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Rear Axle Advice

C

chuck2000xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Ft Leavenworth, KS
Ok so I have been doing A LOT of reading but I'm looking for some advice. I recently put on some 33's on my '00 XJ with stock D35 rear. I understand a lot of people have had problems with it, and I am trying to avoid this as well, but money is real tight. What would be my best bet for a rear axle swap that would give me the most bang for my buck (including any gear swapping)? Thanks for yor help.

Chuck
 
chuck2000xj said:
Ok so I have been doing A LOT of reading but I'm looking for some advice. I recently put on some 33's on my '00 XJ with stock D35 rear. I understand a lot of people have had problems with it, and I am trying to avoid this as well, but money is real tight. What would be my best bet for a rear axle swap that would give me the most bang for my buck (including any gear swapping)? Thanks for yor help.

Chuck
Click to expand...

chrysler 8.25
 
Do you have ABS? If so, you're pretty much stuck with that axle if you have no fab abilities as far as I know. Someone has done an ABS swap on a D44 out of an XJ, never heard of one done to an 8.25 though (unless people have swapped in KJ axles, but that would required welding perches/mounts).

If you don't have ABS, grab a 97+ 8.25. Guaranteed to have 29 splines (96 is a bastard year) and everything is beefier. Bolts in.
 
8.8 with disks and ditch the ABS. The ABS in mine almost got me killed when i first got my jeep. in my opinion ABS is for city people who cant drive and doesnt belong on a jeep or any off road vehicle.
 
Here is what I did for my 2001...and I have no fab skills either:

1. HP D30 front with factory 4.10s from 1986 XJ at boneyard...$70
2. Explorer 8.8 rear with factory 4.10s from late model Explorer at boneyard...$80
3. Paid to have 8.8 set up with shock mounts, spring perches, and brake lines...$100
4. New front drive shaft (because mine was BAD) at junkyard...$15.
5. New rear drive shaft with 8.8 flange...($20 total at JY) but I traded a 1.5" Teraflex lift for it
6. New U-joints for front drive shaft...$45
7. TRE at the draglink/pitman arm...$40
8. Labor to install....$10.00 worth of pizza and pop to some of my fellow NAXJAers

Total...(including random little things like fluids, and such)...about $375.

**Still need to do ZJ tie rod or tie rod ends...ZJ tie rod about $15 at the junk yard. And then an alignment....about $70 at 4WP. And eventually wheel spacers...about $200...although the street tires fit without them. Just have issues with my MTs.
 
chuck2000xj said:
I understand a lot of people have had problems with it
Chuck
Click to expand...

A lot of people have a lot of problems on here. I have been offroading a D35 in the rear with 33's, run a locked D30 in the front and haven't had a problem yet. (It is a DD too) It was setup that way when I bought it and I plan on replacing it, but figure I would wait till it is broken, which hasn't happened yet and I have had it a year.
 
keith_b00ne said:
A lot of people have a lot of problems on here. I have been offroading a D35 in the rear with 33's, run a locked D30 in the front and haven't had a problem yet. (It is a DD too) It was setup that way when I bought it and I plan on replacing it, but figure I would wait till it is broken, which hasn't happened yet and I have had it a year.
Click to expand...
Well, thats promising, but I dont have the best of luck. I did some moderate trails when I had 31's on and I didnt have a problem either. I have just heard/read that especially with 33's its bound to happen. I would just feel safer when my wife and kids are in the jeep if I had something stronger.
 
Last edited:
So....with that being said and knowing that money is tight....should I go with the 8.25 with 3:55 gearing if its not to difficult to find around here? I haven't called anywhere yet to see if I can find it.
 
i got my last xj with a locked d35 and i popped a shaft my crawling run in it. i mainly credit it to the fact i had 33s and 3.07 gears still and i tried to climb a rock i couldnt climb without a front locker, on the gas to much to not stall and found traction, boom...
 
If you can afford to re-gear (I finally did on 33's and man what a difference), then go with the 8.8 and HP 30 in a 4:10

If money is that tight, and you only want to ditch the D35, the 29spl 8.25 will also serve you well.

Either way, consider ditching the ABS, I doubt it was designed to handle 33's anyway
 
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