cut - 27 spline, 1.16" diameter shafts, 7.13" ring gear, 5-297x u-joints - used 00-01


Rear Axles


Dana 35 non c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 84-89

Dana 35 c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 90-01

Chrysler 8.25 - 27 spline, 1.17" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 91-96

Chrysler 8.25 - 29 spline, 1.21" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 97-01

Dana 44 non c-clip - 30 spline, 1.31" diameter shafts, 8.5" ring gear, 2.75" axle tube - used 87-89 on some (not all) XJs equipped with towing package.


Note: Dana 35 axles sometimes referred to as Dana 35C - The "C" does not stand for c-clip. It stands for "custom" meaning it came from Dana unfinished.


Note: 8.25 axles - none of these axles were used on XJ's with ABS brakes. If you have ABS, you have the Dana 35. Without ABS you could have either axle. 8.25 axles are c-clip.

 

Not trying to add to the confusion but some 96 model year Cherokees came with the 29 spline 8.25. Mine being one of them.

 

That would be the cross over year. Some 96 xj's had them but not all.

 

Your biggest down fall will being paying the money for it, then when you want to upgrade if it does break trying to get decent money out of it on re-sale.

 

i beat on mine with 33s, and i sold it to my friend on the same tires as me who beats on it harder than i did. and its still going strong.

 

What if i put some alloy usa axles in the 27 spline 8.25 will it hold up to a locker and some 31" muds?

 

alloy axles and a lunchbox locker will be more than a full carrier locker and JY 29 spline axles.
I do not see the point.

Having said that, a 27 spline 8.25 should live rather well with 31" muds and a locker.

 

Just out of curiosity, Im in the same boat, i've got a 27 spline 8.25, can i just drop in 29spline shafts ? Will that work with the carrier thats in there?

 

nope, youll need the 29sp carrier, seals, and spiders or a 29 sp lunchbox locker

 

Just to verify, the carriers are different between the 27 and 29 spline, or is it just the gears?

In a way it seems like it would be cheaper or easier to just pull the whole axle and use it. At least you'd have an extra housing and cover (if you wanted to weld up an armored cover). One of our JY will not allow parting out of axles, but they sell them cheap ($100 for a complete rear, with brake lines and drums/rotors, whatever).

Is there a junkyard somewhere in Washington that a lot (or any) 97-01 XJs? I never see them here in Yakima.

 

My locked 27 spline lived under 35's then 33's. Still DD it, Still beat on it.