Does anyone know if there is a longer wheel stud available for the Dana 35 axle?

 

I want to say that when I guys do the rear disc brake mod that they have to put in longer studs in the rear.
Thinking they use the ZJ or Liberty ones.
Thing is I think guys are doing this to 8.25 diffs.
So first thing you need to do is find out of the D35 takes a different stud then a 8.25 and go from there.
I doubt is does though.

 

Okay, I'll bite. Why would you need longer studs when swapping to disc brakes? The usual reason for needing longer studs is swapping to thicker cast rims.

 

Thinking in the couple write ups about this I browsed something to do with the thickness of the rotors.

 

The hat section of the brake rotor is thicker than the same area of a drum by about twice. Add to that a thicker cross section on an alloy wheel and there are dangerously few threads left to engage the nut. Ideally I need to find a wheel stud that is about 1/2" longer than the stock stud. The new XJ I recently purchased has already had a rear disk conversion but the studs are still stock length. I read somewhere that seemed to indicate that the D35 and 8.25 use the same stud. I have been looking at ARP and Dorman catalogs to see if I can find something which will work. I will re-drill the axles if I must.

 

Rear studs from a 1995 ZJ will be longer.

 

Ah, that makes sense if the rotor faces are much thicker than the drum faces. I didn't need longer studs when I converted, but I also have steel wheels.

 

After spending some time with the Dorman catalog I think I found a longer replacement stud. Dorman 610-260 has the same knurl diameter and 1/2-20 thread but is longer by about 3/8". I have a set ordered should be here by the middle of the week. I will report back if they work or not.

 

Here's what you're dealing with when you do a disc brake conversion on the rear. Mine is a D44 but it's the same problem for the 35. You only get about 3-4 turns of the lug nut when you put aluminum wheels on. That's not enough. After the longer Grand Cherokee wheel studs, you get a lot more thread engagement.

 

I successufully installed the Dorman 610-260 wheel studs and they fit like they were made for the Dana 35 axle which is not really a surprise since they have the same diameter knurl as the stock studs. They are a little over 3/8" longer than stock which provides about 5 extra threads over the stock studs to engage the lug nuts.