D35 -> 8.25 swap parts?

[obaa-xj]

I recently blew up a D35 and plan to swap in an 8.25 axle which I will pick up at the local boneyard; I believe this will be a pretty straightforward swap.
I want to make sure I have any needed little bits before I start.
I believe the following will interchange:

soft brake line
ebrake line
ujoint/ujoint straps
shocks

I think the following are different:
axle ubolts
ubolt spring plates

Is this correct? Does anyone know what dimension ubolts I need to buy, and who sells the spring plates?

Thanks!

[Breezio69]

Depending on your drivetrain/ lift currently under the jeep you may need the shorter driveline that was under the jeep you got the 8.25 axle from. The pinion housing of the 8.25 is about an inch longer than the D35 so you will bottom out the driveshaft

The spring plates should have slotted holes for either axle so you can reuse, U bolts are 3"

[RenegadeT]

the spring plate on most XJs are not slotted...my 91 had holes spaced for the D35. My 95 with a D35 had slotted U-bolt plates, and I think my 99 with 8.25 has slots. Grab the U-bolt plate with the axle, you will be good to go.
If your XJ has even a mild lift, the longer D35 driveshaft will work, has for me.
This swap is really that simple...even non-ABS D35 brakes are identical to the 8.25.
Get new U-bolts to match the axle tube diameter.

[ehall]

the spring plates on my 91 were slotted

[xcm]

Originally Posted by RenegadeT

the spring plate on most XJs are not slotted...

news to me... every pair ive seen, are slotted.

[RenegadeT]

let me backpedal a bit, I'm not sure why I said "most" XJs, somehow I had it in my head '91 was close to the end of the run; in fact its in the middle nearer the beginning. Anyways, I'm sure my 91 had D35-spaced holes, becasue I was not looking forward to trying to grind them to fit the 8.25, so I tore into my 95 scrapper and found gold (slotted spring plates). The 91 had 275k miles on it and the PO had done many changes. Its very possible these may not have been factory springplates.

[Johnnie Walker]

If you have 3"+ lift then your current d-shaft will work. I recently swapped from a Turdy5 to a 29-spl C8.25. I have about 3.25" lift in back. Shaft is fine. I got a set of 9/16 Ubonts/nuts from poly performance. Since they are larger than the 1/2" bolts used stock, had to punch them. But since you are doing this and spending a little money, Poly performance also sells springs plates. So I would pick up their u-bolts/plates.

[dirtweazle]

While your at the bone yard pick up the rear disk brakes off a Grand. Easy swap.

[clean4drxj]

Get a set of U bolts for an 8.25 and swap it in, as stated if you have atleast 3 inchs of lift your current ds will work.

[xcm]

im not the crazy type, that says anytime you remove a pair of ubolts, they HAVE TO be replaced....

but i AM leery of using junkyard ubolts.... you might wanna consider replacing them, they could be 20 years old...

[ehall]

any 1/2" thick, grade-8 u-bolt will work

that's all the big rigs use and you don't need anything bigger

[1990JEEPXJ]

the drum brakes are the same assuming you have the same size drums on both. everything from the backing plates to the drum is the same. at least it was for me

[Johnnie Walker]

Or, if lucky enough to find a Liberty with rear discs. Complete bolt-in. No boring out the inner hole of backing plate.

[Breezio69]

Originally Posted by dirtweazle

While your at the bone yard pick up the rear disk brakes off a Grand. Easy swap.

Yup, took me all of 25 minutes to rip the D35 apart under a ZJ to get the backing plates/ calipers. Cost $68 and I am buying all new hardware (pads rotors and e brake shoes) which is about another $150-$175... Alot better than the brake swap kit at $500+

[obaa-xj]

Thanks guys. I'm going to get new ubolts; thanks for confirming the size (1/2" x 3" x 7"). My spring plates turned out not to be slotted, so it looks like I'll be taking a grinder to them; the axle was already pulled, so no spring plates for them.

I'm thinking over the disc conversion. I pulled apart the diff to put in a no-slip, so I'm halfway there. I just don't want crawl around the yard to pull the backing plates off at the u-pull-it (it's COLD out), and the other yards will only sell the axle complete.

I'm currently running a 3-4" lift (sagged Tomken springs), using the stock rear ds (AX15/231/D35). It's pretty close length wise, so I think the longer snout will actually be good for me in pushing the yoke further into the tcase.