Regearing D35

[WeezyBlue]

Are gear sets, carriers, and/or rebuild kits different depending on whether the axle is or is not a c clip axle?

 

Seems whether or not gear suppliers specify is hit or miss.

 

Looking to regear 4.10 to 4.88 on an '87 axle.

[89 MJ]

I wouldn’t waste my time. I would go with a Ford 8.8. Or a D44 if you can find one. 

[WeezyBlue]

I hear you, I'm aware of the downsides of the axle. I already have it and it's going to be my first shot at doing gears myself, so if I grenade it no big deal.

 

That said, I've got no problem swapping it out for another axle either if something local comes up for cheap.

 

It's got a 2.5 in front of it and not going to be doing any real wheeling with it anyway, that's what my TJ's for.

[Pete M]

you should be able to find an 8.25 from a cherokee for cheap.  as a bonus you can work on it without taking the truck out of action. 

[ghetdjc320]

To answer your question: no the gears are all the same. Any pre 90’ d35 will be a non c-clip design. Ive been flamed far to many times for actually supporting this little axle. The fact is, I’ve never had a problem with them. I built my current 35 with 4.56 gears from revolution, chromoly 27 spline revolution shaft (wanted to run a truetrac which is only available in a 27 spline version), Detroit truetrac and a tnt truss. It’s as stout as the d35 gets. A good bearing cap girdle design cover would be a nice addition as well. I like the clearance and light weight of the axle. The truetrac “softens” the torque transfer and makes it less likely to  break a shaft. Between that and the chromoly shafts it’s a solid axle. I’ve run d44 8.8 (my least favorite axle) d60 and 8.25. D44’s are great and probably my favorite for strength vs size for our Jeeps. Don’t be too afraid of the d35 but if you are going to spend a lot of money on it consider a swap. Flame on lol. Just my $.02.

[omega_rugal]

as a learning experience? well that would be a costly lesson, get some junkyad part and experiment, while you are it, weld a truss to the D35 and hope it lasts

[benjy_26]

This is a good cost/benefit exercise, I guess. 

[WeezyBlue]

My very first TJ had heavy 33s on steel wheels and a D35. I used to beat on it pretty good and it held. That's not to say I wasn't always expecting it to break, I was. It just never did.

On my current TJ I've got dana 44s that are stock aside from 5.13s and I run a 37" beadlocked combo that weighs in at 135 lbs behind a supercharged 4.0 and still the same, no breakage, but I expect it. Chalk it up to mechanical sympathy maybe, I always get through the same obstacles my wheeling buddies do, but they always end up snapping shafts and ujoints with hardier combos. There's a lot of luck, too. Maybe the last owner really liked dumping the clutch and those shafts are already fatigued.

 

On the list for either this upcoming winter, or next spring, is a set of Currie 60s for the TJ, then I think the D44s will find their place at home under the Comanche.

At which point I'm sure somebody local would be happy to have a set of 4.88 geared axles for dirt cheap. Assuming they're not toasted by then