D35 to Chry 8.25 Swap Questions

Picked up a used 8.25 with ebrake cables and brake lines in tact at the Boneyard yesterday and want to have all my duckies in a row before I start the swap. I was unable to snag the driveshaft from the jeep since it was missing already.

Question #1
Will I need the driveshaft for the 8.25?

In my past experences with swaping diffs I like to pull the cover, remove the c-clips, pull the axles, remove the backing plates and leave them along with all the brakes hanging from the wheel openings by coathangers. This keeps me from having to bleed the hyd system, and gives you opertunity to replace the axle seals, and use the already good brakes the was on the car.(jeep) This is especially a concern since one of the drums has been off this 8.25 for awhile and the brakes look like poopie.

Question #2
Will the backing plates and brakes from my D35 bolt up to the 8.25?

I did get the u-bolts, nuts and the plates that mounted the 8.25 to the leaf springs.

Question #3
Will I need to use these or will the ones from the D35 work?

Question #4
Is there anything that I may have overlooked that I need to do?

Thanks for all replies....Al

Big_Al said:

Picked up a used 8.25 with ebrake cables and brake lines in tact at the Boneyard yesterday and want to have all my duckies in a row before I start the swap. I was unable to snag the driveshaft from the jeep since it was missing already.

Question #1
Will I need the driveshaft for the 8.25?

In my past experences with swaping diffs I like to pull the cover, remove the c-clips, pull the axles, remove the backing plates and leave them along with all the brakes hanging from the wheel openings by coathangers. This keeps me from having to bleed the hyd system, and gives you opertunity to replace the axle seals, and use the already good brakes the was on the car.(jeep) This is especially a concern since one of the drums has been off this 8.25 for awhile and the brakes look like poopie.

Question #2
Will the backing plates and brakes from my D35 bolt up to the 8.25?

I did get the u-bolts, nuts and the plates that mounted the 8.25 to the leaf springs.

Question #3
Will I need to use these or will the ones from the D35 work?

Question #4
Is there anything that I may have overlooked that I need to do?

Thanks for all replies....Al

Click to expand...

Question 1) Yes most likely, if its a 90 or earlier you may be able to get by with the D-35 shaft if you have any lift, I was able to use the D-35 shaft on my 90 w/8.25 and 2"lift

Question 2) No not without some modification, just swap all of your stuff to the 8.25 plates.

Question 3) You will need some new "U" bolts, the 8.25 axle tube is 3" and the D-35 is 2.5". You should just get new "U" bolts. Most spring shops can make them for you. The "U" bolt plates will work with either axle.

Question 4) Just some new straps for the DS u-joints at the axle end, I think thats all.

This might be redundant but:

Does the 8.25 have the same gear ratio as the D-35? The deciding factor will usually be transmission and engine.
Automatic: 3.55
Standard: 3.07
All 4cyl: 4.10
Also, there were less common package options that may have 3.73 gears.

Drive shaft. The equivalent DS for an 8.25 is about 2"shorter then the DS for a D-35. 8.25's pinion snout is longer. Don't try to drive around with the d-35s shaft at stock lift height. It will probably install ok, and drive around ok, but it will bottom out when you hit a big bump. Could break the Xfer. case or separate the transmission mount.

On the brakes: How hard is it to bleed them? You can disassemble/reassemble an axle faster then you can get the air out of a system?
Just disconnect the flex line at the body hard line and wrap electrical tape or duct tape around the fitting to keep fluid from leaking out. After the new axle is in, install a new(probably should replace the flex line if it's old)flex line from a YJ(couple inches longer,help when you lift it)Set a bowl or catch pan under the wheel cylinders, open the bleeders, and start pouring fluid in the master cylinder. 95% of the air will drain out of a conventional system. ABS is a little harder, but if you are installing an 8.25, I'm assuming you don't have ABS.

How do you remove the abs?

EvanH said:

How do you remove the abs?

Click to expand...

Search:hasta covered a lot here

Never messed with Jeep ABS, but:
You probably need a new(non abs) proportioning valve. Run new hard lines to the proportion valve. Run new hard lines from the valve to the Master cylinder. Remove all the excess ABS crap. The sensors at the wheels can stay.