Are chromoly axles enough?

I'm confused, how does the jack or tree branch stay put to hold the wheel on once you start towing the vehicle, I would think the wheel would spin & twist the straps right off???
 
I'm confused, how does the jack or tree branch stay put to hold the wheel on once you start towing the vehicle, I would think the wheel would spin & twist the straps right off???
That fix is a temporary trail repair that is only good enough to get you back to camp to be repaired, that's it. You'd need to completely repair the axle before driving or towing it on the highway.
 
I heard enough bad stories about the Dana 35 that I didn't want to throw any money at it. Watched Craigslist for a while and found a Dana 44 for $750, which also included the rear disk brakes. Sold the Dana 35 for $400, so my net cost was $350. I then changed gearing and had a Detroit TrueTrac installed. I'm no expert like some of the guys here but I got through the Rubicon Trail two years ago without breaking anything and there is no way I would've attempted that with a Dana 35 - I just wanted the peace of mind and I'll always stack the odds in my favor as much as I can. ymmv...
 
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As a DD, the stock axles should hold up fine. If you are worried about an occasional off road adventure, it depends on the terrain, and your driving style (as in, stay off the skinny pedal).

If you upgrade to stronger axles, you move your "fuse" (the next thing to break) further away from the wheels... spider gears, ring and pinion, drive shaft u-joints, etc. There is a cost for every upgrade... you move the failure up the line.

Installing a locker is a good idea... you could go with a lunch box locker, or a limited slip, or to a selectable locker (I use Eaton E-Lockers) that will run open until you engage them when you need it locked up. The lunch box locker is the simplest to install, it just replaces the spider gear set. Every other type of locker involves removing the carrier, taking the ring gear off, mounting it to the new carrier, and setting up the rear end. Since you are planning on regearing, you already spending the money on the differential... it won't add labor expense to add the locker.

A better idea is to stick with the stock axles and no locker. Meanwhile, you look around wrecking yards to find a TJ with a Dana 44, and get the axle. You can have it set up at your leisure, then when it's ready do an axle swap.

My combination is a Dana 44 rear axle, Dana 30 front axle, 3.73 gears, stock axles, running 31x10.50 tires. I run around in the desert (I live in the desert), and occasionally some forest area up in the mountains. I generally avoid rocky areas, as I don't really want to break anything.
 
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I heard enough bad stories about the Dana 35 that I didn't want to throw any money at it. Watched Craigslist for a while and found a Dana 44 for $750, which also included the rear disk brakes. Sold the Dana 35 for $400, so my net cost was $350. I then changed gearing and had a Detroit TrueTrac installed. I'm no expert like some of the guys here but I got through the Rubicon Trail two years ago without breaking anything and there is no way I would've attempted that with a Dana 35 - I just wanted the peace of mind and I'll always stack the odds in my favor as much as I can. ymmv...

I have been looking for a Dana 44 or a 8.8 for years and the very cheapest I have found around here has been 2K and usually some suck ass gear ratio where then I would have to spend another few hundred bucks to change it. I am almost positive I will have to regear this year or early next year. If I don't find something by then, I will most likely super 35 my 35 and run an ARB and feel pretty good about it. I don't plan on doing the Rubicon trail any time soon so I can see your concern for sure, but sometimes we have to deal with what we have, and make it the best we can. Sounds like you got a great deal, and I would have done that too for sure, but still been trying to find that deal. I can't wait for it much longer as life goes on.
 
I have been looking for a Dana 44 or a 8.8 for years and the very cheapest I have found around here has been 2K and usually some suck ass gear ratio where then I would have to spend another few hundred bucks to change it. I am almost positive I will have to regear this year or early next year. If I don't find something by then, I will most likely super 35 my 35 and run an ARB and feel pretty good about it. I don't plan on doing the Rubicon trail any time soon so I can see your concern for sure, but sometimes we have to deal with what we have, and make it the best we can. Sounds like you got a great deal, and I would have done that too for sure, but still been trying to find that deal. I can't wait for it much longer as life goes on.

Then don’t, life is too short!

You’ve articulated pretty much exactly what I’ve found around here too. I always scratch my head every time someone says just swap in a junkyard TJ44 as if these things are falling from the trees hahaha – they’re not, at least around here & apparently where you are too, & there’s just so much other horseshit involved with an 8.8 that I never gave that swap much consideration. Not that I anticipate it but if I ever blow up my S35 I’m bypassing all that junkyard nonsense & just building a Currie or the like online to be dropped off on a pallet with a warranty in my driveway.

But to put your mind at ease as best I can, don’t hesitate to “super your 35 and run an ARB”, I’ve done & continue to do some pretty silly shit (within reason) with that combination all the while surrounded by fleets of D44s that are in every JK/JKU/TJR or otherwise which comprise the great majority of rigs I wheel with & not a one of them can go anywhere my S35 can’t, the only time I’ll bypass a trail or obstacle is if it’s too much for my smallish 33s...

I have scoured the internet between forums (including this one) & social media back to the beginning of the S35 & while there are seemingly thousands of broken Dana 35 shaft stories I’ve only been able to find a handful of S35 breakages, numbers that are no greater than breakages of 44s, 8.8s & 60s. And no I’m not saying the S35 is as strong or stronger than any other axle, just saying that if you follow the simple & well known rules (reasonable tire size, reasonable behavior) the S35 is awesome & provides a shit-ton of fun so if you find yourself putting one in don’t sweat it, it’s been my experience that it really wasn’t a compromise after all.
 
Well ok, not sure where you guys live, but I’m in Silicon Valley, only a couple of miles from Apple headquarters, and arguably one of the most expensive places in the country. Just checked Craigslist and there is a set of Rubicon D44s, front and rear with lockers, for $3,500. You can easily pick up the rear Dana 44 for $2K and you’re basically done. It’s a couple of hours away and these only come up every few months, but these sets of Rubicon axles are generally in that $3.5-4K range.

Obviously my rear Dana 44 was a very good deal for $750 but I’ve seen plenty in the $900-1,200 range if you keep an eye out for them for a couple of months. It’s your money, it’s your Jeep, and it’s not my place to tell anyone what to do. However, when I added up the cost of re-gearing and installing a locker or TrueTrac, for me it made more sense to spend a few hundred dollars more and upgrade to a Dana 44 instead of spending even more money to convert to a “super 35”.

If you’ve got the budget to drop $4-5K on a Currie Dana 44 and have it land on your front porch, then God bless you, do it. I’m into my rear axle upgrade for less than $1,500 (including gears and Truetrac) but it was definitely more of a hassle than just ordering exactly what I wanted.
 
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Yep been looking weekly for the last year and the best price I found on a Dana 44 was 2k and it had 518 gears of which I do not want. I called a wrecking yard that was parting out a rubicon and they wanted 8K for a set of stock gears that had 410 gears. I can do my own work so I can buy a super 35 kit with a 30 spline axle and the gears I want for way under 2k with no labor cost.

Not saying I don't want a Dana 44, but I don't want to pay more than 2K for it totally. You found a hell of a deal at 750, but they just simply are not there.

I have found some deals on 8.8 but as you stated, they are too much to deal with in a TJ. I bought one for my old YJ and find it a good way to go for a TJ but unless you can weld yourself with the axle and parts necessary and gearing and lockers it ends up costing way more than 2K at the end, and really as @Jerry Bransford and @Westtown Willy said. I can make the 35 good enough for my use for the money.

Guys thanks for validating what I was already thinking.

If I find a bolt in Dana 44 for a deal like you found, before I am ready to beef up my 35 I will buy it, but it will have to be way less than 2K with the mods it may need to fit my Jeep. If I don't, then I will beef up the 35.

I am betting there are way more Rubicons where you are from, compared to where I am. Probably why I am having so much problem finding one.
 
East Coast Gear Supply, new 44, Detroit locker, 30 spline alloy axles, whatever gear choice, with other misc stuff is 2600ish shipped. Just another option.
 
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Yep, or you can start out with a Ford 8.8 with the TJ tabs already welded on for $859, and then add the gears and locker you were going to buy for the Dana 35 anyway.

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-2763540-ford-8-8-rear-axle-bolt-in-tj-assembly.html

I’m not bashing the Dana 35 because I used mine for several years with no issues but it was always in the back of my mind that it was a relatively weak link. Once I went from 32’s to 35’s, the risk became too great for my comfort. Again, just my experience and thought process...
 
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Yep, or you can start out with a Ford 8.8 with the TJ tabs already welded on for $859, and then add the gears and locker you were going to buy for the Dana 35 anyway.

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-2763540-ford-8-8-rear-axle-bolt-in-tj-assembly.html

I’m not bashing the Dana 35 because I used mine for several years with no issues but it was always in the back of my mind that it was a relatively weak link. Once I went from 32’s to 35’s, the risk became too great for my comfort. Again, just my experience and thought process...

I looked at those before but to get it to Arizona was an expensive hassle. I may look more into it when the time gets nearer, but if I remember right it was almost 1000 dollars to ship it and they wouldn't drop at my house.
 
I looked at those before but to get it to Arizona was an expensive hassle. I may look more into it when the time gets nearer, but if I remember right it was almost 1000 dollars to ship it and they wouldn't drop at my house.
Hmm. Shipped to CA was 200.
 
Hmm. Shipped to CA was 200.
Ya the 200 is a handling charge - not the shipping charge. Also going through the drop downs for what I am looking for it was 2500 bucks before shipping and handling. Priced too high for me. I might consider it if it was local, and I could save the shipping cost. I would not like it, but I would squeak out 2500 for it, but no way 3500. I could get a Rubicon Dana 44 locally for 4 grand with less hassle. Although I would have to regear that too. Much cheaper to just do a super 35 my Dana 35 and add a ARBw gears. I can also add a ARB and gears in the front also, for less than the price of just that rear axle.
 
I have been looking for a Dana 44 or a 8.8 for years and the very cheapest I have found around here has been 2K and usually some suck ass gear ratio where then I would have to spend another few hundred bucks to change it. I am almost positive I will have to regear this year or early next year. If I don't find something by then, I will most likely super 35 my 35 and run an ARB and feel pretty good about it. I don't plan on doing the Rubicon trail any time soon so I can see your concern for sure, but sometimes we have to deal with what we have, and make it the best we can. Sounds like you got a great deal, and I would have done that too for sure, but still been trying to find that deal. I can't wait for it much longer as life goes on.

I’m looking at a Dana 44 right now for $900 with disc brakes. Not sure I can swing it though
 
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I’m looking at a Dana 44 right now for $900 with disc brakes. Not sure I can swing it right now
Boy I would sure try and swing it if you can. Especially if it is a bolt in meaning you don't have to re-gear and all of the brakes are there. Especially because you are more of a wheeler than me.

What gears do you have now and what mods? Is it a super 35 by chance with 456 gears?

That is an awesome deal especially since I haven't seen them for under 2K here.
 
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Boy I would sure try and swing it if you can. Especially if it is a bolt in meaning you don't have to re-gear and all of the brakes are there. Especially because you are more of a wheeler than me.

What gears do you have now and what mods? Is it a super 35 by chance with 456 gears?

That is an awesome deal especially since I haven't seen them for under 2K here.
I still have to find out what gears it has. Right now I have a stock Dana 35 with 3.73 gears. I’d ultimately like 4.56
 
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