Rear diff/R&P noise: repair, regear, re-axle or ???

Rear diff is whining loudly between ~25 & 65 MPH. Became suddenly noticeable mid-November but little change since. Even took a gamble and did a long-planned drive to Phoenix and back for Thanksgiving with, thankfully, no issues.

Shop quote for stock repair is ~$1100 (new r&p, pinion bearing, etc.) Stock gearing is usable though obviously not great. Essentially double to regear.

Here's what I'm working with:
- Dana 35
- Stock gearing
- 31s
- Only vehicle, daily driver, weekend warrior
- No garage or driveway of my own
- Have most common hand tools for basic automotive repair, a cordless impact, and a cordless angle grinder. Not afraid to get dirty and have done basic repairs in parking lots and exactly one bolt-on upgrade in a friend's driveway (an adjustable trackbar that turned into a minor epic...)
- Might have access to a shop lift for a night or 2 with enough warning but can't count on that

As it is, unless it really starts to sound bad—or explodes—I have to hold out until tax refund season.

Need experienced advice on solutions that make sense economically and for my needs, which won't change largely for the life of this rig:
- Fix with stock gearing?
- Regear?
- Try to source used axles from 5 speed with 4.10?
- _______?

Figure out what your gearing is. There is no such thing as stock. It all depended on what the dealer ordered. There is no difference between an axle from an automatic vs. manual.

Make some friends (....buy them a case of beer) and get them to help you snag a complete axle from the Pull-n-Save. You can do it yourself, but having at least one other person makes life a lot easier.

Where do you live?

We could probably find a garage and some guys to do a quick axle swap.

If you live up north, you could use my place, but my back is screwed up so it would be good to get at least one additional guy, but I have all the tools. With my tools and my place, we could most likely do a swap in less than an hour if you aren't doing the brakes at the same time. Brakes might add 45 minutes. I even have a vacuum bleeder for flushing the brakes.

You might want to get a new set of axle U-bolts, but you could wait to see if the ones in the junk yard are in good shape.

Are you sure you are full of fluid in the current axle? I might think about using some heavier weight gear oil if you are going to wait to do the fix.

old_man said:

Figure out what your gearing is. There is no such thing as stock. It all depended on what the dealer ordered. There is no difference between an axle from an automatic vs. manual.

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Shoot, forgot to mention that it is a 1993 with an automatic (231) which I thought meant it would typically be 3.55 (which it is.)

old_man said:

Make some friends (....buy them a case of beer) and get them to help you snag a complete axle from the Pull-n-Save. You can do it yourself, but having at least one other person makes life a lot easier.

Where do you live?

We could probably find a garage and some guys to do a quick axle swap.

Click to expand...

I live and work in the Lakewood/West Denver area.

old_man said:

If you live up north, you could use my place, but my back is screwed up so it would be good to get at least one additional guy, but I have all the tools. With my tools and my place, we could most likely do a swap in less than an hour if you aren't doing the brakes at the same time. Brakes might add 45 minutes. I even have a vacuum bleeder for flushing the brakes.

You might want to get a new set of axle U-bolts, but you could wait to see if the ones in the junk yard are in good shape.

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Good to know. I've never attempted such a thing but I can almost wrap my head around it, theoretically. I'll call a couple yards to see what a rear axle costs.

Did new calipers and pads with flush a week before EJS this year, so if you don't have to open up the system to replace the axle, the brakes should be good.

Now that you mention U-bolts, depending on the axle cost it seems like a good time to replace the leafs since they somehow ride like crap and are sagging. Probably go new for those... (The shocks, Bilstein 5100s, are new from about the same time as the brakes...)

old_man said:

Are you sure you are full of fluid in the current axle? I might think about using some heavier weight gear oil if you are going to wait to do the fix.

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Both diffs got new fluid less than a month ago when I put Lube Lockers on. I checked the rear fluid around Vail on the way out of town last week and it was full and clear. Same viscosity as previous changes (don't remember what that was offhand since I always check the forums to remind me right before I go buy it.)

Thanks for your input. I'll report back after I check on some prices to get more feedback...

Do you have ABS? Do you want to retain it?

IF you don't have abs or don't care about it you might as well throw in a 8.25. Its much stronger and is a fairly easy swap. Dana44s are available also but they are more expensive.

IF you have abs and want to keep it you have 2 options. Quick/easy/cheap= another 35. If you want to upgrade at the same time the 8.8 found in the explorer is very strong and was available with limited slip in 3.73 or 4.10. This would require you either re-gear or find a 3.73 or 4.10 front axle. You would also need new spring perches welded on and would need to grind off every other tooth on the abs tone ring. This might sound kinda daunting but its pretty straight forward actually and a very good upgrade.

If Toms (Old Man) garage is available I could help muscle things around. What did you do to your back Tom?

Just FYI if you switch to 8.25 you will need a new driveshaft or yours will need shortened.

puttzer said:

Just FYI if you switch to 8.25 you will need a new driveshaft or yours will need shortened.

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This...

If you want to do it up north, I'd gladly help out.

Does your Jeep have ABS?

Kristian said:

IF you have abs and want to keep it you have 2 options. Quick/easy/cheap= another 35.

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puttzer said:

Just FYI if you switch to 8.25 you will need a new driveshaft or yours will need shortened.

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Yup, I do have ABS. "Quick/easy/cheap" should be fine since the D35 is adequate for my needs and keeps it simpler overall.

Replacing the rear springs can be an issue. The bolt in the front hangers can get rusted to the metal sleeve in the bushing or rust onto the weld nut in the frame and require the frame rails to be cut. I'd just get a full length add a leaf to cure the sagging, or let them sag and get MJ shackles which will give a little lift and might help the ride. JKS makes a nice angled shackle that adds one inch of lift.

Ditto on finding a replacement D-35 in the yard and new U-bolts.

Since it is drivable, my place is an option if an extra set of hands is available. I plan to take most of the week before Christmas off.

old_man said:

Since it is drivable, my place is an option if an extra set of hands is available. I plan to take most of the week before Christmas off.

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Do you mean the 14-18th or 21-25th?

I have a D35 that I'm getting ready to swap for a Chrysler 8.25 that Hypoid helped me pull froma junkyard. It has a bent shaft flange on the passengers side (and the uneven drum brake wear to go with it) but there are no noises or anything coming from it.

I have a shackle lift but completely flat leaf springs, so I'm pretty much at stock ride height, which won't work with the longer 8.25 pinion. So I either need to shorten the driveshaft or pony up the cash for new rear leafs and shocks. I also need to get the parking brake cables figured out and get a new diff cover.

I guess it doesn't help that much considering all I still need to do (with zero time to do it), but once I have the new one in I'll sell you the D35 cheap.