How long will the D35 last?

So, let's say I decide to build my 2wd MJ into a street beast, how much will the stock D35 stand up to? 4.5(6)(7) stoker? Posi? V8? I didn't trust the D35 in my XJ beyond 3.55s, lockright, and 31s.

Currently the MJ is stock with 4.0 and AW4. I haven't decided how far I'll go with it, but I know I'll do something, can't just leave it stock. Either make it a street prowler, or convert it over to 4wd....

I think if it's in good shape to start with, you could make one last a good long time IF you didn't make a habit of smoky burnouts/hard launches etc... I dunno about with a V8 though, but it's all up to your right foot.

The only reason I plan to put a 44 in my 2WD MJ is because:
A. The 35 in there is 3.07:1 and ya can't go lower with that 35 carrier
B. I have one already
C. I have a fresh low-gear trac-loc to go with it. (so all I'd need is a R&P and install kit...and brakes)

If you do convert to 4x4 or to a V8, I'd be lookin for something stronger... 44, 8.8", 9" etc...

JMHO though, and I plan to keep the D35 in my 88 Limited XJ since it doesn't have any real offroad mission ahead of it. (my poser rig LOL)

If I build it, I'm gonna want to use the stupid pedal. maybe I'll just throw a waggy axle back there.

In an MJ will last a little longer than in a XJ. My frist XJ had a built 4.0 and even with an auto I had problems with the spiders ing the 35 they just couldn't take the abuse but I also ahd about 3 to 4oo pounds of sterio and tools in the bad so it never spun like an MJ would so it took some abuse from me every day cause if i have it I use it.

Think of all the weight I may put in the back of a MJ.

so... 4.0L/AW4/242 + 4.10 gears and 235's on an MJ is gonna be bad news?

oops

Well I snapped mine on the rock garden at crawfords and my engine was running on 3 of the 4 cylanders. It was locked and in low with 33's. I no longer trust the 35 at all behind a stock 4.0L because of it.

A friend rebuilt his 4.0 into a 4.6L stroker. He had been running the D35 with 4.56's and 33's for a couple of years, but he blew the D35 ring and pinion on the street within 2 weeks after putting in the stroker.

He didn't fix it, just went to a D44.

The D35 will last forever if you keep stock (or near stock) sized tires, stock gears, not add more than ~500lb weight, and only moderately increase the HP/TQ output from the 4.0.
The axleshafts aren't strong enough to cope with heavy wheeling and the C-clips also have a tendency to break under these conditions. The best solution in my mind is to replace it with the Ford 8.8" rear axle from a mid-90's Explorer. It comes with rear disk brakes, 3.73 gears, and is stronger than both the D44 and the Chrysler 8.25" axle.

The 8.8 still uses c-clips and i believe it uses a crush sleeve to set pinion bearing pre-load.. I'll take a D44 thanks.

If you plan to race at the strip you will want to keep the 84-90' D35, or a D44, because the racing organizations restrict c-clip axles as you move into faster brackets.

Your 90' D35 should not have c-clips.

The D35 axle shafts are fine with short tires and the cushioned shock loads of an automatic. Rough clutch duty with a stick may give the axle problems (and the manual trans problems).

Dana's axle service torque load limit between the D35 and D44 is not too far apart (less than 10%), but the shock load torque limit is ~40% less for the D35 (shock loads rockcrawling sees, but not drag racing). You can probably safely run down into the low 13's before snapping a D35 axle shaft. D44 equipped 1/2-ton trucks (and late corvettes) safely run low 11's.

The safeguard for a D35 is an axle truss, as the wide carrier and housing and the small axle tubes can flex and missalign the side gears inside the carrier (to destroy the spider gears, or c-clips -- for the 91 & later D35). Add a truss between the axle tubes.

The other improvement is a cheap locker. Sharing torque between both axle shafts reduces the load on each, and prevents pegleg wheelspin shock loads.

Don't expect any neglected 200,000 mile axle to withstand repeated track passes (even 16-second passes). Service what you have, and run it till it breaks (and find a low ratio 4-cylinder candidate to build for the eventual replacement).

Good info as usual Ed. One point, the 90 does have c-clips, my 90 XJ did, i believe the change was 89-90. BTW, the MJ we are discussing is an 89 and should be non-c-clip.

Warrior puts out about 400hp, but I geared it for top speed not hard launches. Had I done so, I think that the D35 would explode the moment break-in was done (this of course if I ever finished it and got it on the road).

XJguy

"If I build it, I'm gonna want to use the stupid pedal. maybe I'll just throw a waggy axle back there"

JNJ answering his own questions. I'm guilty of that too LOL

Nothing wrong with a 30 spline 44 from a SJ Waggy, other than the different wheel bolt pattern and the need for spring pad/shock mount relocation on his MJ...

JnJ said:

The 8.8 still uses c-clips and i believe it uses a crush sleeve to set pinion bearing pre-load.. I'll take a D44 thanks.

Click to expand...

So what the 8.8 uses c-clips. Have you broken a shaft or c-clip from a Ford 8.8? If the axle or c-clip indeed fails, the caliper and disk will keep the wheel from exiting out from under the vehicle. Whats the harm of a crush sleeve? The F8.8 seems to work for me and about 5 other people I know running 33's all the way up to 36's.

The D35 is not worth any money to upgrade especially if you are going to go drag racing. The shock loads from a launch are going to kill the spiders. I have done it once on my previous 35 and I dont even have a stroker. Just a stock displacement motor thats had the head worked over along with a cam and the rest of the bolt on go fast goodies. Now granted that the 32s didnt help the axle any is becides the point.

AARON

MrShoeBoy said:

So what the 8.8 uses c-clips. Have you broken a shaft or c-clip from a Ford 8.8? If the axle or c-clip indeed fails, the caliper and disk will keep the wheel from exiting out from under the vehicle. Whats the harm of a crush sleeve? The F8.8 seems to work for me and about 5 other people I know running 33's all the way up to 36's.

The D35 is not worth any money to upgrade especially if you are going to go drag racing. The shock loads from a launch are going to kill the spiders. I have done it once on my previous 35 and I dont even have a stroker. Just a stock displacement motor thats had the head worked over along with a cam and the rest of the bolt on go fast goodies. Now granted that the 32s didnt help the axle any is becides the point.

AARON

Click to expand...

Easy Aaron, if it works for you great, but don't get upset because I don't like it. Read Ed's post again for one reason not to run c-clip. The caliper and disk will do nothing to keep the shaft/wheel/tire in, it's the caliper bracket, but that would not be real good and I wouldn't want to trust that. The crush sleeve can have a tendance to wear/crush some more over time so that you loose your proper pinion bearing pre-load.
Again, I know lots of folks run and love their 8.8s, but I don't want one.

JnJ said:

Easy Aaron, if it works for you great, but don't get upset because I don't like it. Read Ed's post again for one reason not to run c-clip. The caliper and disk will do nothing to keep the shaft/wheel/tire in, it's the caliper bracket, but that would not be real good and I wouldn't want to trust that. The crush sleeve can have a tendance to wear/crush some more over time so that you loose your proper pinion bearing pre-load.
Again, I know lots of folks run and love their 8.8s, but I don't want one.

Click to expand...

Im not angry or flaming, just want to know the bad side of what I got and how to fix it on mine The caliper bracket would keep the tire under the vehicle for emergency purposes only. If the shaft broke as I was moving, I would trust the bracket only until I was stoped again. What do you think is the allowable sevice time or milage for an axle? When does it wear out and break? You mentioned the crush sleeve can loosen up.

Thanks,

AARON