Buying a used rear end. What to look for....

I'm either going to rebuild my d35 or source a d44 or 8.25 used.
It lookes like unless I find a rear end already in excellent working order that I'll end up spending the same to rebuild mine or the new one so I'd like to know what to look for.
Hopefully if I know what to look for, I'll luck out with a good used rear and use the moey I would use for a rebuild for a locker or TAD of some kind.
How do I tell what issues it may have with it just sitting there?

Kinda hard to tell, just sitting there. At a minimum, take a magnet with you and pull the dif cover. Let the fluid drain out over the magnet. If the fluid is really nasty, milky, or you get chunks sticking to the magnet - pass on that axle. If they won't let you pull the cover - pass.(might take your own drain pan too, just to have it there.)

If they won't let you pull the diff cover, you can bring one of the telescoping magnets and poke around in the fluid by pulling the fill plug and see what comes up. Or bring a syphon kit and drain some fluid that way.

Most D44s you will come across are in fine condition. That is a tough axle. I'd go that route in a heartbeat, if I were you. Deals can be found all day long. Believe I picked mine up for a hundred bucks.

I read somewhere that I can still have ABS with a 44. Is there much fab involved or pretty much plug n play?

Fab required, not close to plug-and-play. There is a thread on here somewhere that shows how to do it.

You don't say what you're putting the axle under, but around here (Montana) D44's are rare/expensive. The C8.25 is a good axle and a bolt-in. I'd do one in a flash if the gear ratio matches your front. This is important...unless you plan to re-gear..finding a rear end that matches your existing front ratio.

I went the Ford 8.8 route, but that is more involved than finding a C8.25 that matches.

rebuilding a 35 is not hard if it's just pinion and carrier bearings which it would usually be (I also did the outer shaft bearings and seals) - as long as the axle shaft bearing surface is not deeply grooved in which case new or good used shafts would be in order. I did mine last week in my garage. Had some problems but that was related to getting a bad part in the rebuild kit (wonky crush sleeve)

I had a shaft on one side that was grooved and went to swap it with one of the parts XJs in the barn only to find that it had an 8.25 instead of the 35 I thought it had so I needed to source one at the local jeep club.

The 8.25 had more F'd up bearings than my 35 so in hindsight I could have rebuilt IT and swapped it in, but I am happy with my results none the less .

rebuilding a d35... not hard... but quite stupid.

ANY money spent on a d35, is money spent stupidly.

stupid stupid stupid.

xcm said:

rebuilding a d35... not hard... but quite stupid.

ANY money spent on a d35, is money spent stupidly.

stupid stupid stupid.

Click to expand...

^that...and I would know...:tears:

This should give you a rough idea.

GL

So, what's a good price for a 29 spline 8.25?
I'm in Portland OR fwiw.