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Grinding noise in rear

Jeepmedic46

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Orange, Ma
My 2000 with a Dana 35 in the rear started making a grinding noise. I pulled the cover and found shavings. I put a heavier weight oil in and the rear is making less noise. I thought about getting a used axle but there aren’t any in the country per 2 of the larger salvage yards. My question is can I just put new gears in or do I need a axle?
 
The answer depends on what's grinding. Axle bearings, diff or pinion bearings, the spiders, etc. Really, no used axles in the country? No-one on craigslist parting out an XJ?
 
Do you have the technical knowledge, skills, and necessary tools to set-up new gears ? A botched install means you toss out everything and start over again.

Used XJ Cherokee axles are common as dirt, your Google skills seem lacking, try www.car-part.com, or you local Facebook and Cragslist markets.
 
I can believe the "no used axles in the country" according to the junkyard. Went hunting for a disk D35 for the Varmints' ZJ and every single one was either entirely gone, gutted for parts or in equally bad shape as the one I would like to replace.

Jeepmedic: Do you have ABS? If no then I would recommend switching to a Chrysler 8.25 rear. You will need to change the driveshaft too, but you will have a better product for your effort.

If you have ABS and want to keep it you either need to rebuild the existing axle (may only need bearings, not a full re-gear) or figure out if you can swap to a Ford 8.8 and keep your ABS that way.

Even if you could find a junkyard D35 you would probably need to rebuild it. At this point those rears are at the end of their life, especially in a vehicle that has been sent to the junkyard.
 
D35 ABS can swapped over to a non ABS D35.

The original axles in my 98 have +284,000 miles and need nothing.
 
Yes, but you maintain your vehicles.

The XJs I find in the JYs around here are not in the JY due to accidents, but rather due to abuse and lack of maintenance. The bodies are usually fine. East coast folks would love to have access to such bodies. But the interiors tell the story--junk food and trash ground into the carpet and seats means owners who couldn't care less.
 
I know that my local p-n-p has tons of them!
 
Do you have the technical knowledge, skills, and necessary tools to set-up new gears ? A botched install means you toss out everything and start over again.

Used XJ Cherokee axles are common as dirt, your Google skills seem lacking, try www.car-part.com, or you local Facebook and Cragslist markets.

Thank you, Unfortunately I don’t have the technical knowledge, Skills to re gear the axle. I did find several axles local thank you for the car part.com link. Craigslist and Facebook marketplace had nothing. Is 150 to 250 a good price for axles and they are lettered X which is ungraded. Would that still be a good axle?
 
The local U-Pull-It yard charges about $100 for a used axle, and the full service junk yards charge about $150-300 for on the shelf axles. Full service junkyards often also will sell a short term used parts warranty.

An axle swap is simple, and you can buy 3 or 4 used axles for the cost of a shop rebuild.

Check the used axle for a tight pinion yoke bearings, no pinion seal oil leaks, and look inside to confirm there are no metal sparkles in the gear oil, or damaged gear teeth.
 
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If you want to re-gear, now's a good time to swap both front and back to a better ratio. I have no idea the mileage on mine since they're both junkyard swaps. They're at least 260k miles on both with no issues other than having done the pinion seals.

Not sure which is easier, a front or rear axle swap. Front you can at least hang the calipers off to the side. The rear you have to disconnect brake lines. For me the rear would involve cutting and rewelding perches anyway (MJ, D35 converted to spring over, with early 90s Crown Vic discs)
 
Do you by chance have a factory TracLok limit slip? My '98 came with one, and over time the friction plates sort of self destructed, which created a grinding noise.

My remedy was to replace the TracLok with an Auburn.....
 
I can believe the "no used axles in the country" according to the junkyard. Went hunting for a disk D35 for the Varmints' ZJ and every single one was either entirely gone, gutted for parts or in equally bad shape as the one I would like to replace.

Jeepmedic: Do you have ABS? If no then I would recommend switching to a Chrysler 8.25 rear. You will need to change the driveshaft too, but you will have a better product for your effort.

If you have ABS and want to keep it you either need to rebuild the existing axle (may only need bearings, not a full re-gear) or figure out if you can swap to a Ford 8.8 and keep your ABS that way.

Even if you could find a junkyard D35 you would probably need to rebuild it. At this point those rears are at the end of their life, especially in a vehicle that has been sent to the junkyard.
If I go to a Chrysler 8.25 where would I get a driveshaft? Garage that would be doing the work didn’t seem to know about changing the driveshaft.
 
That's a nuance that most non-Jeep folks wouldn't pick up on.

Tell whoever you get the 8.25 from that you want both the axle and rear driveshaft as a matched set out of the same vehicle.

Then provide both the garage doing the swap.
 
That's a nuance that most non-Jeep folks wouldn't pick up on.

Tell whoever you get the 8.25 from that you want both the axle and rear driveshaft as a matched set out of the same vehicle.

Then provide both the garage doing the swap.

Make sure that matched set is coming from a 4wd and not a 2wd. I don't know if they vary by transfer case as well (NP231 vs NP242).

If you choose to take Tim's advice (and it is good advice) then you need an entirely different rear driveshaft. You will need one with a double cardan joint like the front driveshaft. Some folks can get away with using a front driveshaft for the rear. You might be able to do that, or you may be able to get an off-the-shelf driveshaft from an aftermarket supplier, or you can have one made to your specifications. Odds are there is a local driveshaft (or driveline) rebuilder in your area. Talk to a few shops to see who they use when they need a driveshaft rebuilt or balanced. Those folks can help you get the right thing the first time.

Also note that if you switch to an SYE you will probably need to run a few degrees of shims to get the pinion angle correct. The pinion angle for a double cardan driveshaft is different from the pinion angle for a regular driveshaft. Do a bit of research on that front to make sure you don't create a new problem for yourself.
 
My 2000 D35 is long gone. I swapped in a Chry 8.25, an SYE, and a stock XJ front double cardan driveshaft fits perfectly between the SYE and the 8.25. I used 4° shims.
 
Turns out the places I called that their website said they had the axle both the Dana 35 and the 8 1/4 don’t have them. One place near me has a Dana 35 so going with that one. Will keep my eyes open for the 8 1/4.
 
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