Hello everyone, I have recently purchased a 89 xj and the po welded the rear end, I can't stand this. What I would like to do for now is just replace the carrier and gears. I have tried to find a donor axle but everything I find is like $200 and if I'm gonna spend that I might look at other optons. Question is what are those options? I'm running the stock d35 with 3:55's. Cant I put lower gears in that housing or maybe an air locker? I'm not sure what direction to go. By the way I am lifted with 35's. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

my jeeps got 36s and front and rear are welded i cant stand it!

 

I suggest finding a new axle unless you're gonna step down to 31s. That D35 is already unhappy about the Lincoln locked rear and they really just don't like to be abused at all. Upgrade to a 29 spline 8.25, waggy d44, or if you can fab, any 44 or ford 8.8. Not worth it spending money on a turdy five

 

x2 on what hopper said. I have a few d35 you can have if you come get them and buy me a beer or two lol dang things are terrible paper weights

 

I just had this problem with a cr 8.25. The po had a new set of 4.10s installed then welded it . I got them on a parts heep . It took me 8 hrs of grinding with a di grinder and 5 rotary files! Not a fun thing to do on a friday night. luckily i had removed the axle before i started, I have a lock rite now but jeep isnt on the road yet

 

You need a new carrier to go lower gears anyway. Best route would be to swap to ANY other axel. You could do a full carrier locker, but locker are NOT advised with a D35 and a tire bigger than 33".

 

I'm running D35 and D30 I'm running a Detroit locker in my D35 and it runs great. I abuse my XJ offroad multiple times a week and it holds up great. Being I have upgraded my axle shafts to stronger shafts and put a locker in mine runs perfect and I have yet to break anything.
If you are looking to save some money doing it you can swap out the pumpkin and spider gears and it would be much cheaper then buying a whole new upgraded axle. If you don't mind the money I would get a Dana 44 being you have a lot of options with Dana 44. JMO

 

Carrier break for the 35 is 3.55 so that carrier is good down to 4.88s but new ones are cheap if you don't like the welded one.

 

So I could go down to 4:88s in that housing?

 

So I could go down to 4:88s in that housing?

 

Yes but the front would need to be swapped out because the break for a 30 is 3.55 and up and 3.73 and down.

 

Corrected it for ya! I know what you meant to say but it sounds wrong when put that way. Carrier for Dana 30 is 3.55 and numerically lower on one and 3.73 and numerically higher on the other.

 

I realize that but said it the way most people understand it.