freakjeep93 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 how can i tell if a axel i have out of a mid 80s cherokke is a chyrstler 8.5 ??? and how would i tell anyhow ? :???: :???: :???: :help: :help: :help: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 The Dana 35 is an oval blob. The Dana 44's diff cover is stop-sign shaped (sorta). The 8.25 (lower picture) has a flat bottom to the differential housing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 ahhhhh ok I'm gunna go check that now .... the 8.5 is better that the dana 35 right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakjeep93 Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 ok all i got are dana 35s thanks anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Bummer. But to answer your question, the early 8.25 is slightly better than the Dana 35. Not really enough to justify a swap (unless you get a better gear ratio out of it). The 97+ 8.25 is a much better axle (comparable to the Dana 44), having thicker axle shafts with a higher spline count. The later model shafts and spider gears can be swapped into the earlier 8.25s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reson46 Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 If you mean the Chrysler 8.25, it did not come in XJs in the 80s. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 If you mean the Chrysler 8.25, it did not come in XJs in the 80s. Willy I believe the first year was 93. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck23ms Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 i had a 92 xj with 8.25. not sure if it was original but it was there when i got it. it survived being locked with 35's for a long time and is still going as far as i know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigalpha Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Bummer. But to answer your question, the early 8.25 is slightly better than the Dana 35. Not really enough to justify a swap (unless you get a better gear ratio out of it). The 97+ 8.25 is a much better axle (comparable to the Dana 44), having thicker axle shafts with a higher spline count. The later model shafts and spider gears can be swapped into the earlier 8.25s. I was under the impression that ALL 8.25s were a significant upgrade from a D35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Are the early 8.25s an upgrade? Sure, I guess. But not enough to justify the effort of swapping axles. The 27 spline shafts aren't much stronger than a Dana 35's and they are C-clip. If you're going to put forth the money and effort to throw another axle under your Jeep, go with the 29 spline 8.25 or Dana 44 or Explorer 8.8 (which might be what you're thinking of since the earlier drummed axles used to be confused with other vehicles' 28 spline 8.8s, but it turns out they too have the 31 spline shafts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigalpha Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Are the early 8.25s an upgrade? Sure, I guess. But not enough to justify the effort of swapping axles. The 27 spline shafts aren't much stronger than a Dana 35's and they are C-clip. If you're going to put forth the money and effort to throw another axle under your Jeep, go with the 29 spline 8.25 or Dana 44 or Explorer 8.8 (which might be what you're thinking of since the earlier drummed axles used to be confused with other vehicles' 28 spline 8.8s, but it turns out they too have the 31 spline shafts). What do you mean when you say "early"? My 95 XJ has an 8.25 in it. From what I read, most people say the 8.25 is much better to have than the D35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 What do you mean when you say "early"? My 95 XJ has an 8.25 in it. From what I read, most people say the 8.25 is much better to have than the D35. The 8.25" came in 2 versions based on the year of the XJ. Chrysler 8.25 - 27 spline, 1.17" diameter shafts, C-Clip, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 1991-1996 Chrysler 8.25 - 29 spline, 1.21" diameter shafts, C-Clip, 8.25" ring gear, 3" axle tube - used 1997-2001 Housings are identical among both versions. The shafts, and carrier (along with internals of carrier) are different. As to the 8.25" being better than the D35, it also depends on what D35 (2 versions came in the XJ's as well) they are referring to. The early models are non c-clip, where the later models are c-clip axles. I'd take an early non c-clip D35 over a 27 spline 8.25" any day. Here's the specs on the D35's in the XJ's. Dana 35 non c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 1984-1989 Dana 35 c-clip - 27 spline, 1.18" diameter shafts, 7.58" ring gear, 2.62" axle tube - used 1990-2001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reson46 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Are the early 8.25s an upgrade? Sure, I guess. But not enough to justify the effort of swapping axles. The 27 spline shafts aren't much stronger than a Dana 35's and they are C-clip. If you're going to put forth the money and effort to throw another axle under your Jeep, go with the 29 spline 8.25 or Dana 44 or Explorer 8.8 (which might be what you're thinking of since the earlier drummed axles used to be confused with other vehicles' 28 spline 8.8s, but it turns out they too have the 31 spline shafts). What do you mean when you say "early"? My 95 XJ has an 8.25 in it. From what I read, most people say the 8.25 is much better to have than the D35. Yes, the 8.25 is much better than a D35. The early versions, like your's, have 27 splines. Sometime in 1996 they started using larger 29 spline axle shafts. What he is saying is that if you are replacing a D35, it makes more sense to replace it with the stronger 29 spline 8.25. There is nothing wrong with the 27 spline 8.25 if you already have it. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigalpha Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Are the early 8.25s an upgrade? Sure, I guess. But not enough to justify the effort of swapping axles. The 27 spline shafts aren't much stronger than a Dana 35's and they are C-clip. If you're going to put forth the money and effort to throw another axle under your Jeep, go with the 29 spline 8.25 or Dana 44 or Explorer 8.8 (which might be what you're thinking of since the earlier drummed axles used to be confused with other vehicles' 28 spline 8.8s, but it turns out they too have the 31 spline shafts). What do you mean when you say "early"? My 95 XJ has an 8.25 in it. From what I read, most people say the 8.25 is much better to have than the D35. Yes, the 8.25 is much better than a D35. The early versions, like your's, have 27 splines. Sometime in 1996 they started using larger 29 spline axle shafts. What he is saying is that if you are replacing a D35, it makes more sense to replace it with the stronger 29 spline 8.25. There is nothing wrong with the 27 spline 8.25 if you already have it. Willy Well, sure. I was just under the impression that the 8.25 is a lot more solid/stronger/better/insert adjective here than the D35 is. Apparently, that's only true if you have a 97+ 8.25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 There's no reason to turn down a good deal on a 27 spline 8.25. You can get it in the truck, and, it's already an upgrade. Then when you want to upgrade more, you simply get the 29 splide shafts and outer spiders. The housing, carrier, and gears are all the same. Plus you can keep your 27 spline stuff as trail spares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 There's a 4.10 8.25 sitting under a 95 XJ at my junkyard right now, in case anyone's interested in it...... (if it were a 29 spline, I would already own it :D ) Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 Yes, the 8.25 is much better than a D35. The early versions, like your's, have 27 splines. Sometime in 1996 they started using larger 29 spline axle shafts. What he is saying is that if you are replacing a D35, it makes more sense to replace it with the stronger 29 spline 8.25. There is nothing wrong with the 27 spline 8.25 if you already have it. Willy The housing and the gears on the 8.25 are better than the Dana 35, but the 27 spline shafts of the early 8.25s are nothing spectacular. What I'm saying is that I wouldn't pay for a 3.55 8.25 if I already had a perfectly healthy 3.55 Dana 35. I'd rather sink that money into a 44 or 8.8 or an axle with better gearing. But if I needed a complete axle, and there was a C-clip Dana 35 and an early 8.25 sitting there in the junkyard, I personally would go for the 8.25 in a heartbeat (and then be on the lookout for the 29 spline shafts/spiders). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 There's a 4.10 8.25 sitting under a 95 XJ at my junkyard right now, in case anyone's interested in it...... (if it were a 29 spline, I would already own it :D ) Jeff Get it, throw it in, and grab a set of 29 spline shafts from a 3.07 8.25 of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 meh...along with a new carrier and gear setup, not really interested in it right now. I'm already running a 44 (which my buddy pointed out looks tiny inbetween 35" MT's ;) ) Just passing it on in case anyone wants to come get it. They charge $99 if they ring it up as a "4WD rear axle" but only $39 if they ring it up as a "2WD rear axle". Unless you pull a D60 or larger, or the axle has a huge WMS, they generally think it's a car axle and charge you less (D35, 44, 8.25, 8.8, etc.) Either way, it's a good deal if someone's looking... Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 What about a new carrier and gear setup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck23ms Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 i'm guessing he's talking about going from 27 spline to 29 spline. the 29 spline spider gears won't fit in the 27 spline carrier so you have to use a 29 spline carrier and steup the backlash if you plan on doing that swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 i'm guessing he's talking about going from 27 spline to 29 spline. the 29 spline spider gears won't fit in the 27 spline carrier so you have to use a 29 spline carrier and steup the backlash if you plan on doing that swap That's the first I've ever heard of that. I've always been told the 29 spl spiders and interchangeable with the 27s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck23ms Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 nope the outer diameter of the 29 spline spiders where they go into the carrier is larger and they won't fit into the 27 spline carrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 nope the outer diameter of the 29 spline spiders where they go into the carrier is larger and they won't fit into the 27 spline carrier. I'd not heard that before. But generally everything regarding the 8.25 I disregard. Not enough strength to bother or care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I read some posts on NAXJA and it seems plenty of people vouch both ways. I'm getting the impression that there's aftermarker 29 spline spiders that are the same OD as the 27s. What about the Dakota 8.25s? Anyone know about the shafts in those? My stepdad has a 95 Dak with a 6 lug 8.25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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