Rear axle interchange question.

After searching for 20 minutes, I still can't find an answer. I am working on an '87 cherokee, auto trans, 4.0..... The rear axle has seen it's better days and sounds like a locomotive. It is cheaper and easier for me to buy a complete used axle (about $60) at the local u-pull-it boneyard than to repair the existing one. Will later model rear ends bolt up in place of my old one? What about from 2 wheel drive Xj's? What about brakes? This is all assuming I find one with the same gear ratio as the old one. I will probably try to get one from a 90-93 model.

well since its an 87 you might want to verify if its a dana44 or not.
if it isnt then just about any year automatic will work up to 93?
after that it goes into cryco 8.25, which is an upgrade if you have a dana35.
But you will need to change ubolts and hardware, and possibly driveshaft shortening

It is currently a D35. I would prefer to find an 8.25, I don't like the wheel bearings that have to be packed with grease, like what I have now. Are all the D35's that way, or were some of them c-clip models with no inner grease seal?

pressurerat said:

It is currently a D35. I would prefer to find an 8.25, I don't like the wheel bearings that have to be packed with grease, like what I have now. Are all the D35's that way, or were some of them c-clip models with no inner grease seal?

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1. If you want to swap upgrade: 8.25 29 spline is a good one. Mid 96+ but buyer beware: there is no way of telling which of the 96 are 29 and which are 27 spline. They have been spotted both in early and late builds of the 96 model year.
2. D44 is even a better upgrade.
3. A cclip d35 is not as good as the non cclip model: take a look at two axleshafts next to each othere: the D35 axleshaft from the non cclip model is thick along the shaft all the way through while the non cclip model seems to narrow down someplace after the bearing almost all the way to the splines. And well... D35 is not an upgrade in either case.

Oh yeah to answer you question: AFAIK the cclip ones do not have an inner seal.

I'm not looking for strength with the axle, this Jeep is a pavement pounder. It's my wife's daily driver for the time being, and it only sees 4 wheel drive in the rain (or the rare middle Tennessee annual inch of snow!). I just want one that doesn't have as much wear, with easier to replace outer bearings if the need be. I am also curious about whether the brake lines and u-joints will 'bolt right up' to the newer hardware.

I have a rear end out of an 87 4.0 aw4 if you want it it's yours just come and get it.
I am in lenoir City TN west of Knoxville.
Just let me know [email protected]


73's KG4BET

pressurerat said:

buy a complete used axle (about $60) at the local u-pull-it boneyard

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ok i have seen a few mentions of these socalled cheap complete axles. I called the you pull it places around here and they want to charge anywhere from 300 to 500 for an axle. I am in texas. I figure this place has to be large enough to get one for cheaper than 300. Can anyone lead me in the right direction?

kg4bet, I sent you an email. rckclmbr, I sent you a pm. When did the chrysler rear end come in to play? I had a couple of '92's in the past which both had the 8.25. Oh yeah...were the automatic 2WD versions 3.55 geared?

When did the chrysler rear end come in to play?


I believe it started with the 91 year model.

73's
KG4BET

Being new to Jeeps, am I to understand that a 8.25 is better than a D35? My wife got an xj for 21st wedding anniversary last week so she can run the woods with me in my Bronco. i had a locker for a 30 so I installed it, thought the rear was a 35 so I tore it down to install a locker, when I popped the axles out and pulled the leaky seals, I knew it wasn't a 35.

pressurerat said:

It is currently a D35. I would prefer to find an 8.25, I don't like the wheel bearings that have to be packed with grease, like what I have now. Are all the D35's that way, or were some of them c-clip models with no inner grease seal?

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Wheel bearings packed with grease? Are the the wheel bearings on non c-clip D35 oiled from the diff?

Regards
Torfinn

torfinn said:

Wheel bearings packed with grease? Are the the wheel bearings on non c-clip D35 oiled from the diff?

Regards
Torfinn

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No. There is an inner seal and an outer seal for the rear wheel bearings. It has to be packed with grease, and the bearing has to be installed on to the axle with a press. The inner seal separates the grease fron the gear oil.

pressurerat said:

It is currently a D35. I would prefer to find an 8.25, I don't like the wheel bearings that have to be packed with grease, like what I have now. Are all the D35's that way, or were some of them c-clip models with no inner grease seal?

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The 8.25 has a longer pinion, so your stock driveshaft will be too long. If you want truly bolt-in, you'll have to stick with a Dana 35.

With the D35s, Chrysler changed to a c-clip design in (I believe) 1990. Quick check -- if it has 10" brake drums it should be a non c-clip, if it has 9" drums it's probably a c-clip.

I'm not looking for strength with the axle, this Jeep is a pavement pounder. It's my wife's daily driver for the time being, and it only sees 4 wheel drive in the rain (or the rare middle Tennessee annual inch of snow!). I just want one that doesn't have as much wear, with easier to replace outer bearings if the need be. I am also curious about whether the brake lines and u-joints will 'bolt right up' to the newer hardware.

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The c-clip isn't easier to service, because you have to open the diff and remove the c-clips before you can pull the shafts. With the older design, you can pull the shafts and replace all bearings and seals without ever opening the diff cover.

pressurerat said:

No. There is an inner seal and an outer seal for the rear wheel bearings. It has to be packed with grease, and the bearing has to be installed on to the axle with a press. The inner seal separates the grease fron the gear oil.

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This is incorrect. The older non c-clip D35s do NOT require packing the bearings. The bearings are lubricated with gear oil from the axle tubes, just like any other axle.

Eagle,
Thanks for the info on the pinion length, I did not know that.
As far as the ease of repair goes, I personally think pressing bearings on and off of axles is much more troublesome than having to remove the bearing from the axle tube. This has a lot to do with not owning a press anymore. Secondly, it is my understanding that the function of the inner seal on the early non c-clip D35 axles is to keep the gear oil OUT of the wheel bearings and the grease IN. There is supposed to be wheel bearing grease in the wheel bearings according to my Haynes manual. I don't own a FSM for my '87 XJ, I wish i did.
I recently replaced my CJ-7 rear axle bearings, and the FSM says to pack the bearings with grease. I know it is an AMC 20, but it is similar in construction to the D35 with the inner and outer seal. I have owned several late 40's Cj-2s, and they all had the inner/outer seal, and the bearings had to be packed with grease. I think those old willys models had a dana-spicer 23 rear axles....I am not exactly sure of the model numbers. Maybe the inner seal can be left out; I just don't know. All I do know is that is the way I was taught to do the job, and thats also what all my old Motor and Chilton manuals said to do.

Not to beat a dead horse; but FWIW...... I just viewed an 'online' 1988 XJ FSM, and it instructs the reader to "pack the (rear) wheel bearing with grease " prior to installation.

Eagle said:

This is incorrect. The older non c-clip D35s do NOT require packing the bearings. The bearings are lubricated with gear oil from the axle tubes, just like any other axle.

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That is not correct. I just did the bearings and retainers on my '89 with non-c-clip rear (parts from NAPA) and the bearings are sealed, prelubed units with races intact. With these units the bearing race that was in the axle tube has to be pulled. You have to cut off the retainer from the axle, remove the bearing, seal, and plate. Repalce the plate, seal, bearing, and reatiner onto the axle and press into place.

Please tell me what page you're looking at in Haynes and Chiltons. I have the 86/88 XJ and MJ FSMs, and they do not show or mention an inner seal for the D35 rear axle wheel bearings.

You have to realize that there IS a reason Haynes costs 20 bucks and the FSM costs 100.

The non-clip D35 has an inner and outer seal and the bearings are packed with grease. Not sure what bearing non-stick got from NAPA, but the bearing kit I got only had a little bit of grease in the bearing. I packed it with high-temp bearing grease and installed. There's room in front and behind the bearing for it to sling any excess grease so there's no danger of overpacking.

rckclmbr said:

ok i have seen a few mentions of these socalled cheap complete axles. I called the you pull it places around here and they want to charge anywhere from 300 to 500 for an axle. I am in texas. I figure this place has to be large enough to get one for cheaper than 300. Can anyone lead me in the right direction?

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What are you looking for? I can check the yard here in the Fort Worth area. I paid $100 for a Ford 9". I have a non C-clip D35 out of my 88 XJ that has welded spiders with new brakes you can have for $50. Oh and I powder coated the diff cover grey as a bonus