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dana 35 to Chrysler 8.25 swap questions

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dfjeepster

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cranford, NJ
My Dana 35 is going in my 97 and I was checking out an 87 Dana 44 to swap over but have also found a 99 8.25 which should have the 29 spline shafts. I am running 33x10.5s so it should be strong enough and discs are an easy swap but from what I have read I have a few questions. I have about 3-3.5" of lift and am running an Iron Rock Hack and Tap with a stock XJ front shaft, this should still be okay with the longer pinion of an 8.25, right? Also I believe the tubes are bigger so I will need the 8.25 u bolt plates and u bolts as well, right? or can the D35 u bolt plates be drilled out to work? Also I think I read the 8.25 uses a 1330 series u joint, is this correct as my D35 uses a 1310 so I would need to run a conversion u joint on my rear shaft or can I swap the yoke over from the D35 to the 8.25? The brakes on the 8.25 and D35 are the same right so I can swap over parts if I get an 8.25 without brakes I can use my D35 stuff till I get the parts for a disc swap. And yes I have searched and can't find exact answers to all these questions so any help would be great as I need to get a rear ASAP.
 
When I swapped out my D35 for a 8.25 the only items I changed were the axle and u-bolts. I went with disc brakes and had to open up the bracket hole a bit. You may need to do this with your drum brake backing plates as well.
 
The 8.25 uses the 1310 joint. The 8.25 axle places the pinion yoke about an inch closer to the transfer case then the D-35. To be honest I don't know that your current DS will work at full compression. It'll bolt up ok, and you can drive around on it. That said, you might want to check the compressed length of the shaft against the actual measurement at full stuff(both springs up against the bump stops) It's a bit of a pain to do, but it's a irritating, expensive mistake to make if the shaft turns out to be 1/2" too long. You find out the hard way when you're stuck out in the woods broken and need a new transfer case

Edit: All of the brake parts except the backing plates are interchangeable. As mentioned, the D-35 backing plates have slightly smaller center holes. They can be enlarged with a drum sander.
 
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dfjeepster said:
My Dana 35 is going in my 97 and I was checking out an 87 Dana 44 to swap over but have also found a 99 8.25 which should have the 29 spline shafts. I am running 33x10.5s so it should be strong enough and discs are an easy swap but from what I have read I have a few questions. I have about 3-3.5" of lift and am running an Iron Rock Hack and Tap with a stock XJ front shaft, this should still be okay with the longer pinion of an 8.25, right? Also I believe the tubes are bigger so I will need the 8.25 u bolt plates and u bolts as well, right? or can the D35 u bolt plates be drilled out to work? Also I think I read the 8.25 uses a 1330 series u joint, is this correct as my D35 uses a 1310 so I would need to run a conversion u joint on my rear shaft or can I swap the yoke over from the D35 to the 8.25? The brakes on the 8.25 and D35 are the same right so I can swap over parts if I get an 8.25 without brakes I can use my D35 stuff till I get the parts for a disc swap. And yes I have searched and can't find exact answers to all these questions so any help would be great as I need to get a rear ASAP.
Click to expand...


U-bolt plates will work with the D-35 or the 8.25/D-44 due to the elongated holes that are in it so you will be ok there. Both D-35 shafts and 8.25/D-44 shafts use the same U-joints, so does all of the front drive shafts. You will need U-bolts that will work with the larger 8.25 tubes, 3" is what I use.

I'm running 35's on a 8.25/29 spline with Aussie locker/4.88's and Yukon shafts, no problems.

I'm also running a Advance Adapters HD SYE and stock XJ front shaft with no issues and I carry another front shaft as a spare that could be used front or rear if needed
 
I too am about to do this swap, I'm doing mine in a 90 xj. all i been told to do is throw that bad boy under there and then pull my ABS fuse, i have not heard anything about changing out u joints or nothing, Maybe its due to the fact i am don't have any SYE yet...... I just also found out last night i can use my TURDY FIVE u bolts on my new 8.25 so that's what i am gonna do. other than that looks like a pretty simple swap.
 
Thanks for the replies, I will pick up some new u bolts either way and definitely measure my shaft to see if it will be too long at compression. Just looking at it I think it will be okay, and they sell the kit as fitting both rears so hopefully it will be okay when I measure it up. Good to know about the u joint size and u bolt plates, I dont know where I read the 8.25 used a 1330 joint but it didnt make sense to me so its good to know it doesn't. My only issue then should be the ABS which I can hopefully just pull the underhood fuse on. Now I just gotta get a 8.25 rear with 3.55s for a decent price...
 
No, do not pull the fuse under the hood as that will stop it from working all togeather. you need to pull the under the dash fuse and then if the ABS light bothers you then you gotta pull the light out. By pulling the under dash fuse you will still have "power breaking" just not full on ABS.
 
tbburg said:
Edit: All of the brake parts except the backing plates are interchangeable. As mentioned, the D-35 backing plates have slightly smaller center holes. They can be enlarged with a drum sander.
Click to expand...

I was able to swap over the whole drum brake backing plate assembly from 2 different D35's onto my 8.25 before I finally went to discs, FWIW, without any enlarging.
 
1990cherokeee said:
No, do not pull the fuse under the hood as that will stop it from working all togeather. you need to pull the under the dash fuse and then if the ABS light bothers you then you gotta pull the light out. By pulling the under dash fuse you will still have "power breaking" just not full on ABS.
Click to expand...

If you have the 1990 XJ your ABS system is the Bendix POS. I'm not sure that if you disable the ABS you will be killing the whole power brake system.
 
I've got the fab skills (swapped a few 8.8s under YJs) I just dont have the time or money right now. Its my DD and I just need a cheaper stronger rear to get under it as quick as I can.
 
1990cherokeee said:
No, do not pull the fuse under the hood as that will stop it from working all togeather.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. More:

The earlier Bendix ABS system (used up until about 1991-2 or so IIRC) will leave you without brakes if the fuses are pulled - basically, there's no backup for the system if the accumulator loses power, hence no pressure in the hydraulics and no brakes.

If you have the later Chrysler system and it loses power, this isn't the case. I've had the ABS solenoid and motor fuses pulled at the PDC on my 2000 for the last couple of years (wasn't able to get tone rings off of a D35 to convert my D44 to ABS) and it works without issue. FWIW, if you do do this, you may want to pull the ABS relay as well to turn off the ABS light on the dash.

He's in a '97 so should be OK to pull the PDC fuses and relay, but I would strongly advise testing it in a controlled environment (i.e., empty parking lot on a Sunday) to make sure that everything is working as it should be with the ABS disabled. What worked on my 2000 may not necessarily apply in his case due to unforeseen circumstances, and I'd really rather not see him find out the hard way that his XJ was the exception to the rule.
 
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casm said:
Not exactly. More:

The earlier Bendix ABS system (used up until about 1991-2 or so IIRC) will leave you without brakes if the fuses are pulled - basically, there's no backup for the system if the accumulator loses power, hence no pressure in the hydraulics and no brakes.

If you have the later Chrysler system and it loses power, this isn't the case. I've had the ABS solenoid and motor fuses pulled at the PDC on my 2000 for the last couple of years (wasn't able to get tone rings off of a D35 to convert my D44 to ABS) and it works without issue. FWIW, if you do do this, you may want to pull the ABS relay as well to turn off the ABS light on the dash.

He's in a '97 so should be OK to pull the PDC fuses and relay, but I would strongly advise testing it in a controlled environment (i.e., empty parking lot on a Sunday) to make sure that everything is working as it should be with the ABS disabled. What worked on my 2000 may not necessarily apply in his case due to unforeseen circumstances, and I'd really rather not see him find out the hard way that his XJ was the exception to the rule.
Click to expand...

my mistake didnt go into detail per year. the above is correct. if you have the POS ABS then just pull the fuse under dash HAHA
 
Okay got an update, did the swap this morning. Got new u bolts, the stock u bolt plates work fine, driveshaft bolted right up, same size u joint, I am at 3.5" lift and my shaft may be a bit long (hack and tap with a stock front shaft in the rear) I will flex it out tomorrow to check for sure... the brakes are the same between the Dana 35 and 8.25 which is good cause the ones on teh 8.25 I got were rusted completely. All in all it was pretty much an easy bolt in swap except for a few issues I had like broken centerpins in the springs and the rusted up brakes but its nice knowing there is some beef back there now and I plan on swapping to discs to increase my stopping power in the near future but for now I had to get back on the road.
 
Yes your year you can do that. Mine as its early years cant do that i just remove underdash fuse and pull light out. Congrats on the swap will be doing mine next weekend after i do my gears
 
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