Dana 35 beefing up

[Tj04]

i want this to SOLEY be a discussion on beefing up the 27 spline Dana 35.

Any comments like buy a differnt axle or anything bashing the 35 can be taken elsewhere. Yes the axle sucks with larger tires, locked, or even with small tires. Understood.

I am curious to what extent the 35 can be strengthend without a super 35. I get this is talked about a lot but every forum I see for this is 90% "buy a new axle" or "waste of money" . Yes I know all the horror stories.

None of your money will be wasted in this discussion so there is no point to bother with whether this is a waste or not.

I've got a work in process restoration YJ and my TJ. Both have Dana 30/35 combo.

I am wondering how much stronger would the Dana 35 (again not the super 35) be with a trussed axle, chromium-molybdenum shafts, open carrier, and whatever else.

Has anyone actually trussed a 35?

What about anyone using 27 spline chromoly axle shafts?

Let's say all this to comfortably run 33s.

If anyone cares, I Still I plan to 8.8 swap, and have largely decided against the s35 as I just got a decent welder which has been only thing holding me back on an 8.8.

I know I'm not the only one wondering this and it would be cool to just have a thread that can help people that cannot afford or don't have the time or *insert reason here* to install a super 35/8.8/Dana 44.

So what mods could be done to strengthen a 27 spline Dana 35 besides a truss, welding around the tube-pumpkin, and chromoly shafts?

Are these axles sleevable like the Dana 30?

Mostly wondering this form a hypothetical standpoint since the go to is always s35 or throw the axle away.

 

[lowranger]

Very interested to see the input on this thread. I too have the 35 with the 27 spline axles. I wasn't on this forum or knew much about the Dana 35 when I put my E-locker and 4:56 gears in a couple years ago. I'm easy on the skinning pedal. I've since been to Moab with it, hitting trails like "Hell's Revenge", " Find and Things" and "Top of the World". After joining this forum and doing a lot of reading, I felt like I was lucky I didn't break my stock 27 spline axle. So my next up grade before I go back to Moab or do any other serious 4 wheeling is to up grade my rear axles. I think that's about the only thing I really need to do. I got a new carrier with the e-locker and have Yukon 4:56 gears. I don't think I wheel hard enough to truss my axles.

 

[Tj04]

Very interested to see the input on this thread. I too have the 35 with the 27 spline axles. I wasn't on this forum or knew much about the Dana 35 when I put my E-locker and 4:56 gears in a couple years ago. I'm easy on the skinning pedal. I've since been to Moab with it, hitting trails like "Hell's Revenge", " Find and Things" and "Top of the World". After joining this forum and doing a lot of reading, I felt like I was lucky I didn't break my stock 27 spline axle. So my next up grade before I go back to Moab or do any other serious 4 wheeling is to up grade my rear axles. I think that's about the only thing I really need to do. I got a new carrier with the e-locker and have Yukon 4:56 gears. I don't think I wheel hard enough to truss my axles.

I do strongly believe some chromoly shafts at a minimum would do a substantial (of course substantial is debatable and varys depending on usage and person) amount of good. Keep them as spares? Glad you haven't broken anything yet! I assume you're running 33s?

 

[lowranger]

I do strongly believe some chromoly shafts at a minimum would do a substantial amount of good. Keep them as spares? Glad you haven't broken anything yet! I assume you're running 33s?

Yes, that is going to be my next up grade (chromoly axles). Yes, I'm on 33s

 

[Jay P]

From 97-05, I had a TJ with 33s, 4.56 gears and ARBs front and rear on the Dana 35. It was a 97 4.0 manual. I had it for 8 years and ran it to Moab about 15 times in that span. I ran most trails there that didn’t require a winch. I never broke an axle shaft and I wasn’t knowledgeable enough at the time to realize that I was playing with fire. Although I did disengage the ARBs when not needed (usually) so maybe that had something to do with it. And man do I miss that thing!


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[tom.gordon.562]

I put chromoly axles in my Jeep 3 years ago 33 inch tires no locker. Been on a few 4.0 trails (with winch help) have had no issues.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Forget the truss, it's not needed. The TJ's Dana 35 uses exactly the same axle tubes used by the TJ Dana 44. They are cut from the same tube stock. If you install quality 1541H aftermarket 27 spline axle shafts, they'll be strong enough for 33's and a locker. Doing this would allow you to keep the center 27 spline differential as-is. This will maintain the c-clip design which is not an issue once you install the significantly stronger 27 spline 1541H axle shafts.

Or, go with a good quality Super 35 kit like from Revolution Gear. With its 30 spline1541H shafts you'd end up with shafts that are significantly stronger than a stock Dana 44 comes with. They will remain as c-clip axle shafts but like above, that does not affect the strength of the axle shaft itself. Even the Ford 8.8's axle shafts are c-clip designs. Then since this upgrade will require a replacement 30 spline differential, you need only determine if you want the Detroit Locker or selectable ARB Air Locker version of the Super 35 kit. This combination is worthy of nearly any trail in the US, it is regularly proven in Johnson Valley CA, home of the King of the Hammers event.

 

[lowranger]

Great info Jerry! Makes me feel alot better. I'll be going with the Revolution chromoly 27 spline axles with my already installed E-locker and 4.56 gears.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Great info Jerry! Makes me feel alot better. I'll be going with the Revolution chromoly 27 spline axles with my already installed E-locker and 4.56 gears.

I wish they did but I don't believe Revolution makes a 27 spline 1541H shaft for the Dana 35. Read any descriptions carefully, not all supposedly stronger aftermarket 27 spline shafts are worth installing. You can't go wrong with a Super 35 kit which includes 30 spline 1541H shafts with a choice of lockers.

 

[lowranger]

I wish they did but I don't believe Revolution makes a 27 spline 1541H shaft for the Dana 35. Read any descriptions carefully, not all supposedly stronger aftermarket 27 spline shafts are worth installing. You can't go wrong with a Super 35 which includes 30 spline 1541H shafts.

Thanks for the information and link! I'll be getting those.

 

[bobthetj03]

Thanks for the information and link! I'll be getting those.

I thought you had a S35 kit in your Dana 35. You're a ticking time bomb LR!

 

[lowranger]

I thought you had a S35 kit in your Dana 35. You're a ticking time bomb LR!

Thanks for the comforting words JB!
I didn't say I had an S35 kit in my Dana 35. Just an E-locker and 4.56s. I guess you just assumed.

 

[Tj04]

Forget the truss, it's not needed. The TJ's Dana 35 uses exactly the same axle tubes used by the TJ Dana 44. They are cut from the same tube stock. If you install good (!) quality chromoly alloy aftermarket 27 spline axle shafts, they'll be roughly the strength of the OE Dana 44 carbon steel 30 spline shafts. Doing this would allow you to keep the center 27 spline differential as-is. This will maintain the c-clip design which is not an issue once you install the significantly stronger 27 spline chromoly axle shafts. I'd probably look to

Or, go with a good quality Super 35 kit like from Revolution Gear. With its chromoly alloy 30 spline shafts you'd end up with shafts that are significantly stronger than a stock Dana 44 comes with. They will remain as c-clip axle shafts but like above, that does not affect the strength of the axle shaft itself. Even the Ford 8.8's axle shafts are c-clip designs. Then since this upgrade will require a replacement 30 spline differential, you need only determine if you want the Detroit Locker or selectable ARB Air Locker version of the Super 35 kit. This combination is worthy of nearly any trail in the US, it is regularly proven in Johnson Valley CA, home of the King of the Hammers event.

Useful info thanks for the input. So on a 27 spline the truss isn’t needed.

 

[Fouledplugs]

I am wondering how much stronger would the Dana 35 (again not the super 35) be with a trussed axle, chromium-molybdenum shafts, open carrier, and whatever else.

Has anyone actually trussed a 35?

A: Yes. It works but as to how much strength it adds, I do not know.

If anyone cares, I Still I plan to 8.8 swap, and have largely decided against the s35 as I just got a decent welder which has been only thing holding me back on an 8.8.

A: Just dont weld the rear spider gears using factory shafts. Me and my brother did this years ago. We both did some light wheeling on 33s with an open front and street driving. We both had 4.0’s and ended up with twisted splines.

So what mods could be done to strengthen a 27 spline Dana 35 besides a truss, welding around the tube-pumpkin, and chromoly shafts?

A: Im not sure anything else could be done. This is a a good start to wheeling before getting into a swap.

Mostly wondering this form a hypothetical standpoint since the go to is always s35 or throw the axle away.

A: I like the way you think.

Expand to see my .02

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Useful info thanks for the input. So on a 27 spline the truss isn’t needed.

Nope.

 

[bobthetj03]

Thanks for the comforting words JB!
I didn't say I had an S35 kit in my Dana 35. Just an E-locker and 4.56s. I guess you just assumed.

Sorry LR. Guess that's what happens when I "assume". Good thing you have good control on the skinny pedal.

 

[lowranger]

Sorry LR. Guess that's what happens when I "assume". Good thing you have good control on the skinny pedal.

Yes.....good thing. Especially where I had really good traction on the rocks in Moab.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Great info Jerry! Makes me feel alot better. I'll be going with the Revolution chromoly 27 spline axles with my already installed E-locker and 4.56 gears.

Double check that with Revolution Gear, I don't believe they make a 27 spline rear 1541H shaft for the Dana 35. Others like Yukon, Alloy USA, G2, or Ten Factory would be likely sources for that.

 

[lowranger]

Double check that with Revolution Gear, I don't believe they make a 27 spline rear 1541H shaft for the Dana 35. Others like Yukon, Alloy USA, G2, or Ten Factory would be likely sources for that.

The link you sent for the ones at Summit Racing that are 4140....should I check Yukon, Alloy USA, G2 or Ten Factory before ordering the ones at Summit Racing?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

The link you sent for the ones at Summit Racing that are 4140....should I check Yukon, Alloy USA, G2 or Ten Factory before ordering the ones at Summit Racing?

4140 would not be a good choice for a Dana 35, stay with 1541H shafts which have the surface hardening required for the raceless outer bearings a Dana 35 has.