Interchangable Cherokee Donor Parts Questions, starting with Differentials.

[Dal3]

 

If there is data compiled on the site (or elsewhere) about general interchangeability of Jeep parts, someone please direct me to it.

 

Project Status

I plan to get used parts to repair the differential in my '89 Comanche.

The right rear axle drive gear has been welded to the carrier and spider gears are missing.

The differential i.d. plate is missing, but I counted the revolutions and the ratio is just over 3:1, which I like for fuel economy (I have the 5 speed manual trans).

The ring and pinion seem fine.

I was also unable to find the date code on the passenger-side axle housing.

 

Available Parts

I've found parts locally from 1994 and '95 Cherokees so I'd like to know which years might fit my '89 and which would not.

I've read in these forums, I think, that Cherokee rear ends will fit the Comanche if the Comanche spring mount pads are welded to them.  So I'd like to get a confirmation on this and also, are there exceptions?

 

I'm also wondering about limitations to switching carrier assemblies in the Dana 35.

The 1995 carrier assemblies available to me are 4:11s.  A friend thinks carrier exchanges may be limited within certain output ratio ranges. If so, which carrier assemblies would interchange with my 3:07(?)?.

My friend tells me not to reuse my funky carrier. 

I don't have the skill to mess with a ring and pinion, but he says installing a carrier within working tolerances is similar to adjusting tapered wheel bearings.

 

Parts Car ?

There is a wrecked 1995 Cherokee available to me.

I will be needing additional parts, Including body parts.

How useful could the available '94 Cherokee be, even beyond resolving the differential issue.

 

Knowledgeable replies much appreciated.

Dale Myers

Central Indiana, USA

[gogmorgo]

There's more information about all of this stuff in the DIY section of the forum.

 

As far as parts interchangeability, pretty well everything from the front doors forward is the same as a same-year similarly equipped XJ (Cherokee). The drivetrain itself will also be the same with the exception of the rear driveshaft length and the location of the rear spring perches.

 

If you still have the original gears, a 4.0 with a manual would have been equipped with a 3.07 gear ratio.

There were some minor changes on some of D35 axle and differential stuff, the biggest being a change to a c-clip rear axle. If you look up the parts at a parts store (rockauto or amazon, even), they should be able to tell you the year ranges they'll fit, or they'll have a description of the part itself so you'd match what you have. No guarantees there's original parts in a diff that sounds like it's been as attacked as yours... one wheel drive and what's your plan to get that shaft out of there if it's been welded to the gear?

I believe the carrier break is 3.73-down and 4.10-up. I'm not 100% on which side of the break 3.73 is, but 3.07 and 4.10 will use a different carrier. An automatic-equipped 4.0 XJ will have a 3.55 ratio, but the carrier will be the same as your 3.07.

A couple things worth pointing out though is that it's very definitely not worth the money to rebuild a Dana 35. They'll hold up to gentle (street) use, but they are pretty flimsy. If you have a factory Dana 40 under there (rare but not unreasonably so) then it's likely worth the time and money. If not, then good candidates for axle swaps (most of which can be picked up used fairly cheaply) are C8.25's out of the later year XJ's, and Ford 8.8's out of Explorers. Both of those axles have been swapped in by members here many times, and there's good info in the DIY forum about them.

 

As far as how compatible things are between your '89 and a '94/5, there was a very major update between '90 and '91 model years. Most of the basic stuff will still swap across, (body panels, interior parts, engine block) but just about everything related to engine control was changed and most of that stuff will not fit without (in most cases major) modification. Again, there's stuff in the DIY about swapping stuff across between them.

[Eagle]

The carrier break for the Dana 35 was 3.31 and down / 3.55 and higher. 1984 thru 1989 were non-C-clip axles, 1990 thru 2001 were C-clip. The non-C-clip used 10" brake drums, the C-clip used 9" drums.

 

I don't remember what the carrier break is for the front Dana 30.

 

[Edit]

 

The factory parts manual lists the front axle differential break as 3.55 and down / 4.10 and up. That conveniently ignores 3.73.

[Rockfrog]

The D30 carrier break is at 3.73.

So 3.73 and up, and 3.55 and down.

 

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[Dal3]

I've just read the posts to date.

I see a difference of opinion about whether a 3.55 carrier will fit the 3:07.

Otherwise the suggestions seem clear.

 

In answer to a question posed to me about getting the welded gear and carrier apart.

Some time ago I contacted a seller offering spider gears.

He said due to metallic dissimilarity, these parts could be separated by striking the weld with a chisel.

However, my friend asked the same question and said it looked like the welder really knew what he was doing.

The welded areas would mostly be available for grinding through the cover opening.

 

I understand I'm being advised here to put my efforts into upgrading to the Ford rear axle and I will study this soon.

Would my Comanche wheels bolt to the Ford hubs?

 

Thanks.

Dale Myers OP

[gogmorgo]

I may have confused it with the D30. I would trust Eagle over my own foggy memory.

[Eagle]

 

I understand I'm being advised here to put my efforts into upgrading to the Ford rear axle and I will study this soon.

Would my Comanche wheels bolt to the Ford hubs?

 

Thanks.

Dale Myers OP

 

Jeep wheels will bolt onto the Ford hubs. But the Ford axle is narrower and you'll need to run spacers on the rear axle if you intend to use Jeep wheels.

[gogmorgo]

Or you could go with a Chrysler 8.25 rear end out of a 97+ XJ, and have an axle that is the correct width already :dunno:

But you should look into both rear axles. They've all been swapped many times, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.

[Eagle]

The Ford axle also involves adapting the pinion yoke. Using a 97+ XJ axle doesn't involve any spacers or yoke adapters, it only involves relocating the spring perches.

[Rockfrog]

If going from a D35 to any of the mentioned axles also requires either moving the axle back, or shortening the rear driveshaft about an inch.

I have an 8.8 in my 88 MJ. Depending on wheel choice, spacers may not be needed, I have 05 Charger wheels on mine with 1.5" spacers ... I can mount the wheels without the spacers though.

 

I was going to use a 29spl 8.25 before, but it simply came down to gear choice, the 8.25 was 3.55, the 8.8 was 3.73 with LSD .... That was the only deciding factor one way or the other. Personally I prefer the 8.25.

 

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[Rockfrog]

I've just read the posts to date.

I see a difference of opinion about whether a 3.55 carrier will fit the 3:07.

Otherwise the suggestions seem clear.

 

...

 

Thanks.

Dale Myers OP

 

No difference of opinion there at all, eagle mentioned the break for a D35, and was sure of the D30, I added the information for the D30.

D35 - rear axle

D30 - front axle

Hence two different carrier break ranges.

 

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[1989 comanche mj]

Don't do anything to your welded freak axle.  Put in a 8.25 from one of the donors is the easiest.  Number 1 rule don't put any money in a dana 35.  I put the Explorer rear axles in all my jeeps  YJ ZJ and both MJ's and sell the existing axle before its blown up.  Stock wheels with larger than stock tires will need spacers, but its only 1/2 inch narrower than the original axles.  Yes the pinion offset is wrong but doesn't seem to be an issue.  The axle to center tubes need to be welded by at least a semi pro welder.