ChuckD
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Kerman, CA
Well I had one very non-wrenching Saturday afternoon.
I have this deal with my neighbor. He has a decent 2 door 91' XJ, either a RE 3.5 or 4.5 inch lift, niece tires and wheels and all that. He doesn't get on the internet and his majority of Jeepologly comes from the jokers at 4WheelParts and the infamous Offroad magazine.
Part 1 - The first deal
Anyway, I made a deal with him. He purchased my 87' D35 4.10 w/lockright and 3 sets of spare shafts, for $250. Not a bad deal, lower gears and a locker to boot. So he has paid me for the axle. I also explained the details and charteristics of how a lock-right operates and acts. I told him with some modifications you win with performance but may loose in comfort.
Well we talked about his front axle, he would need to regear it to 4.10. Well my front axle was geared to 4.10, aand is a LP D30 2001 TJ axle. So I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to regear lower and get my HP D30 back in my jeep. I was planning on letting him keep the 760 shafts to make keep the deal on the up and up.
So here's the second deal, we would front swap axles, and he would kick me $300 for new front gears carrier and kit for his HP D30. I told him I would front the money and he could make payments, like the D35. So I went a got the 4.88's for both my D44 and his D30.
Part 2 - First weekend of wrenching
I swapped my rear D44 in and installed his D35. I inspected everything and I was running this axle just prior to installing it on his rig and it was operating just fine. Since then he says he is getting a clunking sound when shifting into drive or reverse. Basically it the backlash of the locker, otherwise the locker operates just fine for him. Works around the corners just fine etc...
Part 3 - This Saturday, no wrenching,
I call him up this morning to find out when he was going to come over. He tells me he had to work late and that he took the cover off the D35 and said "the backlash just isn't right" "it shouldn't be like that". So since he worked late he said he needed some more sleep.
I said ok unwillingly, and then I went over to his place 3 hours later. Both vechicles in the driveway, the XJ had the rear diff cover off. I check the diff, yes there is backlash, just like a lock-right should, the pinion is tight and the gears are meshing fine. Everything look good to me. I knocked on the door no answer, so I went back home. I tried calling, no answer and left a message. So basically I went over again and tried to call him one more time. I felt if I did any more than this, I think I would consider myself a stalker.
Part 4 - The Decision
What should I do with him? He is either lying dead in his house or he is having buyers remorse over the lock-right. I don't have time to wait around until he feels like swapping axles. If he has a good excuse, fine, if he doesn't. What then?
I do have this option. I have a disco D30. I can regear it and make it work for my needs and swap over the knuckles and shafts from the TJ LP D30. A lot more work, but my jeep can remain road worthy. And I'm out maybe $300 and he is stuck with a D35 and a lock-right that he doesn't like.
Don't you guys just love the drama of owning a jeep?

I have this deal with my neighbor. He has a decent 2 door 91' XJ, either a RE 3.5 or 4.5 inch lift, niece tires and wheels and all that. He doesn't get on the internet and his majority of Jeepologly comes from the jokers at 4WheelParts and the infamous Offroad magazine.
Part 1 - The first deal
Anyway, I made a deal with him. He purchased my 87' D35 4.10 w/lockright and 3 sets of spare shafts, for $250. Not a bad deal, lower gears and a locker to boot. So he has paid me for the axle. I also explained the details and charteristics of how a lock-right operates and acts. I told him with some modifications you win with performance but may loose in comfort.
Well we talked about his front axle, he would need to regear it to 4.10. Well my front axle was geared to 4.10, aand is a LP D30 2001 TJ axle. So I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to regear lower and get my HP D30 back in my jeep. I was planning on letting him keep the 760 shafts to make keep the deal on the up and up.
So here's the second deal, we would front swap axles, and he would kick me $300 for new front gears carrier and kit for his HP D30. I told him I would front the money and he could make payments, like the D35. So I went a got the 4.88's for both my D44 and his D30.
Part 2 - First weekend of wrenching
I swapped my rear D44 in and installed his D35. I inspected everything and I was running this axle just prior to installing it on his rig and it was operating just fine. Since then he says he is getting a clunking sound when shifting into drive or reverse. Basically it the backlash of the locker, otherwise the locker operates just fine for him. Works around the corners just fine etc...
Part 3 - This Saturday, no wrenching,

I call him up this morning to find out when he was going to come over. He tells me he had to work late and that he took the cover off the D35 and said "the backlash just isn't right" "it shouldn't be like that". So since he worked late he said he needed some more sleep.
I said ok unwillingly, and then I went over to his place 3 hours later. Both vechicles in the driveway, the XJ had the rear diff cover off. I check the diff, yes there is backlash, just like a lock-right should, the pinion is tight and the gears are meshing fine. Everything look good to me. I knocked on the door no answer, so I went back home. I tried calling, no answer and left a message. So basically I went over again and tried to call him one more time. I felt if I did any more than this, I think I would consider myself a stalker.
Part 4 - The Decision
What should I do with him? He is either lying dead in his house or he is having buyers remorse over the lock-right. I don't have time to wait around until he feels like swapping axles. If he has a good excuse, fine, if he doesn't. What then?
I do have this option. I have a disco D30. I can regear it and make it work for my needs and swap over the knuckles and shafts from the TJ LP D30. A lot more work, but my jeep can remain road worthy. And I'm out maybe $300 and he is stuck with a D35 and a lock-right that he doesn't like.
Don't you guys just love the drama of owning a jeep?

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