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Differentials?

K

kevinde1

NAXJA Forum User
Location
OKC, OK
I have an 89 cherokee and I was wondering what differentials from other jeep models or non-jeep models will bolt right in with out modification? I'm going to the bone yard this weekend to find a replacement. My Dana 35 went south on me today, the axel came out of the differential along with the tire and brake drum.
 
dana 35 -doesnt matter, you dont want one-
dana 44 -87-88?- xj with tow package- apple on side shaped cover
chryco 8.25 91-01 jeep cherokee, you want the 86-87+ 29 spline. round bolt holes, cover looks 'stamped'. rhino horns on front above pinion.

THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES. everything else needs new spring perches and/or shock mounts, ie welding. the 8.25 is a good axle in 29 spline, i was impressed on tubing thickness and build quality (except shock mount welds) of the 8.25 versus the highly accredited, but getting rarer everyday at the yards.


what broke? sounds like an axle shaft... might want to look and see if its only the axle shaft. on a c-clip axle, thats all that holds the wheel/drum/shaft in place. d35's came in c-clip and non-c-clip.
 
Last edited:
I'm not sure what broke I haven't got to look at it yet I got it towed to the house and had to jump in the car and go to work, but I think its the non-C clip dana 35. So basically for a straight bolt in differential I have to stick with the xj? I was hoping the mj or cj would bolt in. I found a good deal for a dana44 but he didn't specify what jeep it was from thinking it was a cj though.
 
MJ and CJ are both spring-under, and a 44 from a CJ may be a narrow track as well

29 spline 8.25 is going to be your best bet
 
xcm meant the '96-'97+ 29 spline 8.25 axle. '96 is a mix year, the only way to figure out is to pull the shafts for that year.
 
Really any 8.25 will be a big improvement over the 35. If you get a 27 spline axle, there's nothing stopping you from converting it. When you buy alloys and a locker down the road, just buy 29 spline axles and a 29 spline locker.
 
yup, with anything but 35's+, the 29spl 8.25 is going to be a great swap... and theres A LOT more xj 8.25's, than mj or cj stuff.... when was the last cj made? mid 80's? the last mj was 92.... that bush has been harvested, while the 8.25's are very much ripe for the pickin. xj's outnumber cj's and mj's, probably COMBINED.
 
I want to say the last year for CJ7 was 86. Had an 85 when I was a teenager and loved that thing. You point it and she goes there.

Matt
 
Decided to go to the junkyark today instead of this weekend and I found 2 of the 8.25's 27 and 29. I went with the bigger axle tube and the horns above the pinion. It had 160k on the jeep and was pretty clean no rust or oil dripping out, the 27 spline had 220k. It was $400 and $50 core. Seemed alittle steep but I don't know maybe thats the normal price. "XCM mentioned the welds on the shock mounts were not that good so I guess I'll have them reinforced before I put it in. Thanks for all the good information, made my trip alot easier since I new exactly what I was lookin for.
 
glad you got it all worked out... dont forget you'll need new u-bolts!

my comment on the shock mounts.... you must understand this comes from a prerunner guy... =) i wouldnt worry about it TOOO MUCH, if you do not have a welder. i definately wouldnt drag it along to someone just for that.... im just thinking outloud.
 
xcm said:
glad you got it all worked out... dont forget you'll need new u-bolts!

my comment on the shock mounts.... you must understand this comes from a prerunner guy... =) i wouldnt worry about it TOOO MUCH, if you do not have a welder. i definately wouldnt drag it along to someone just for that.... im just thinking outloud.
Click to expand...

They're really weak... I've ripped off both of my mounts now, one was rockcrawling and the other was just on a pretty mild trail... I'm now in the process of repairing mine and beefing them up.
 
Well put the rear differential in the cherokee and everything went ok except the emergency brake cables on the 96 model were just alittle to short for my 89 so i had to use the older ones.
 
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