Are chromoly axles enough?

KCsTJ said:
If you were able to swing it, would you be doing the axle switcheroo yourself?
I.think you could handle it just fine yourself.
That is a project i think would be a blast
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I would do the switch, yes sir, but if it needs a re-gear and locker, I’d leave that to the pros!
 
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JMT said:
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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Yeah that is where I am going also. Mine has a stock Dana 35 with 3:73, and plan a super 35 (revolution) on ARB's and 456, but that will be last after all of my other mods I am considering.

It hurts how much money I have spent trying to stay tame and learning. After all of the money I spent, I will have to do like @Chris's friend and keep it for 600K miles. Man I love Jeeps!
 
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ac_ said:
Yeah that is where I am going also. Mine has a stock Dana 35 with 3:73, and plan a super 35 (revolution) on ARB's and 456, but that will be last after all of my other mods I am considering.

It hurts how much money I have spent trying to stay tame and learning. After all of the money I spent, I will have to do like @Chris's friend and keep it for 600K miles. Man I love Jeeps!
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Yes sir! These Jeep’s are fun. If I S35 I’ll do an e-locker in the rear, but like you, it’s sort of at the end of the line. Money is thin this year, so not sure about dropping $900 on a mod that won’t be able to be finished till sometime next year. Hard call
 
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JMT said:
Yes sir! These Jeep’s are fun. If I S35 I’ll do an e-locker in the rear, but like you, it’s sort of at the end of the line. Money is thin this year, so not sure about dropping $900 on a mod that won’t be able to be finished till sometime next year. Hard call
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So to make it easier look at the price of the e-locker and super 35 with gears. That should be well over 900 bucks, and at the end you have a s35. If your Dana 44 is the right gear ratio(4:56) for 900 and will bolt right in. That might be a better way to go. That will make you regear the front but just regearing the front is much cheaper because I don't think you have to replace the carrier going from 3:73 to 456 up front but please double check me on that.

But if you have to pay 900 then regear it and locker it up it may just not be cost effective.
If it at least had a 373 so you could bolt it in and not change gears for a while I would do that too. But if it has something other than those two gear ratios and money is tight, I am not sure I would do it.

That is my 2 cents FWIW
 
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My $0.02 is this @JMT . Confirm the axle is 4.56. The sooner you acquire the axle (with rear disc brakes!!) the sooner you can enjoy the new gearing.
If your boys are in school I'll help install. Done in 1day with 2 working. Just feed me.
Remove front driveshaft, get the front diff matched with 4.56 and you're done.
:)
 
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ac_ said:
So to make it easier look at the price of the e-locker and super 35 with gears. That should be well over 900 bucks, and at the end you have a s35. If your Dana 44 is the right gear ratio(4:56) for 900 and will bolt right in. That might be a better way to go. That will make you regear the front but just regearing the front is much cheaper because I don't think you have to replace the carrier going from 3:73 to 456 up front but please double check me on that.

But if you have to pay 900 then regear it and locker it up it may just not be cost effective.
If it at least had a 373 so you could bolt it in and not change gears for a while I would do that too. But if it has something other than those two gear ratios and money is tight, I am not sure I would do it.

That is my 2 cents FWIW
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I agree with this. If its 456 I would be crazy not to get it. Even at 373, I’d have 30 spline and could run it now. Not bad. If not, like you said, get’s pricey. Only benefit then would be the market hype around having a 44 over an S35.
 
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KCsTJ said:
My $0.02 is this @JMT . Confirm the axle is 4.56. The sooner you acquire the axle (with rear disc brakes!!) the sooner you can enjoy the new gearing.
If your boys are in school I'll help install. Done in 1day with 2 working. Just feed me.
Remove front driveshaft, get the front diff matched with 4.56 and you're done.
:)
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That’s nice of you! Sounds like you really would like to do this!
 
Wait... @JMT you found a Dana 44 with gears that match what you have now, for 900 bucks? Why haven't you jumped on that. Its gonna cost you the same to re-gear, no matter what (Dana 35 or Dana 44) so what the heck are you struggling with. Get the axle now, and when Money loosens up for you, you can get all the nice stuff done.

Or, think about it this way...You could pay 900 NOW...or wait until the Dana 35 breaks. Then who knows where you'll find a new axle, and how much that will be.
 
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ac_ said:
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.
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You are correct, the 200 is handling. Still shows free shipping for over 500 to my address. Of course I didn't place an actual order so who knows. Weird.
 
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I’ve done a fair amount of hard wheeling without breaking my Dana 44s turning 35s. When wheeling over an easy obstacle I got in a hurry because I had fallen behind after chatting too much. A few wheel hops later I had a twisted chromoly Dana 44 and a chipped ring gear. Not enough to notice on the trail luckily or enough to dampen my weekend on the Rubicon but enough to make a rear axle rebuild necessary. Easy wheeling is great but it’s that 1% that ends up breaking things and leaving you stuck or ruining the weekend.

I agree with the others, don’t bother upgrading the Dana 35. Invest in a Dana 44 or a Ford 8.8. I was just talking to a guy camping yesterday. He did the Ford 8.8 and was really happy with the upgrade. It’s a cheaper and stronger axle than a Dana 44. Lots of guys don’t like them but I have not heard a good reason why not. If you could snap an axle which would be rare then the disk brake caliper will keep it from walking out like a Dana 35.

Not sure where you are at but I’ll be selling my Dana 44 with ARB locker 4.56 gears and chromoly axles (including a slightly twisted spare set) for $2k or less. I’m in NorCal.
 
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Ranger_b0b said:
Wait... @JMT you found a Dana 44 with gears that match what you have now, for 900 bucks? Why haven't you jumped on that. Its gonna cost you the same to re-gear, no matter what (Dana 35 or Dana 44) so what the heck are you struggling with. Get the axle now, and when Money loosens up for you, you can get all the nice stuff done.

Or, think about it this way...You could pay 900 NOW...or wait until the Dana 35 breaks. Then who knows where you'll find a new axle, and how much that will be.
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I do not know the gearing in the axle. I’m inquiring today. ;)
 
afmoto said:
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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So many people fail to consider the cost offset by selling the Dana 35. Nice Dana 44 price btw.
 
Ok, the Dana 44 gearing is 3.73, just like my Dana 30, so it’s a bolt on affair @$900. That part would be easy, excepting whatever is needed for the disc brake conversion. If I could sell the Dana 35 for $300-400 that would offset some. Then a regear front and rear with e locker in rear only would add $2350, for a grand total of $2850-2950. Tempting, as that’s only $100 more than the quote I have for a S35 and regear.
 
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What’s involved in the disc brake conversion? And how much does that cost?
 
ac_ said:
So to make it easier look at the price of the e-locker and super 35 with gears. That should be well over 900 bucks, and at the end you have a s35. If your Dana 44 is the right gear ratio(4:56) for 900 and will bolt right in. That might be a better way to go. That will make you regear the front but just regearing the front is much cheaper because I don't think you have to replace the carrier going from 3:73 to 456 up front but please double check me on that.

But if you have to pay 900 then regear it and locker it up it may just not be cost effective.
If it at least had a 373 so you could bolt it in and not change gears for a while I would do that too. But if it has something other than those two gear ratios and money is tight, I am not sure I would do it.

That is my 2 cents FWIW
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He will also make some money on the factory Dana 35 when and if he sells it which will bring the overall price for the swap down.
 
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Oh, and pic of the Dana 44!
AC64F797-CC17-4634-B9D0-09083D1016F6.png
 
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