Is the Dana 35 really weak?

[JeepTherapy]

They work fine in their stock form.....As long as your jeep comes with the Solid Axle Ski Set-up that this Jeep came with :laugh3: :

http://www.billhughes.com/dana35c/dana35tree4.jpg

Kevin

 

[Ramsey]

or perhaps the more popular "natural" curb feeler http://www.billhughes.com/dana35c/12.jpg

 

[WB9YZU]

I'm finding it interesting that all the examples of D35 failure have this on common:

*They are C clip axles
*They seem to running larger than 31's
*The pictures are mainly from one website

Not trying to beat a dead horse, just trying to give the original poster a clearer picture.

Not all Cherokees came with a D35c. Early models used a D35 with bearing retainers.

 

[rockwerks]

Well for any heavy footed guy with over 33" tires they aint gonna last. but you guys do know that zuks run 33's on their axles with a smaller dia shaft than the d 30. 5 times a week I put 3000 lbs of water in the back of my 35 equipted MJ and it holds up just fine. Ive haulled over 200,000 gallons with the poor thing. 350 gallons at a time. It is a non c clip axle though. IVe seen my neighbor with his 8.8 euipt ford break those pesky c clips of 3 times now in the last 2 years

 

[Danno]

I saw a D35 non c-clip grenade on Cliffhanger. Of course the guy was driving with his head up his butt. Kinda hard to see to drive that way. :laugh3: Also have seen two D35s break ring gears. They also were being hammered hard. I've also seen guys break D60s. The D35 IS really weak but with basically stock tires and a soft foot it does work. BTW, I have NEVER seen a D30 break anything but the ujoints and usually always under a tight turn and the smaller 5-260x joint.
BTW, everyone of the approximately 8 breakages I've observed were stick shifts.

 

[Ramsey]

witnessed 3 dana 30 breaks this weekend. a 297 joint and the ears on a shaft. another guy stripped the teeth off his pinion gear. both of these guys were running 35s.

 

[BrettM]

Not all Cherokees came with a D35c. Early models used a D35 with bearing retainers.

wrong. they are all D35c, the c stands for custom because they were shipped from Dana incomplete. all XJ D35s are the D35c. you are correct that the earlier models do not have c-clips.

 

[WB9YZU]

wrong. they are all D35c, the c stands for custom because they were shipped from Dana incomplete. all XJ D35s are the D35c. you are correct that the earlier models do not have c-clips.

Really? I was alway told that the "C" stood for "clip" to differentiate it from the non- c-cliip models. Learn something new every day

 

[cloudswimmer]

there are few people that would say a trussed Super 35 isn't a great axle for 33s, we just think it's a waste of money

There are alot of people that think an XJ isn't a great platform for a rockcrawler,
they think it's a waste of money That didn't stop me though from having fun
too with my rig

Seriously though, if you look at the end of my reply post I said if I knew what I know now back then I'd have gone a different route.In a thread months ago called 'How many have actually broken a super 35' there was some good dialog regarding the issue.I took the advice and am glad I did.Took a welding class, built a truss and ladder bar, spent practically nothing, and am not breaking my axel and having alot of fun..... fun fun fun fun, isn't this all about having fun arty:

 

[BrettM]

There are alot of people that think an XJ isn't a great platform for a rockcrawler,
they think it's a waste of money That didn't stop me though from having fun
too with my rig

Seriously though, if you look at the end of my reply post I said if I knew what I know now back then I'd have gone a different route.In a thread months ago called 'How many have actually broken a super 35' there was some good dialog regarding the issue.I took the advice and am glad I did.Took a welding class, built a truss and ladder bar, spent practically nothing, and am not breaking my axel and having alot of fun..... fun fun fun fun, isn't this all about having fun arty:

exactly, that's what I built mine for, fun. even with *gasp* front leaf springs, a Toyota axle and a low pinion front! trail repairs or worrying about what's going to break next does not make wheeling fun, and with 33s the Super35 does that pretty well.

 

[cloudswimmer]

with 33s the Super35 does that pretty well.

Does what pretty well :confused1

 

[BrettM]

Does what pretty well :confused1

trail repairs or worrying about what's going to break next does not make wheeling fun

sorry, that wasn't very clear. what i meant was the Super35 (with 33s) makes wheelin fun because repairs are unlikely.

 

[cloudswimmer]

sorry, that wasn't very clear. what i meant was the Super35 (with 33s) makes wheelin fun because repairs are unlikely.

Now if only I could convince my wife it is fun

 

[rockwerks]

Really? I was alway told that the "C" stood for "clip" to differentiate it from the non- c-cliip models. Learn something new every day

Nope the c in 35c stands for custom

 

[falcon556]

Thanks for the info.
Basically the D35 is OK for regular off road use with normal tires.
That's exactly what I need.

 

[tchase]

I'm not going to argue with those who claim the 35 won't handle a very big tire as I've never tried it. With a smaller tire though they seem to be more than adequate. I tortured my c-clip D35 for 6 years behind an auto with 30x9.5 m/t's both on and off road and never experienced any problems whatsoever. Aside from the usual off road abuse dished out by any 20yr old first time 4x4 owner, this also included one accidental shift to reverse at 70mph, and an unfortunate "flying XJ" incident that broke both spring packs and drove the bumpstops and swaybar links slightly into the body but did not bend the housing. On top of that the jeep was a rental at one time so I doubt I was the only one to abuse it. I kind of wish it had of failed but it still worked fine at over 200k miles when I swapped it out last year. While I have personally grenaded a Chrysler 7.25" (who hasn't), and Chrysler 8.75", and rode shotgun for the destruction of two 8.25"s, an 9.25"and a ford 8.8, the only D35 failure I've experienced was a broken pinion yoke about an hour after letting someone try to learn to drive a stick in my MJ.

 

[rob_rides_xj]

you guys have me scared now...im in the middle of building an xj as my trailrig....the plan was to run front and rear ez-lockers with 34'' super swamper LTBs...this is going to be just for trails so its going to be abused...should i just swap out the stock axles now...my friend's boss can get me a d60 front and a corp 14 bolt fairly cheap....i know the 14 bolt is good for 44inch tires but still....what would you guys recomend....like d44's front and rear?....i didn't realize this would be an issue until today when i was surfing around haha....

thanks in advance

 

[Ramsey]

34's plus lockers plus abuse will last about...well it wont last