I have heard that switching out gears to 4:88's I will have to replace the carrier? This does not make sense as I have not seen different lockers for different gear sets. Axles in question are '96 D30 front and '89 D35 rear with a No-Slip, not sure what gears now but not 4:88's. Drivetrain is 2.5L, AX-15, NP231J, and the above mentioned axles on 31's, maybe 33's one day. Any help please?

Do it right. Dump the D35 and build an 8.25. You're throwing money in to the fire building a 35.

Don't regear a 35. You do alot of offroading? What is the MAX tire size your lookin at?

MUCH better options then a 35 is a 44, ford 8.8, 8.25, or even an AMC 20.

Brandon

Well the plan is, granted plans change over time, to use my current DD/weekend rig with the gear it has now, probably just the 31's for that time. I have a XJ that I'm gonna fix a few cancer spots on and make my DD with the 3" suspension I'm running currently on my DD. down the road I want to take my current DD and slap the set of D60's I have under it and go V8. I live in a location with lots of hills and 70 mile commute to town one way. As it sits the 2.5L just don't have the pull for 4th or 5th on the good inclines, so I just wanna get it back to having some pull like it was stock. The project DD has the I6 HO with a D30/D44 in it with a 5spd so I think it will be fine. I just thought that if I could regear for the time being in my D30/D35 combo to 4:88's without too much cost I would do it. Prices up here for stuff is pretty harsh, $500 for a 8.8 from the JY, and it's whatever one they choose to pick for you. I figure if my D35 has held this long with the locker and some heavy right foot action it should hold a year or so more while I finish the project DD, then it's out of there. It is the slightly stronger bolt in style not C-clip and maybe sees 8,000 miles a year, mainly highway. I was just curious about the carrier, I know I'd be better off swapping in the long run, I plan to, just not yet.

There is a difference. It's 3.73's and up that takes a different carrier because the gears are thicker.

you will need a new carrier for the front, the stock d35 one will work.

Carrier break for the 35 is 3.55 and lower (numerically higher so 4.88s would work) and 3.23 and higher (numerically lower).