Dana35 vs. Corporate 8.25

[XJBill]

Here's a chart of what all diff's look like........

 

[dogtired]

Thanks guys for the chart and the list.
Yucca-Man, very cool, you listed the axle configurations in terms of common type, dana w c-clip being most common and the Dana 60 being most rare?
I guess my axle is right in the middle. I suppose when I get mine lifted and getting bigger meats and a locker, guess I'll stay with my current axle til it breaks. I don't offroad much, because it is mostly stock, (changed exhaust from cat back and air intake only)and need to save up for tires and a cheap lift.

XJBill, thanks for the pict, it makes it a lot easier to ID axles now thanks bud! Now the Dana 35 with clips is not in the chart, I suppose it looks the same and the clips are inside the axle carrier right?

thanks again guys! :viking:

 

[Yucca-Man]

Right, the D35 with and without c-clips look identical since the change is inside the carrier. I couldn't find these notes last night but here:

(Note on Dana 35 axles sometimes referred to as Dana 35C - The "C" does not stand for c-clip. It stands for "custom" meaning it came from Dana unfinished.)
(Note on 8.25 axles - none of these axles were used on XJs with ABS brakes. If you have ABS, you have the Dana 35. Without ABS you could have either axle. 8.25 axles are c-clip)

• D35 non c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 84-89
• D35 c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 90-01
• Chrysler 8.25 - 27 spline, 1.17" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 91-96
• Chrysler 8.25 - 29 spline, 1.21" diameter shafts, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 97-01
• Dana 44 non c-clip - 30 spline, 1.31" diameter shafts, 8.5" ring gear, 2.75" axle tube - used 87-89 on XJs equipped with towing package.

 

[Yucca-Man]

Here's a D35 for comparison.

One more thing to look at is the cover. Notice on the 8.25" that the cover has a nice lip that can do a great job of catching rocks and peeling back if you let it.

I have heard some folks say that you can ID a D35 by the rubber fill plug but you'll notice that both axles pictured have rubber fill plugs. Just to throw a wrench into things, my 1989 XJ D35 had a fill plug with a 3/8" bung

Jim

 

[dogtired]

Here's a D35 for comparison.

One more thing to look at is the cover. Notice on the 8.25" that the cover has a nice lip that can do a great job of catching rocks and peeling back if you let it.

I have heard some folks say that you can ID a D35 by the rubber fill plug but you'll notice that both axles pictured have rubber fill plugs. Just to throw a wrench into things, my 1989 XJ D35 had a fill plug with a 3/8" bung

Jim

thanks alot Yucca-Man for the picture, makes a huge difference in id'ing the different axle types. BTW, isn't that a capri in the corner of that photo of yours? Wondering what is it doing in there? :viking:

 

[Yucca-Man]

Even worse than a Capri, I think that blue thingy in the corner is my apartment manager's RAV4! You know, the "little Toyota that thought it could"

Jim

 

[matus2]

Just don't diss on all toyotas... I have a 94 toyota pickup that is indestructible... The 2 things I love most is my 91xj and my 94toy pup... My 85Fiance (almost wife) comes after them.... Hehehe

 

[mr_wallace]

and she shook his head "yes".

:huh:
I know I'm bringing this back from the dead. I hope I'm not the only person who noticed this.
I would much rather have the 8.25 until I put in a 9"

 

[5-90]

the dana 35 has problems with the shaft snapping and leaving while still attatched to the wheel. not a very good axle relatively speaking. the chrycho 8.25 with the 27 spline shafts isnt much better. the chrycho 8.25 with 29 splines are stronger than both of those. those came in later cherokees

The early D35's used retainer plates and pressed-on bearings, which doesn't make this a problem. The later ones used C-clips - which is where the problem begins (C-clip shafts are retained at the inside end, inboard of the side gears. Retainer plates press against a press-fit bearing, just inboard of the wheel. If you snap a shaft in the middle, the C-clip shaft will leave while the retainer plate shaft will stay put. Both are, technically, "semi-floating" axles.)

Many of the ChryCo axles are C-clip style, but you should be able to get C-clip eliminator kits for them. You are also limited in gear ratio (what's the cut-off, something like 4.55?) which may or may not be a factor for you.

Also note that there are two spline counts, with a division around 1997 or so. The earlier shafts use 27 splines, which makes them marginally weaker than the later 29-spline shafts (assuming the same pitch, a shaft with a higher spline count will be larger - therefore stronger. Assuming the same shaft diameter, the higher spline count splits the driving force out over a larger area - therefore making it more durable, all else being equal.)

The ChryCo axle started showing up on the XJ and MJ in the 1991 model year. If you do have ABS, you have a D35 - if you do not have ABS, it could go either way, with the odds favouring the ChryCo. The C8.25 was not issued with ABS (not that I'm fond of ABS anyhow.)

 

[FlexdXJ]

I thought shifty was asking about "stock" XJs since he posted this question on the OEM board and not the modified board. Yes, I was talking from a non-lifted view point.

I have what I consider to be a stock 88 XJ Pioneer 4.0 NP231. The only mods I have done is go from P205/75R15 tires to LT235/75R15 tires since that the largest tire which will mount on the stock 15 x 6 steel rim.

I also read on here that you can run 235/75R15 tires with "no problems" on a stock XJ. That statement not totally true. You can if you don't mind giving up some steering. I went to the modified board and they told me about madxj's write up of installing Grand Cherokee LCA on XJs with 235/75R15 tires. I had those LCAs installed and my rubbing problem went away.

I also installed a steering box brace since rusty's offroad web site said it was msut for anyone running 31s. It fixed my steering wheel movement problem when crossing RR tracks, think every XJ should have one. I have the MORE brace installed since it did not conflict with my mopar Aux trans cooler like the Rusty's one did.

I have also had both front and rear axles gone through, even had new bearings pressed on the rear axle shafts once I had a seal blow out and slime my brake shoes. My splines were just fine, no indication of twist. I don't know what happened to your uncles spines.

I was just passing on what I had heard, thought everyone would find it interesting... hope no one took as me saying "your baby is ugly" cause that was the farthest thing from my mind.

I didn't give up any steering radius, well enough to notice anyways. They will rub though oh well thats what they make the dremel for:spin1:

 

[Blaine B.]

Somebody commented on how the 27 spline 8.25 isn't such a good axle.

It certainly beats the hell out of the Dana 35.

Sure, the 29 Spline 8.25 is better than the 27 spline. But only by 2 splines.

 

[5-90]

Somebody commented on how the 27 spline 8.25 isn't such a good axle.

It certainly beats the hell out of the Dana 35.

Sure, the 29 Spline 8.25 is better than the 27 spline. But only by 2 splines.

I hadn't meant to imply that the 27-sp C8.25 was "bad" (it isn't, really,) but that the 29-sp was "better."

Either way, if the shafts are retained with C-clips, you're going to want to get C-clip eliminator kits to be quit of them at your first opportunity, if you're into going off-road. It's the C-clip axles (like the Ford 8.8 - another popular swap) that have a Hx of the shaft snapping and your wheel & tyre going the other way. Oops. Fortunately, C-clip eliminator kits (that essentially shift axle shaft retention to the outer end, just inboard of the wheel) are available for most of the commonly-swapped axles.

You can tell if you have C-clips easily enough with the cover off - just point a flashlight at the inboard side of your side gears. If you have C-clips, that's where they are - you won't see anything but gear if you don't have them. You can also check at the wheel end - look for a retainer plate behind the wheel flange. If you've got one, you do not have C-clips.

(Another advantage - with a little care, you can change a "retainer plate" shaft on the trail without losing enough differential lube to matter. You must remove the differential cover to remove the C-clip shaft!)

 

[Peter D]

Did any XJs come from the factory with a D44 rearend? And if so were they also up front as well?

 

[5-90]

Did any XJs come from the factory with a D44 rearend? And if so were they also up front as well?

1987 and some 1988 with the "Tow Package" and a heavy-duty option could have come as D30/D44. I've heard of some XJ's (AMC-era, pre-mid-1988) coming as D44/D44 overseas so they could be sold as "work trucks" and put in a lower tax bracket, but that didn't happen here (some also came with winches OEM - same reason.)

 

[Blaine B.]

Damn, I'd want one of those.

 

[5-90]

Damn, I'd want one of those.

The only D44/D44 rig I've heard of - so far - was somewhere in South America (Venezuela, I think.) I'd have to go through my BoM listing again - I do believe there are some D44 front BoM numbers for the XJ in there...

(Yes, I want one as well. Hell, if I can get EB D44 front and a decent rear D44, I'd be happy. I don't want anything silly, but I do want something stout. There's also a sentimental factor here - the first axle I learned to build was the D44 in a lot of early Corvettes...)

 

[xalexjx]

some of the diesel ones in Italy had the d44.. When i was there last spring i found two diesel xj's both with the d44 and i almost bought one but it was going to be close to $7500 by the time i got it back to the east coast.. Which was more then I wanted to dish out..

 

[xjtrailrider]

some of the diesel ones in Italy had the d44.. When i was there last spring i found two diesel xj's both with the d44 and i almost bought one but it was going to be close to $7500 by the time i got it back to the east coast.. Which was more then I wanted to dish out..

I would pay that for that rig in a heart beat!