Hey. My rearend is just about rebuilt since I blew it up the other week. Turns out the 8.8" rearend I have sitting here is no good and not worth rebuilding....axle tube is bent so I'm just having my stock rearend rebuilt. I'm staying with the same gears for now, having 30 spline chrome molley axleshafts that are 40% stronger than stock put in along with a Detroit locker. I'd still rather have the 8.8 but because this is my daily driver and I can't do without it, I just don't have the time to find another 8.8 and have it converted to fit my jeep, then regeared and not know what kind of shape the internals of the axle are in and risk having to rebuild or replace parts in it. I'm just wondering how my upgraded rearend compares in strength to a stock 8.8.
Strength of an upgraded D35 vs. an 8.8" rearend?
- Thread starter Craig
- Start date
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
You can get an 8.8 from www.car-part.com for $300 to $500 with a limited slip and a ratio to match your jeep's front axle. Whole lot cheaper than the Stuper35 kit.
The housing will be a lot stronger than the D35, but if yours is a DD and you're short on time, you do what you have to.
The housing will be a lot stronger than the D35, but if yours is a DD and you're short on time, you do what you have to.
Let me start off by saying that I would rather have a D44 or 8.8" than a D35 because of the housing strength and bigger R&P gears, but the main weakness of the D35 is the axle shafts. You're fixing that problem with the 30 spline shafts. Add a full length weld on truss and the housing will gain alot of strength too. If the D35 has held up this long, it should last you forever with the mods you're doing.
RE: Camp Jeep 2005 - some pics.
As for bolt on trusses, yes I have used one in the past. I've never had one on a D35. On an axle that flimsy I think I would prefer a full length weld on truss. A bolt on would be better than nothing though.
The problem you have is that your locker is made to work with the toothpick sized 27 spline axles. The Super Kit that Craig is talking about is a special locker that accepts both the tiny ring gear of the D35 and new 30 spline shafts. The same size shaft that factory D44s and SF D60s use. Plus its a much higher quality shaft, so in that department you have a leg up on D44s with the super kit.
You might as well invest in a boatload of 27 spline shafts if you like to romp on it at all. Either switch to a limited slip rear diff or upgrade the shafts to minimize breakage.....or run smaller tires.
As for bolt on trusses, yes I have used one in the past. I've never had one on a D35. On an axle that flimsy I think I would prefer a full length weld on truss. A bolt on would be better than nothing though.
The problem you have is that your locker is made to work with the toothpick sized 27 spline axles. The Super Kit that Craig is talking about is a special locker that accepts both the tiny ring gear of the D35 and new 30 spline shafts. The same size shaft that factory D44s and SF D60s use. Plus its a much higher quality shaft, so in that department you have a leg up on D44s with the super kit.
You might as well invest in a boatload of 27 spline shafts if you like to romp on it at all. Either switch to a limited slip rear diff or upgrade the shafts to minimize breakage.....or run smaller tires.
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