So, I'm new to the forum. I have a 97 Jeep Sport as a toy that I've owned for a year. Recently the rear differential makes a clipping noise and became undriveable. I inspected the rear differential and discovered the pinion and ring gear are not meshing. My assumption is that I have lost a pinion bearing. I have a couple of questions. How difficult is it to rebuild a dana 35 ratio 3.55? Am I better off replacing the axle as a whole? If I rebuild should I up the ratio to 4.1? Obviously would have to regear the front. Thanks for your input.
How difficult is it to rebuild a Dana 35?
- Thread starter carneybl
- Start date
Thank you for the reply. No, it is not my primary vehicle. I've looked into the axle swap but wasn't sure how difficult the axle rebuild process was, and if so would I be better served with changing the ratio.
When I bought the jeep, it already had a 3" lift the 20" rims and 33" tires that rubbed the frame. I've swapped the wheels and tires for 17" wheels and 32" tires. So bigger than stock.
Let's put it this way: If you've never done it before, you WILL screw up the first time (unless you have a professional right there guiding you), and you will regret it.
Just ask @AndyG
You need to decide what the largest tire you want to run and build the suspension/axles to compliment them.
Ok thanks for the advice. What is a reasonable cost to expect. I’ve done it before but it has been 15 years, and not quite confident on setting backlash.
All I can say is if you try it without a pro you better have enough money to have it done twice, and if you tackle it yourself , I hope you like how it looks on jackstands.
Unless you’re going to regear both axles to a lower gear set, buy a complete used axle. If you’re doing the former, have a pro do it.
Setting the backlash is a walk in the park compared to the job of installing new pinion & carrier bearings and setting up the new gears. Which also requires the backlash be set. Setting up the gears is for an expert, or having an expert guiding you. And not even experts get it right every time. Getting it wrong means the new gears are ruined and a new set is required.
Not to mention specialized tools are required. On a scale of easy to extremely difficult, this job is very difficult just shy of extremely difficult. My very experienced gear installer guy didn't get my rear axle gears installed properly last year. I had to get replacement gears and bearings and have an expert install them.
My best advice is to have someone else do it.
4speedhandler
TJ Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2016
- Messages
- 172
i had to do this job as my dana 35 toasted the carrier bearings and sent metal through everything. looked around and couldnt find a dana 35 within reasonable distance for less than the cost of rebuilding it.
Never rebuilt a diff before and it turned out fine. just needed to get a dial indicator and a torque wrench that read inch pounds otherwise i had everything else.
if you take your time and read a few writeups on how to do it before going for it you should be fine.
now about 10k miles later everything inside still looks good.
Never rebuilt a diff before and it turned out fine. just needed to get a dial indicator and a torque wrench that read inch pounds otherwise i had everything else.
if you take your time and read a few writeups on how to do it before going for it you should be fine.
now about 10k miles later everything inside still looks good.
That's awesome .
I think I give people the impression sometimes it isn't doable by normal humans , or offend people who have the ability to tackle most anything .
I had an uncle like that , he was just a whiz at all mechanical things .
The biggest challenge I had was I had no idea what I was looking for , and didn't even know enough to assess the ability of the person that led the job. Of course , obviously I did no homework .
Also , and this isn't relevant here likely , but I sure wouldn't start on a Rubicon if you haven't done one before . The sensor pins one can create a lot of drama .
The mileage I got after I regeared was incredible ...these things don't burn much fuel when they won't move!
In your example the bearings were replaced and backlash set? This is far different than replacing the ring and pinion.
4speedhandler
TJ Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2016
- Messages
- 172
i pulled everything out of the housing and replaced everything inside except the axle shafts and carrier. ring, pinion, bearings, shims, spider gears you name it if it wasn't an axle shaft or carrier it was replaced.
Well done. Without knowing someone’s background, I’m reluctant to suggest ring and pinion swaps.