Am I okay to go wheeling with 32s and a Dana 35 with 3.07 gears?

[GoofyCraig]

I have a 2000 TJ Sahara 4.0L 5 speed and I just replaced my Dana 35 with 3.07 gears with the identical setup. It cost a bunch and I have a warranty. If I knew a month ago what I know now, I would have gone a different route. I run 265/75R16 KM2s (basically 32s) on stock 16 inch wheels with no lift. I have a cold air intake and custom exhaust and I have zero issues with acceleration. I do have to downshift not the highway when going up hills though.

I feel like an asshat for not going Dana 44 or at least going to 3.76 or 4.10. That being said, am I okay to go wheeling with 32s and a Dana 35 with 3.07s? Should I keep the 35 and upgrade gearing to 4.10? I can rip everything out and start over but I'd like to not spend more money. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[afusco1222]

If you can, find a Dana 30 and 35 from a 4cyl TJ. It’ll have 4.10s in it and will make a world of a difference. Off-road in 4Low, you can get by with 3.07s but the biggest difference is on-road IMHO.

 

[kam04LJ]

There’s nothing stopping you from wheeling it with 3.07s and the 35 in the rear. Don’t go rock crawling or do anything absurd and report back after.

Once you’ve gone a few times you’ll have a list of what you want to do and people here can help you accomplish that goal (lift heights, tires, if gears are needed, etc)

 

[Minderbinder3]

I can say from recent experience that finding a decent Dana 35 with 4.10 gears is not that easy. The used ones I found were high miles and the rebuilt ones were $2K. I decided to buy all new gears and rebuild the same set up that was destroyed when the welds broke free on the spider gears that were welded by a previous d.a. P.O. I would wheel what you got for a bit and then decide.

 

[macleanflood]

You'll essentially have a three speed Jeep and not much crawl control.

Nothing wrong with that. Not terribly fun in my opinion to drive but there are thousands upon thousands of folks having a ball four wheeling on anything and everything.

I say send it and see if you can bend it...and make a plan and keep an eye out for your next upgrade...watch CL and FB and pay attention to sales.

I put a super 30 and 35 kit with e-lockers in my 97 with a 4.0/AX-15 running 33s and now 35s. Did 4.88s and wish I did 5.13s.

As Freiburger says... don't get it right, just get it running...

https://shop.davidfreiburger.com/products/don-t-get-it-right-just-get-it-running-t-shirt
-Mac

 

[GoofyCraig]

You'll essentially have a three speed Jeep and not much crawl control.

Nothing wrong with that. Not terribly fun in my opinion to drive but there are thousands upon thousands of folks having a ball four wheeling on anything and everything.

I say send it and see if you can bend it...and make a plan and keep an eye out for your next upgrade...watch CL and FB and pay attention to sales.

I put a super 30 and 35 kit with e-lockers in my 97 with a 4.0/AX-15 running 33s and now 35s. Did 4.88s and wish I did 5.13s.

As Freiburger says... don't get it right, just get it running...

https://shop.davidfreiburger.com/products/don-t-get-it-right-just-get-it-running-t-shirt
-Mac

Thanks Mac - I have a warranty on the new axle so I may just have at it and see how it goes - I spoke with jasper who builds the axle and they say they improved on the original design - so if I break it, I'm good - I thought about upgrading the gearing to 4.10 as I'm going to stick with the 32s.

 

[GoofyCraig]

If you can, find a Dana 30 and 35 from a 4cyl TJ. It’ll have 4.10s in it and will make a world of a difference. Off-road in 4Low, you can get by with 3.07s but the biggest difference is on-road IMHO.

thanks - I'm heading to a Jeep shop next weekend to help with a decision - they said they could get me 4.10 gearing front and rear and that should help

 

[GoofyCraig]

I can say from recent experience that finding a decent Dana 35 with 4.10 gears is not that easy. The used ones I found were high miles and the rebuilt ones were $2K. I decided to buy all new gears and rebuild the same set up that was destroyed when the welds broke free on the spider gears that were welded by a previous d.a. P.O. I would wheel what you got for a bit and then decide.

I appreciate that - I can get 4.10s installed for $2400 which might not be the worst option as I plan on keeping this jeep - and I would have a warranty in case it all goes south

 

[GoofyCraig]

There’s nothing stopping you from wheeling it with 3.07s and the 35 in the rear. Don’t go rock crawling or do anything absurd and report back after.

Once you’ve gone a few times you’ll have a list of what you want to do and people here can help you accomplish that goal (lift heights, tires, if gears are needed, etc)

thanks - I have no lift now and I like the ride height and fitting it in my garage - I have a new frame as well and rock crawling/damaging the frame is not something I want to do - I may be okay and I have a warranty in case something breaks

 

[GoofyCraig]

You'll essentially have a three speed Jeep and not much crawl control.

Nothing wrong with that. Not terribly fun in my opinion to drive but there are thousands upon thousands of folks having a ball four wheeling on anything and everything.

I say send it and see if you can bend it...and make a plan and keep an eye out for your next upgrade...watch CL and FB and pay attention to sales.

I put a super 30 and 35 kit with e-lockers in my 97 with a 4.0/AX-15 running 33s and now 35s. Did 4.88s and wish I did 5.13s.

As Freiburger says... don't get it right, just get it running...

https://shop.davidfreiburger.com/products/don-t-get-it-right-just-get-it-running-t-shirt
-Mac

thanks - I don't plan on rock crawling but I would like to mix it up a bit - I don't know much about super 30 and super 35 and I do want an e locker on the rear - 4.10s should work - have you had any issues with dana 30 and 35 and durability? I hear horror stories but I don't plan on doing anything too extreme

 

[RINC]

You'll essentially have a three speed Jeep and not much crawl control.

Nothing wrong with that. Not terribly fun in my opinion to drive but there are thousands upon thousands of folks having a ball four wheeling on anything and everything.

I say send it and see if you can bend it...and make a plan and keep an eye out for your next upgrade...watch CL and FB and pay attention to sales.

I put a super 30 and 35 kit with e-lockers in my 97 with a 4.0/AX-15 running 33s and now 35s. Did 4.88s and wish I did 5.13s.

As Freiburger says... don't get it right, just get it running...

https://shop.davidfreiburger.com/products/don-t-get-it-right-just-get-it-running-t-shirt
-Mac

Freiburger is my hotrod spirit animal.

 

[macleanflood]

thanks - I don't plan on rock crawling but I would like to mix it up a bit - I don't know much about super 30 and super 35 and I do want an e locker on the rear - 4.10s should work - have you had any issues with dana 30 and 35 and durability? I hear horror stories but I don't plan on doing anything too extreme

If you're going from 3.07 to 4.10 you have to replace the carrier. I think the "break" is at 3.56...basically there's two different positions for the ring gears...one for lower and one for higher to get it to mesh right with the pinion. And sometimes but I'm pretty sure not this time you can cheat with thick cut gears.

That's why folks were recommending TJ 2.5 axles with 4.10s...thet at least come with an open (no locker, no posi) version of the carrier.

So...now you need a carrier...a Super 30 and 35 with higher spline counts costs the same more or less as the regular/normal count...so realistically you're only out the cost of upgraded axles.

Revolution makes a kit...have your shop give you a quote for installing a Super 30/35 kit from Revolution.

Also look/compare on Summit at the cost of a set of Dana 44s with 4.10s from G2.

-Mac

 

[GoofyCraig]

If you're going from 3.07 to 4.10 you have to replace the carrier. I think the "break" is at 3.56...basically there's two different positions for the ring gears...one for lower and one for higher to get it to mesh right with the pinion. And sometimes but I'm pretty sure not this time you can cheat with thick cut gears.

That's why folks were recommending TJ 2.5 axles with 4.10s...thet at least come with an open (no locker, no posi) version of the carrier.

So...now you need a carrier...a Super 30 and 35 with higher spline counts costs the same more or less as the regular/normal count...so realistically you're only out the cost of upgraded axles.

Revolution makes a kit...have your shop give you a quote for installing a Super 30/35 kit from Revolution.

Also look/compare on Summit at the cost of a set of Dana 44s with 4.10s from G2.

-Mac

thanks Mac - I appreciate the info - I do have a full warranty on the rear and I'm not sure if upgrading gears will void anything - I'm not sure if I want to replace the rear axle after just having a new one installed - when/if I break it will be another story - and what does a Super 30/Super 35 do? from the limited research I did, it seems they may the axles stronger than a stock Dana 44 - will these achieve the same result than a Dana 44?

 

[antwon412]

I rolled around Moab last year on 31s and open diff 3.07s.
did Fins n Things & Hells Revenge (no Hells gate or Escalator but I did do Staircase) and it was amazing.

I have since axle swapped to D44s with 33s lockers and 4.10s but it was still a fun rig to wheel around.

 

[macleanflood]

will these achieve the same result than a Dana 44?

Typically yes and a lower cost.

A regear would most certainly void your warranty. My guess is anything off road would void your warranty too.

I'd be looking for 2.5 TJ axles if you want to do this cheaply.

-Mac

 

[GoofyCraig]

Typically yes and a lower cost.

A regear would most certainly void your warranty. My guess is anything off road would void your warranty too.

I'd be looking for 2.5 TJ axles if you want to do this cheaply.

-Mac

I'll check with Jasper tomorrow regarding the warranty - it's a Jeep and it's meant to be off-roaded - when I spoke to them earlier, they talked about the upgrades they made to make it more durable and the assumption is for off-road use

 

[GoofyCraig]

Typically yes and a lower cost.

A regear would most certainly void your warranty. My guess is anything off road would void your warranty too.

I'd be looking for 2.5 TJ axles if you want to do this cheaply.

-Mac

and if the warranty is void from off-roading, I will regear - I'm about too swap out the engine ($4000 for a 4.0 and $2000 labor) and I was going to buy Jasper - this warranty issue will make me explore other options

 

[GoofyCraig]

I rolled around Moab last year on 31s and open diff 3.07s.
did Fins n Things & Hells Revenge (no Hells gate or Escalator but I did do Staircase) and it was amazing.

I have since axle swapped to D44s with 33s lockers and 4.10s but it was still a fun rig to wheel around.

this in encouraging and thanks for commenting - I will likely not do anything too crazy with my TJ - regear will make it easier but I may be okay either way

 

[kam04LJ]

thanks - I have no lift now and I like the ride height and fitting it in my garage - I have a new frame as well and rock crawling/damaging the frame is not something I want to do - I may be okay and I have a warranty in case something breaks

I’m assuming warranty is void if you break diff off road. That’s usually standard for stock parts.

Reading through the rest of your posts, I’d be hesitant to do more upgrades until you actually go wheel. I see 4.10s mentioned, and while that might be a decent upgrade, only you can tell if you’re unhappy with the performance to need another regear (and all the headaches that come with it).

Most people will install lockers while getting gear jobs done because the labor is negligible when gears are installed. If you switch to 4.10s but don’t install lockers, you’ll likely wheel 3-4 times and regret that decision.

It’s your money but I’d skip upgrading anything else until you’ve played with it offroad some and seen what you like/don’t like

 

[kam04LJ]

My Jeep on 4” spring lift + 1.25” body lift and 35s fits in my tiny one car garage. If it were me, I’d go wheel first.

The same money you’re proposing spending might be better used with different upgrades depending on what you want to do with Jeep