Gearing questions

Just purchased a 96 2dr with a 2.5L 2wd 5 speed. I know I have the D35 but does anybody know what gearing came standard? It is my daily driver and my lift ad tires are done but I am looking to make it a little more trail ready on a budget without a 4wd swap. What gearing/locker would ya'll recommend? Any need for a 44 for light wheeling?

I'm not sure I'd really try wheeling with only 2wd personally...

a d35 will be fine up to 31s, above that, you're likely to break it. a c8.25 will cost you $200 or less at a junkyard though, so if you're serious about this, wheel it till it breaks, bolt a c8.25 in, continue. Personally I would not spend money on gears and a locker for a dana 35, just gears or just a locker will cost you approximately the same as getting a better axle, i.e. getting parts to set up properly with a new axle+gears+locker will cost you 1.5x what setting a d35 up will cost, not including labor and random nuts/bolts/external stuff, and will last longer.

No idea on what gearing came standard, but almost anyone else here will probably know that off the top of their head.

EDIT: I'm not locked yet because I knew lockers were expensive. Didn't realize how expensive. It'll cost you 300-900 for a locker, from what I'm seeing, don't bother putting one in a d35 IMO.

I'm pretty sure all of the 2.5s have 4.10s.

I would not put money into a D35, however, having said that, you will certainly go further with a locked D35 than an open D35. If you must lock the D35, I recommend the Aussie Locker, $240 plus shipping on their website; $260 from Northridge 4x4 and they used to have free shipping.

I don't know how big of a tire you have put on there, and I don't know if I would be as concerned about the weakness of the D35 when pushed with a 2.5L, but they do have a bad tendency to blow up frequently on 4.0 XJs, especially when larger than stock tires are used.

As joe peters said.. at least most of them come with 4.10's, more likely with the newer ones. Some of the older ones came with 4.56's

ocskipper said:

Just purchased a 96 2dr with a 2.5L 2wd 5 speed. I know I have the D35 but does anybody know what gearing came standard? It is my daily driver and my lift and tires are done but I am looking to make it a little more trail ready on a budget without a 4wd swap. What gearing/locker would ya'll recommend? Any need for a 44 for light wheeling?

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Same as I have, even 2 door which wheels better. Unless you have ABS you probably have an 8.25 axle like I do. Depending on when in '96 yours made you either have (IF you have an 8.25) 27 or 29 splines, mine was made in Nov. '95 and I have a 27. The only way to be sure is pull an axle and count, BUT, with the 2.5 you shouldn't be able to break either. I added a PowerTrax about 20,000 miles ago and couldn't be happier. Yes there is a very occasional slight pop or click and the tires chirp if you give it to much power around tight corners, but you really have to work at getting it stuck. With the manual trans I would stay away from an Aussie Locker, they pop, click and unload much more without the cushion of an Auto trans. Spend the extra $100- on the PowerTrax.
Mine is shown above last winter in Yosemite and I did need chains to head up the hills, but I didn't slide around unless no one was looking . . .

Welcome to ,
Mike

ocskipper said:

What gearing/locker would ya'll recommend? Any need for a 44 for light wheeling?

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if your gonna sink locker/gear money into it, sink it into something that wont break, if you cant find a d44, get an 8.25 for cheap and lock that.

2wd locked can have lots of fun, just bring a tow strap and dont wheel alone.

not all wheeling = rock crawling

ocskipper said:

Just purchased a 96 2dr with a 2.5L 2wd 5 speed. I know I have the D35 but does anybody know what gearing came standard? It is my daily driver and my lift ad tires are done but I am looking to make it a little more trail ready on a budget without a 4wd swap. What gearing/locker would ya'll recommend? Any need for a 44 for light wheeling?

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Hey Scott, good to see you over here. Hope you still have the MJ. (?)