i need some help im looking for a 96-97 zj dana 35 with abs and disc brakes, my plan is to rip it out of the junk yard. but from my understanding they used 3.55 and 3.73 gears in thoses, so how do you know what gear it is or will i just have to pull the covers and count teeth

 

Best way is to pull a cover and count teeth.

Normally the 3.55 was the standard... and 3.73 was in the towing package.

But.. I have found some 3.73s in vehicles without a towing set-up in both 6 and 8 cyl flavor.

 

Look at the axle housing, there is a tag mounted under the lower left two bolts. It should have your gear ratio stamped into the tag as well as the axle part number. On the lower right bolts, if there is a tag it's a limited slip axle. If there is no tag, like mine was, look at the other axle. They will both be the same ratio. Dana 35's are pretty plentiful in junk yards or you can get one used on the internet. I found one at a Pick n' Pull for $75 plus $40 to have it pulled, complete with brakes and a 90 day warrenty. I pulled the rear cover, eyeballed the wear pattern, and installed it. Good to go!

 

cool i didnt think to look at the front one, most of the time the tags rust off and i would like to find one with trac-lock

 

I wouldn't think the tag will be rusted off on a 97, but it could have been worked on previously, as mine was. Some guys don't put the tags back on. Or you can open it up and count teeth. That way, you can see if it's worth saving or is junk.