Topic: d35 - upgrade - sweet deal or not?

[Eucalypta]

Hi guys,

I was happy with my d35/d30 4:11 yet sometimes dared to dream about regearing yet never got the time/money/guts to do it.

Now, I have the opportunity to buy a d35 with 4.56 gears, ARB locker, floating axle and disc brakes. Price is less that price for new ARB locker.
I would have to regear the front to 4.56 and buy compressor/switches etc, so still the investment is bigger than I intended (need to upgrade my transmission as well)

What do you guys think? Take the opportunity or let it pass and wait for that Ford 8.8?

John

[Jeffy]

Well if you can do your own fabricating then the 8.8 might be the better option.   Although, it doesn't sound like your breaking anything yet.  What size tires are you running?  4.56's aren't bad if you run 33's but 4.88's are all around better for your YJ.  Well, unless you have an auto.  Also keep in mind that if you're going to do gears in the D30, then you'll be better off doing a locker or LSD at the same time.  It's a slippery slope and the bill can get big fast.

[Eucalypta]

Slippery slopes are the Jeep's playground....

Running 33's and never really had a big problem with the 4:10
Only in terrain I need to use clutch ALOT because of the little crawl you get with the 33"-4.10 setup.

My buddy ran the axle with 35"/13.5"-s in his 4.0L. He ended up breaking axles like they were twigs: he is swapping it for an 8.8 and therefor I can get this d35.

Even though the pricing of the axle is low: the regear of the d30+compressor+accessoiries make it still a large investment.
My alternatieve is to pass this opportunity and keep driving on stock axles for some more time until that cheap/sweet deal on a 8.8 comes along.

Not sure I have the money for the locker in d30....
Would it be more expensive to do that later, I though only think needed to regear the d30 are new R&P?
What problems could I expect when I do install the upgraded d35?

[sharpxmen]

i doubt it has floating axles, most likely a c-clip eliminator

[Eucalypta]

i doubt it has floating axles, most likely a c-clip eliminator

You mean it is not a sweet deal because of the floating axles? What is the downside of this conversion?

[neale_rs]

If you are doing mostly rock crawling, the D35 upgrade is not a good investment.  I would pass on this and do a D44 or 8.8 swap first.  However, it seems that the D35 upgrade works well for mud (e.g. Felipe's YJ).

[stan98tj]

Locked Dana 35
33" Tires (?)
Deeper gears
Isn't that a receipe for disaster? A close friend of mine went through 4 or 5 Dana 35s while on 33s. 2 of them blew on the road where he wasn't romping on them as one would imagine off road. Why waste the time and money?
Swap in an 8.8 if you wanna save money. If you're a Jeep purist and would rather not have Ford parts, save up and buy a Dana 44. They can be had for under $500 if you are real lucky, but most likely they will be expensive.

[sharpxmen]

You mean it is not a sweet deal because of the floating axles? What is the downside of this conversion?

there's no downside, i just didn't hear of floating axles in D35 but the c-clip eliminator is common (maybe that's what it means but i always thought of a floating axle as you can run it even if it breaks, i might be wrong)

[mrdeath2000]

I guess the question is how much is a sweet deal on this axle? $200?
If you regear the front, pick up a lunchbox locker, they only run you about 250-280$ and you wont even notice it there until you're in 4WD.

4.56 is nice for 33's, should be about stock like with 31's, but 4.88's would probably still be better with 33's and gives you room for 35's.

[Jeffy]

i doubt it has floating axles, most likely a c-clip eliminator

Why?  Warn came out with a FF for the D35c.  It's been discontinued but it was out for at least 8 or so years.

[sharpxmen]

Why?  Warn came out with a FF for the D35c.  It's been discontinued but it was out for at least 8 or so years.

ok, i'm wrong then, just didn't see one before.

[Eucalypta]

Well, it is a FF d35; it comes with special hubs at the wheel, extra bearings etc.
The 4.56 is an improvement over my 4.10, the locker a bonus.

The problems Stan98TJ describes are also the problems why my buddy gets rid of this d35 and puts in a 8.8.
He drives a 4.0L with 35"-s and he broke quite a lot of axles, even just driving on-road.
When he broke an axle, the axle doesnt come out like with a c-clip but you lose traction; only way to crawl back home is in 4x4H.

4.88 in a Ford 8.8 would be best; I agree. However the parts are scarse in The Netherlands.

Ok, I made up my mind and skip this deal and keep my eyes and ears open for a Ford 8.8 (and that Dodge Dakota Bell house....)
Thnx guys!

[sharpxmen]

if it is a Full Floater axle i would give it some good consideration, a good truss on it and even if you break a shaft you can make it home in FWD. I'd like to see some pics of those hubs if you get close enough to it. do you know if the shafts are 30 spline?

[Eucalypta]

I will see if I can take some pics of it. If I have some time left: I am planning of visiting my friend in southern part of The Netherlands tomorrow

Not yet sure how many splines the axles are....it comes with 1 extra set of axles; might be able to check that as well tomorrow.

Price of it all is 400,= Euro: about the 2/3 of the price of a new ARB locker for the D35
(Prices in Europe are higher than in USA...)

[sharpxmen]

i would buy it and put a solid truss on it given that the axles are 30 spline chromoly, Full Floater is awesome, unless you break the housing you still make it out of there on your own 4 wheels