Broken spider and side gears / rear disc conversion

Vehicle info:
95, D35, open, ABS, 3.07 gears, manual NP231, 33s

Had some binding and clunking coming from rear end. Found a couple teeth in the diff. Looks like I broke off a spider gear tooth and a side gear tooth along with messing up a few near them.

Ring gear looks ok.

So, I'm planning to replace the spider and side gears, but got to thinking, a lunch box locker basically replaces what I am getting ready to replace ..... See where I am going?

Yes, I know that the 35 is a POS, but the rig gets wheeled 2x a year on a good year, and mostly moderate trails. Gets more street time than anything else.

Wanted to get thoughts on whether or not it was just plain stupid to lock the rear (figure I'm offsetting some cost by not replacing the busted gears), or maybe go ahead and lock the D30 up front instead.

Also, planning to do the rear disc conversion as long I had the shafts out. Anybody have experience with the set from crown automotive?

Thanks

Don't put a dime in a D35, even wheeling 2 times a year it will suck when it breaks. Personally seen 3 D35s break on 33s and under.

I have seen like 5 or 6 D35's brake a shaft on the highway...


don't waste the money putting a lunchbox in.

Thanks for the responses.

Based on above (and everything else I have read), doing anything to the 35 is a waste. Was wondering if I was in some small select group where locking a D35 might work ... Guess not.

I have an 8.25 in the garage, but the gears don't match what is in the D30 and I'm not looking to regear yet (but really want/need to, I want 5th gear back!).

Maybe I'll just do the spider gears for now ....

Perhaps a junkyard 8 1/4 from a '97 or later (29 spline) with the same gearing you have would be the cheapest alternative?

David Bricker / SYR

Around here 8.25s go for 50-100$ complete drum to drum.
Just saying, slap a lunchbox and have a 10x better axle.. even with a 27spline one

for the cost of a lunchbox you should be able to score a set of stock axles with 3.55s in them already. that would make enough difference with your 33s to make it cost-effective.
your spider gears probably gave up the ghost as a red flag that 33s on 3.07s in a D35 just isnt the right equation.
new spiders in the very least. a lunchbox in the rear on a 5 spd gets a bit annoying and "quirky" in day to day driving.

Looking to replace the spider gears for now. I've had the 33s for a while but the rig does not get too many miles put on it these days. Also going to do a rear disc conversion that works on the 35 as well as the 8.25 I have. Spider gears get me back on the road for now and then I can work out a plan to swap the 8.25 in the future.

How can I determine the gears I have in the 8.25? Are they marked somewhere visible while installed? Quick glance earlier, I did not see anything.

Took a closer look at the 8.25. Amazing whatyou can see when you have some light. Found the following on the ring gear

2068826 3 55 08 18 99

I'm assuming the 3 55 is the gear ratio. But more interesting is the 08 18 99 ... is that a date stamp? Could this be a 8.25/gears from a 99 meaning 29 spline shafts? I'll pull them to confirm this weekend, but i'm hoping I may be lucky here.

As stated before, I only wheel it maybe 2x a year on moderate trails. Its a 5 speed manual. Is it worth it to swap the axles with ones with 3.55 gears? How much better is that than 3.07s? Is it even worth it to consider swapping the D30 with one from the JY that has 3.55 in it in place of the 3.07s I have now?

Last question ... when you spin the yoke on the axle (sitting on some jack stands right now), should both axles turn? Only 1 turns on the 8.25 I have right now and that just doesnt seem right.

The 8.25 is used in bunch of cars and trucks, and has been for a very very long time. When they produce the ring gears, they don't know what vehicle they are going to, less how many splines the axle would be. That would be like somebody in a factory grating cheese and marking that its for use with a pepperoni pizza.

Best to count the splines.

Determined the shafts in the 8.25 are 29 spline, so that was good news. Really starting to like the idea of going with the 8.25 and picking up a d30 geared to match at 3.55. Based on another post, 3.55 is not sounding too bad to get closer to stock gearing...

Current tire size/new tire size =current gear ratio/new gear

27.7" / 33 = 3.07 / new ratio = 3.65
28.3 / 33 = 3.07 / new ratio = 3.57

So based in 215/75R15 or 225/75R15 as my starting point, 3.55 is not too bad.

i think it's a step in the right direction. better axles and slightly better gears are a good way to keep it on a budget, and the D35 obviously didnt hold up to what little work you put it thru.

Yep - find a 3.55 front end & swap them both in.
Replace the spider gears if you need to do so before you can get the 3.55 Dana 30.
Dana 35s... you find a variety of opinions on them (some people defend them, usually after they've spent money on one) but my buddy had one in his TJ... it totally failed on highway & bound up hard. Transmission was collateral damage.
Why even mess with a POS like that when you've got an 8.25 in the garage?

dude grab a 3.55d30 from someone on . they are usually free, or under 50$ if not. You'll love the deeper gearing and stronger rear axle.

when I went to my first axle swap bought 3.55 axles and it makes a big defference you like it.