D35 to 8.25 swap questions

1. what size u-bolts will I need?
2. Will the plates the u-bolts go through to hold the leaves to the D35 work with the 8.25?
3. any random advice?

Hmmm... .that's all for now. This is my 'project within a project' thread, lol.
-Matt

ones meant for a 3" tube

the D35 plates will work fine

what year rig are you swapping this into?

Make sure you get the 29spline 8.25

1990JEEPXJ said:

the D35 plates will work fine

Click to expand...

have you tried or just speculating. Just curious. When I took out my D35 and put in the 8.25 in my current rig that was not the case. The plates where not the same. So get the plates from the 8.25

My 94-96 parts catalog shows only one option for the spring plates. Still, when you're buying the axle just tie the spring plates onto it with wire or something and they won't charge you any different, might as well have a spare set on hand in case yours are rusted out too much to use or something, can always use spares.

magimerlin said:

have you tried or just speculating. Just curious. When I took out my D35 and put in the 8.25 in my current rig that was not the case. The plates where not the same. So get the plates from the 8.25

Click to expand...

This is what I was wondering...:doh:

my XJ is a 96, donor XJ is a 98

magimerlin said:

have you tried or just speculating. Just curious. When I took out my D35 and put in the 8.25 in my current rig that was not the case. The plates where not the same. So get the plates from the 8.25

Click to expand...

sorry, youre right. i did do the swap on my XJ but i forgot i used DPG adjustable bumpstops that double as the u-bolt plates. i apologize for the bad info.

I had to change my spring plates when I went from my 89 D35 to a 99 8.25. I ordered some heavy duty ones from Rustys since mine were rusted and one was bent anyway. The other thing you need to check is the t-bracket for the rear brakes. On my 89 the bracket was only for the brakes and the axle vent line was separate so it was a very small hole in the axle tube. The 8.25 has a bracket that also has the vent tube running through it so it is much larger round. I had to pull one from the junkyard since the 8.25 axle I purchased didn't have that bracket on it and the one from my D35 wouldn't fit.

cool... now onto the work part... any tips for doing this solo? I do have some stock jeep wheels/tires to move the axles around a lot easier...

You'll want jackstands (obviously.) Other than that it's pretty easy - you need new u-bolts anyways so that hardware should be nice and easy to work on, just chop the old bolts with an angle grinder or sawzall.

Jack the sucker up till the axle is hanging in the air, disconnect rubber brake line and cap off, disconnect e-brake cables, make use of your 5/16 deep socket and remove the u-joint from the pinion yoke, pull the lower ends of the shocks off the axle, cut the U-bolts, roll the old axle out. Remove your rear sway bar at this point because they're annoying to reconnect and pretty worthless. Roll the new axle in, put the U-bolts on, reconnect all other hardware, tighten everything down, replace your brake hardlines on the rear axle, bleed brakes, lower, drive a hundred miles, retorque U-bolts.