"Flipping a Dana 35"

I am reposting a post from a MJ yahoo group I belong to. Disclaimer for the person that wrote this- I DID NOT write this or come up with the idea! I am only interested in getting more feedback (as our yahoo group is small).

"I have a question: I was looking under my truck today, thinking and
dreaming up mods as I often do, and in looking at the rear Dana 35
axle and the way everything is configured on it, why couldn't I just
flip it over and make it a spring OVER axle with the only mod being
the rerouting of brake lines? By flipping it over, I mean taking it
off, and remounting it with the left hub on the right, and the right
hub on the left, with the drive shaft of course still facing forward,
and the leaf plates and shock mounts UPSIDE DOWN...Think about it:
The leaf spring plate is virtually level with the pavement. The
shock mounts to the inside SIDE of the bottom leaf plate. Here are
the only drawbacks, but with easy solutions, I can see to my little
scheme! First, the differential cover is not QUITE symetrical and
couldn't just be turned upside down to keep the filler hole in a
stock location: Solution= Remember to leave the gear oil level about
an inch below the filler hole. Second, the brake lines for that
silly valve thingy mount to welded brackets on the top of the axle:
Solution=Strap them to the top of the axle when flipped with either
banding, or some other creative means. Third, brake drums would be
upside down: Solution=Either leave them like that because the parking
brake cables would at least exit towards the front and should work
anyways, OR take off the backing plates and switch them around so
they face the right way, even if that means the drilling of new holes
in the backing plates (I can't remember if they are symetrical or
not). Forth, and this may be a big one with some, but is actually a
plus with me, the shock mounts would be above the axle as high as
they hang below it stock. To me this means more clearance and the
retention of the new expensive stock size shocks I just put on her.
To another, this may mean that they can't use longer travel shocks.
Solution: I have no idea beyond possibly welding a new mount down
lower or using some sort of a bracket extention, but that defeats the
purpose of doing this without welding or heavy mods. Any feedback?
Can anyone give me a reason why this won't work? I know the gears
will be equally well lubed, as they sit half submerged in the gear
oil anyways, so that's not an issue. The only thing that MAY end up
being an issue would be drive shaft length/angle, as, from looking at
everything under the truck, it appears that flipping the axle would
create about 6-8 inches of lift!!! FEEDBACK PLEASE!!! I'm all
excited about doing this, but if it can't be done, let me know, and
why not. Thanks!!!"

You better quit that group.

That mod will work fine if all you want to do is park the truck and look at it. Otherwise, the diff becomes a de facto high pinion but with no provision for getting lube to the pinion. Dunno just how far you could drive it like that, but probably not very far. High pinion diffs are specially designed to get lube to the pionion bearings.

Eagle said:

You better quit that group.

That mod will work fine if all you want to do is park the truck and look at it. Otherwise, the diff becomes a de facto high pinion but with no provision for getting lube to the pinion. Dunno just how far you could drive it like that, but probably not very far. High pinion diffs are specially designed to get lube to the pionion bearings.

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ahh, as in the XJ's dana 30's with hi pinion and reverse cut. interesting.

This would be a sweet mod if you had a marine motor that ran backwards. Then you could flip a Chevy pasenger side 44, and have high pinion diffs on both ends!

Pinion lubing would be the LEAST of your problems.

CRASH

also wouldnt it make the gears go backwards.. just my thought

edit..
hahaha crash barely beat me to it

You'd have to put it in reverse to go forward & in drive to go backward. Other than that it's a heck of an idea. You could do massive burn outs in 4wd though.

Matt

Instead of flipping it and doing all that work, just have new spring pads welded on the top of the axle and bolt it up, then you're done. Paying somebody to weld 2 spring pads on the top of an axle can't be that big of a deal (I'm assuming here that you don't do your own welding, otherwise you wouldn't be asking this question.)

I want to see some pictures when this one is done. Video if it actually makes it to the street.

FarmerMatt said:

You'd have to put it in reverse to go forward & in drive to go backward. Other than that it's a heck of an idea. You could do massive burn outs in 4wd though.

Matt

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Actually I saw a guy at tellico in a buggy with a "hi" pinion eaton....he ran the motor in the rear and an auto coupled with a manual he had crazy ranges for each gear...but it worked ,chain drive rear axle and all. 140" wheel base on 44's. some really heavy duty ,east coast style, redneck engineering...

silly valve thingy

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The fact that these words were included at all in your question tells me that you should sell your 4x4 and buy a riced out vw bug..... :scared:

Eagle said:

You better quit that group.

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Hey now, that's a bit uncalled for. We politely explained the error of his plans just like you guys did. Not everyone has a mechanically-inclined head, and asking is how you gain knowledge. Besides, reading the wacky theories of marine blocks and funky 4wd burnouts has totally been worth it.
Jeep on!
--Pete

MC-92 said:

The fact that these words were included at all in your question tells me that you should sell your 4x4 and buy a riced out vw bug..... :scared:

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Give the guy a break. He clearly stated that this isn't his MJ. Appearently, not everyone is as mechanically inclined as you. I remember being the same way back when I was 15.(not that this other guy is)

Okie Terry said:

Give the guy a break. He clearly stated that this isn't his MJ. Appearently, not everyone is as mechanically inclined as you. I remember being the same way back when I was 15.(not that this other guy is)

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you are correct... I forgot that that he posted someone else's question...

I respectfully appologize...... :angel:

Remember- I did not write the original idea!

However, the vw bug thing gives me an idea. I may rip my engine out and throw an air cooled Porshe panacake six cylinder in the bed of my MJ over the rear wheels...hopefully then I could pop wheelies! :roflmao:

prljeep said:

Remember- I did not write the original idea!

However, the vw bug thing gives me an idea. I may rip my engine out and throw an air cooled Porshe panacake six cylinder in the bed of my MJ over the rear wheels...hopefully then I could pop wheelies! :roflmao:

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now that idea is cool...

prljeep said:

Remember- I did not write the original idea!

However, the vw bug thing gives me an idea. I may rip my engine out and throw an air cooled Porshe panacake six cylinder in the bed of my MJ over the rear wheels...hopefully then I could pop wheelies! :roflmao:

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This is sounding like an episode of Monster Garage now! The truely would be cool though, the engine in the bed of an MJ, kewwwwl! :cheers:

Just find a 500 c.i. /T425 FWD combo out of a 70 ElDorado and be off with ya.