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Dana 35C Weakness

AJ-MJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hopewell, Va
I have a 1990 MJ 4L with a 5 speed. I have lifted it and have 33X12.50s.
Everything that I have read is bad about the rear drive. I getting ready to install gears and am concerned about investing in the dana 35.

My questions surround why is the 35 weak?

How does it fail?

When it does fail what happens?

Then what are my options? What do I need? Since I did a SOA lift for the rear what axles would be the simlpest to install? Will a ZJ with disc brakes fit?

I assume the dana 44 from a XJ is the simplest solution. Will the drive shaft have to changed?

Seems like a money pit to me!!! :shhh:
 
MJ D44 would be easy swap, other good options are the 8.8 out of an exploder (disk breaks, factory Limited Slip in some, 4.10 gears in some)

94+ should be correct, and with the 5 speed in the MJ 4.10 gears and 33" tires should set you up nice and purdy!

smile! Jesus Loves you!:D
 
The spider gears blew out on mine. I think there where maybe 3 teeth left on all 4 of the gears, the rest where sitting in the bottom of the diff. This happened when I was on the street leaving a stop sign with stock 3.55s and my 4.0L. I wonder what the insides would have looked like if I had blown it up with my 4.6L stroker:D

AARON
 
think of this though, an MJ is VERY light in the rear, and the rear axle doesn't really see that much stress.

I blew up 5 or 6 d35s under the back of my XJ, but I have yet to hurt the 4.10 geared D35 under my MJ (33x12.50s). I'm not easy on it either, hell, I sheared the splines off the passenger side front axle, broke a few front u-joints but I haven't had to do ANYTHING to the d35 back there.

but I'm runnin the 33's at stock height, spring under.
 
Everything I have ever read suggests that the weakness of the D35c is the smaller pinion and ring gear (7 9/16" ring).

The axle tubes are small and prone to flexing. The only saving grace of the older D35 is the fact it's non Cclipped, but that's not enough comfort.

If you plan on spending any money on that axle, truss the hell out of it and that will help a lot.
 
What Mr shoe boy said, i alo shreaded the spider and side gears with 29" tires chained up in two feet of snow.
It was a long rescue and i wasn't too impressed.
I ditched the 35 for a d44 right after that.
 
i blew up the spiders completely with 31's and a 4 cyl.
everyone always said it wouldn't break behind the 4 cyl, and i wasn't even hard on it. i humped one rock and BOOM! i drove it home with like three teeth, it was interesting to say the least
 
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