ok, so i have been searching for a while, and i just need a solid answer.... I am going to be running 32's on a 4.5 inch lift. I have a manual tranny and most of my driving will be on pavement. However every now and a again, i do go and take my jeep off roading, mudding, you know... everything a jeep should do. I don't do anything really extreme, but nevertheless i do off road it pretty good sometimes. I do want to regear my axles so i can get my mpg's and power back when i do the lift and tires. Now i have been reading and a lot of people say that the Dana 35 is a pile, but for my application and a budget, would i be fine doing what i do on just a re-geared Dana 35? Sometime maybe in the future though i do want to get lockers, so when i get stuck (and i seem to find myself stuck quite a lot with my open diffs) i can get out, or not get stuck in the first place haha. So with lockers, or even something like a aussie locker, would it just tear the Dana 35 up? Would i just be better off spending the money now to get a chy 8.25, then re gear it, and later get a locker when i get some more mulah? Like i said, i don't do intense rock crawling or anything. There is a junkyard close by that sells chy. 8.25's for 200 bucks. Is that even a good deal? I dunno, I have no problem switching axles, i just don't really want to spend the money on something that may last a good while, when i could be spending it on other things for my jeep ya know? Sorry, i know this has probably been brought up a ton of times, but i am just getting kinda desperate. Thanks everyone.

 

$200 is a lot for a junkyard. you should look around, you'll find a much better deal. As for regearing a dana 35, I wouldn't do it. Is your jeep 4wd? if not then just try to find a decent axle (8.25 or dana 44) with the gears you want already installed. It may take time to find one, but it will probably save you a lot of money. If you do have 4wd, maybe you can find a dana 30 front axle with the same gears from the same jeep at a junkyard or parts car. I'm probably not being too helpful, but I would hate it if I spent a ton of money regearing an axle just to have it break on me.

 

Yes, Regearing helps with larger tires. Unless you are doing constant Black Diamond trails on locked 35's, your d35 will be fine. Don't believe all the Bad info you see on these sites, most of it is Just repeated hear-say. I have run D35's for years and have yet to break one. I have also rescued many broke heavy duty axles.

Learn TO Drive and your D35, will go anywhere and back.

 

I wouldnt spend the money to re-gear a D35. But if I found one with the desired gears already in it. I would run a dana 35 till I get something better. Allot depends on what gears you want, And what you are doing with the jeep.
I had a 1990 xj with a 5spd and 4.0 4.5" lift running 33's. I first started with a set of axles from a 4 cyl auto xj, which was a dana 30 35 combo with 4.10's. I then upgraded the D35 to a Ford 8.8 w/4.10's out of a ford explorer after 1 set of twisted bent axle shafts and a shattered pinion gear. But I ran that 35 for about 3 years with a lunchbox locker in it.

 

I have a d35, with 4.10 gears. I'm also running chevy SB 350.
I also don't do any extreme offroading (once or twice a year) and no hard-core rock climbing. the d35 has worked fine, with not even a squeak.

The only thing that makes me nervous is the "mudding" you say you're going to do-- that does put a lot of strain on the diff... I just don't know how well the 35 will hold up to that.

also, I'll add the caveat that eventually I'm going to drop in a d44.. I always planned on doing it-- that was over 4 years ago..In my opinion though, having taller gears and a locker for 4 years vs. not having it was worth it.

 

I have put 3.73's in my XJ so that i could run 31's on it. I have to say that other then my horrific experience with my Detroit Locker, I have been very happy with it. Just be sure to buy new parts and not go with used, that way you do not have to worry about it failing as often.

2000 XJ
3.5" RE superflex
31" Duratracs
3.73 gears with Detroit in rear and Tru-Trac in front.

 

My local pick a part sells rear ends for $50 or so and there are always 20 XJs. Cash for Clunkers filled the yards up with XJs. Just find a pick a part or pull a part and get an 8.25 and regear it.

I wouldn't even change the fluid in a dana 35. The gear oil is worth more.

 

Locked, 33's and a D35 = axle breakage. Trust me I know

 

No its a turd.
Get something else

 

ditch the 35

 

all right, ill ditch the Dana 35, sounds like it will be worth it, Thanks guys.

 

I've seen people beat the ever living s*** out of a locked D35 on 33's and still not break it. It might not be super strong but they dont break as easily as people seem to think, most of the thing people say I'd agree, are just hearsay.

 

If you can get an upgrade, why not?

If you have the money then get some thing better