Well, I wish I could find out what the factory specs are.

Thanks for all that advice guys. I think that's what I'm probably going to do. Just wait till I can find myself a great deal on Chrysler 8.25, and maybe add a disk brake setup off a liberty, if I find one at the junkyard. Then I will get it all put together and have it all bolted in at once. On another note I just had a "smack yourself in the forehead" aha moment. I have my Ford Ranger that I could just use for towing instead. Although I believe that the engine and transmission combo of the Jeep would have more power, the axles of my Ranger are simply stronger. I have a D-35 up front and a Ford 8.8 in the rear, which I am just going to assume has much more towing capacity to the d35 rear of my Jeep. So I just picked up a class 3 Hitch for my Ranger for about 35 bucks on craigslist and I'm going to have that attached to use whenever I need to have Towing done. The hookups for the trailer lights are already there because the truck came with a bumper hitch..

 

500lbs tongue weight and 5000lbs towing capacity

so in your case there shouldn't be a thought of "oh well it's a 6000lbs load, it should work" while you have a 35 under there

for your ranger specs, just look on google. try something like "*engine* *year* ford ranger tow capacity" so something like "1995 v6 ranger towing capacity" you'll find plenty of forum threads

 

Hmmmm, okay something's screwy here. I don't know if you have . . ... actually I do know, you did not see my earlier post, where I actually listed what the factory capacity of th Ford 8.8 axles were rated at. I got that off of website for Ford Rangers, where its listed Factory capacity specifications for the Ford 8.8 rear of an Explorer versus the 8.8 rear of the Ranger. Ford Rates the Ranger 8.8 axle at 2750lbs and the Explorer 8.8 axle at 3200lbs. So I am kind of confused if you're saying the D-35 has a 5000 lb rating, because I thought the Ford 8.8 in the Explorer was much stronger. So there's a head-scratcher for ya.

 

Trailer tow package 5000 lbs

No tow package 2000 lbs

You sure what you got for the ford axles isn't axle rating ??

Not the same as tow rating....a cummins powered 3500 can tow in excess of 26,000 lbs, but the rear axle ins't rated for that much weight.

My 97 3500 rear axle was rated for ~8000 lbs I think, but it was rated to tow well in excess of that.



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Are you sure it is Not the axle rating ?
I am not sure how to answer you. I posted a link to information in the axels I was discussing; you have the same information that I do on it. I'm not holding any information back from you.
Unless you meant to say that you're not sure if that is axle rating or tow rating?
Tow rating is the number calculated from not just the axle rating, but of the entire vehicles towing components. Which include the drivetrain components with any types of systems added, i.e. factory Tow package, or other upgrades that would impact the rating. Again that's for the entire vehicle tow rating. ....

 

The reason the dana 35 is weak is the design of it,If you put a locker in it or run 33s or bigger your gonna break a axle shaft or the axle tube off the center.If you keep the jeep bone stock with stock size tires and not off road it the dana 35 is fine for stock.As far as towing depends the weight and size of what your towing.I wouldn't tow much with a xj because its short wheel base,Which ranger do you have it is a ext cab or long bed ?And being a 4x4 ranger it probably can out tow a xj.

 

Now it's interesting that you asked whether it was a long bed or extended cab, because they are both the same frame. Even though the extended cab has the short 6 foot bed its overall length is exact same as a long bed because the long bed never came with an extended cab so yeah. I have the XLT Extended Cab with 6 foot bed not the single cab short bed which is shorter. My Rangers a 93 XLT with the V6 4 liter. All the 4.0L 4x4's came with the Dana 35 upfront and a Ford 8.8 in the rear. A slightly smaller 8.8 then the one that was put in the Explorer. The difference is all explained in that link that I provided earlier in another post.

But thank you very much for the opinion. I tend to agree with what you said now. I also believe that the ranger would definitely out tow the '88 Jeep in stock form right now. I do believe that with some modifications to my Jeep it would out tow the Ranger. I'm just wondering which vehicle wood be better to tow with, especially if I invest a little bit of money and do some minor modifications. For instance, do I upgrade the brakes and rear of the Ranger or do I put the new axle and Brakes in the back of the Jeep?. But I realize now that I should probably just use the ranger to tow for now and just fix the springs on the other Jeep and get it in driving condition again. Worry about the axles that are later date. I just got an email the other day from somebody that wants to sell me a pair of stock springs for my Jeep at $125. So I will buy those and just install them clean up the rear axle that I got, paint it and put everything back.

I need to ad an aux trans fluid cooler (which I already have) and buy some spring helpers for now. That should be enough for now but will ask my questions about the Ranger and stuff for towing in my ranger form that I belong to, so I don't bother anybody here.

 

I was asking if the numbers from ford (I didn't go to the website to check), were axle ratings vice tow ratings.

I know how tow ratings are generated.

The axle rating is for that 1 axle, the tow rating is for both axles combined, so in theory, if you had 2 axles rated for 2750 lbs each, the tow rating for the vehicle could be 5000+ lbs

If the ford axle rating for the ranger is 2500 lbs for the front, and 2800 for the rear lets say, then the tow rating could be 5000 lb too.


Not sure I agree with this, as I have been running lockers in my D35's for 10+ yrs now, and have yet to break either of the components you claim will break. I do run 31's, but I am not always easy on it (power braking from time to time on concrete or intentionally chirping the tires in a turn).

But I do have bigger & better axles waiting for when I step up to 35's.



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I truly appreciate everyone's response and taking the time, trying to help me. Thank you very much for your efforts thus far, but I don't require any further assistance . I reached a decision on what I am going to do.

 

Your jeep is 177hp and 224 foot pounds,The ranger if i remember right is 207hp and 238 foot pounds,But the ranger and xj are not that far off in weight also.

 

Danny74, depending precisely where you are in NY state, it may be worth picking up this 8.25 I have, yours free if it want it. Well, may be a box of beer.....

 

Well that is so damn nice of you to offer, thank you very much. However I am in Orange County New York. In the southern part of the Hudson Valley area. I see that you're in Canada. I'm not quite sure where Ontario is but it's not close. I got to admit, it sounds like it would be a nice road trip if I could do it. I have the time, not so much the money.
Hey, why don't you hold on to it for me and maybe when I have this Cherokee all road worthy again, hopefully by this coming spring, I can drive it up there and maybe you can help me do the swap.
But that'll deserve more than just a box, I'll have to get a keg of Lebats. Hahaha ;-)

 

Sure, you got a deal. Everyone needs a vacation. Make a trip out of it.