I just didn't appreciate ol Fred having to smartass me for no reason other than I disagreed on the 8.25 in a non smartassy way.
Don't know what Wonders problem is, I didn't even say anything to him.

I was unaware of that some had 27 splines. The two I saw broke in stock Jeeps came from one guy already on his second axle (gas station swap) and a girls 98 that didn't even know offroad existed. The others came through the shop I used to work at, one was bent... that XJ left on a flat bed.

The only experience I've had with a lunch box locker was bad, a Richmond unit...didn't last long. What one are you using?

 

What smartassery? They're just offering advice. No need to get all excited.

I have to ask... what was the root cause of failure in these axles? They don't just spontaneously bend themselves while you're rolling through the drive through. Most people lose axles due to lack of maintenance. Hell, most parts on XJs fail for that reason. Run the same gear oil in an axle for 200,000 miles and all kinds of **** will break.

No locker in my XJ. The uniframe is cracked and rotted.

 

Chrysler 8.25 is a stout little axle. U may think 2 extra splines won't make any difference but it does, because the shaft diameter have to be increased to accodomate those extra two splines. The ring gear are about 3/4 inch bigger, the axle tubes are bigger.

Failure rate on those axles are very low compared to a dana 35. Yes it's true that 8.25 axles do break but not very often and only because it was either very neglected or abused.

Also just because I disagreed doesn't mean I got a problem with you. Lol. Like I said, I'm only trying to help you save money in the long run.

 

No idea why the girls 8.25 broke. I just replaced a broken left axle shaft in it, everything else inside was fine it was a '98 that saw nothing but street... still does. My friends broke likely cause he drives like a madman, said earlier what was broke in it. Those were the stock ones. As for the ones came through the shop I only replaced the ring and pinion cause teeth were missing off the ring gear in one. Don't know the story on the others aside from they were busted 8.25s... as for the bent one, didn't ask the guy... didn't care, he wasn't having us source a new axle, just picked it up. And I've seen the Dana 35 fail in similar ways (haven't seen a bent one) one of those being my own with a busted *** ring gear plus another my same friend tore up in the same stock Jeep. So... that's why I don't see the point in swapping between the two, I've seen them both put up with quite a bit and seen them both break, I just don't see the strength advantage, if it's there at all. Maybe the 8.25 better than what I'm giving them, but so far I haven't seen it and I've seen quite a bit now

 

Freds the only one came off as a smartass. Nobody else commenting has been a Jackass

 

I was just agreeing with you as you pretty much knew it all. Was that assumption a smartass one, if so it speaks volumes?


As far as strength the 29 spline 8.25 is very close to the D44 with the Dana having more options available for them. I carry spare axles for the D30 and 8.25 but so far have never had to use them even after I installed the 35's on beadlocks at 5-9 psi. 97-01 XJ's had either D35 or 29 spline 8.25 in them.


You do need someone to teach you some manners, but when you go back to High School in a week or so you may settle down a little.

 

since you all like to get in a pissing match the thread has been closed

OP you can do what you want, but you would be wise to listed to members who are experienced with these trucks and the abuse they can (or can't) take. Some of the members were (correctly IMO) telling you that upgrading a Dana35 is a poor way to spend money on your build. The strength the c8.25 has over the Dana35 is not the shafts, it's the gears and the tubes. The dana35s critical weakness is the small diameter axle tubes that allow the axle to bend under the stresses of larger tires and offroading, and a weaker housing that can more easily distort and cause damage to gears, especially if you install a locker.

Dana 35 - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube
Chrysler 8.25 - 27 spline, 1.17" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube
Chrysler 8.25 - 29 spline, 1.21" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube