Just got a 2001 Tj sport with 4.0 a month ago. It was my father in laws, he purchased it brand new. He got a new Jeep this year and gave me the Tj. It has been meticulously maintained it’s entire life and is front to back in great condition. It’s a completely stock rig. It’s my first Jeep and I can’t believe all the available parts to customize these things, it’s endless. As soon as I got it my dad gave me a set of 35s off his bronco with steroids that are 70% tread. Started looking at lifts which don’t look bad as far as pricing. I started looking into gearing the rear end and I’ve hit a rut. As great as great as the Jeep is I hung my head when I looked at the rear end the other day. Dana 35 with 3.07 gears. I got the weakest setup they made. It is a 5 speed for those wondering. So I’m floating some ideas. One is chromoly shafts with 4:56 gears in current Dana 35 axle. Or get a Dana 44 from a salvage Jeep and put the gears in it and put it in the back of the Jeep. I’m trying to do the best and most cost effective way to do this. I don’t have a ton of money to spend. I can do everything in my garage except the re-gear, I’m not ashamed to say I’m out of my league with that. I need a shop to do it. I’m open to all suggestions. As far as philosophy of use, I’m not a big wheeler. It will get in the mud and on trails when I go hunting and fishing. I’d like to wheel a lot but I’m young, have a new house, and another child that was just born, so I don’t have the money to tear it up and fix it all the time. So yes I will use it off-road some but it will mostly be on the street. Thanks for your input guys and or gals.
New TJ owner: Dana 35 or Dana 44 for 35" tires?
- Thread starter BamBam
- Start date
I think the front axle regardless of the gearing should be your biggest concern with the 35s.
I understand having kids and other expenses so I'd suggest selling those tires and using the money you get from them to get better off road tires around the same size as you already have. No matter what you do to install the 35s you will be out a pile of cash one way or another.
Good luck, whatever you do.
I understand having kids and other expenses so I'd suggest selling those tires and using the money you get from them to get better off road tires around the same size as you already have. No matter what you do to install the 35s you will be out a pile of cash one way or another.
Good luck, whatever you do.
A Dana 35 isn't a bad axle. Don't fall into that internet b.s. that is spread all over some of the other forums and social media. It's simply NOT true.
If you build your Dana 35 into a Super 35, it's a great axle that will easily handle your 35s for both on-road and off-road wheeling.
Check out this thread: Should I upgrade my Dana 35 axle?
The smart thing to do would be to do the Super 35 conversion and re-gear at the same time, as well as adding lockers. For gears you're going to want to probably run 4.56 gears if you have an automatic, or 5.13 if you have a manual.
Believe me when I say that a built Dana 35 will not break on the trail with 35s, unless you have a lead foot and thing that "more throttle" is the way out of everything. If that's the case though, you'll have no trouble breaking a Dana 44 either!
If you build your Dana 35 into a Super 35, it's a great axle that will easily handle your 35s for both on-road and off-road wheeling.
Check out this thread: Should I upgrade my Dana 35 axle?
The smart thing to do would be to do the Super 35 conversion and re-gear at the same time, as well as adding lockers. For gears you're going to want to probably run 4.56 gears if you have an automatic, or 5.13 if you have a manual.
Believe me when I say that a built Dana 35 will not break on the trail with 35s, unless you have a lead foot and thing that "more throttle" is the way out of everything. If that's the case though, you'll have no trouble breaking a Dana 44 either!
Stick with what you have and build it.
Also, there's a thread around here somewhere detailing what it takes to run 35s, give it a read. To do it properly I'd say expect to spend $5k at the very least
Also, there's a thread around here somewhere detailing what it takes to run 35s, give it a read. To do it properly I'd say expect to spend $5k at the very least
The front Dana 30 is absolutely 100% fine with 35" tires. It's only not fine when you also install a locker into the front axle with 35's, that's when its axle shafts get marginal. That however is easily fixed, if/when you install a front locker, by replacing the front shafts with direct replacement aftermarket 4340 chromoly axle shafts. That's an easy and relatively inexpensive swap and you can stay with the OE size 27 spline shafts so you can keep the same unit bearing hubs that are installed.
A stock Dana 35 is not up to 35's with or without a locker, it likes to snap axle shafts once you push it too hard which is easy to do with 35's or by installing a locker into it. You can replace the Dana 35 with a Dana 44 out of a TJ which is an easy bolt-in job. However, TJ Dana 44 axles are usually hard to find and when you do find one, odds are it will be more expensive than it should be since most TJ owners selling their rear Dana 44 axles know they're not common.
The easier fix for the Dana 35 is to install a Super 35 kit from Revolution Gear. That kit replaces the OE carbon steel 27 spline shafts with larger diameter 30 spline 1541H alloy axle shafts. It also includes your choice of locker like a Detroit Locker, ARB Air Locker, or Eaton E-Locker. A Dana 35 with a Super 35 kit installed is definitely worthy of running 35's on very (!) tough trails with its locker. Be wary that some low-life companies sell cheap "Super 35" kits that provide only 27 spline shafts and they're definitely not up to holding together with 35" tires.
Why is the Dana 30 up to 35's but the Dana 35 is not even though they both come with 27 spline diameter shafts? Because the rear axle takes most of the load/stress, the front axle seldom sees more than 50% of the load the rear axle sees nearly continually.
A stock Dana 35 is not up to 35's with or without a locker, it likes to snap axle shafts once you push it too hard which is easy to do with 35's or by installing a locker into it. You can replace the Dana 35 with a Dana 44 out of a TJ which is an easy bolt-in job. However, TJ Dana 44 axles are usually hard to find and when you do find one, odds are it will be more expensive than it should be since most TJ owners selling their rear Dana 44 axles know they're not common.
The easier fix for the Dana 35 is to install a Super 35 kit from Revolution Gear. That kit replaces the OE carbon steel 27 spline shafts with larger diameter 30 spline 1541H alloy axle shafts. It also includes your choice of locker like a Detroit Locker, ARB Air Locker, or Eaton E-Locker. A Dana 35 with a Super 35 kit installed is definitely worthy of running 35's on very (!) tough trails with its locker. Be wary that some low-life companies sell cheap "Super 35" kits that provide only 27 spline shafts and they're definitely not up to holding together with 35" tires.
Why is the Dana 30 up to 35's but the Dana 35 is not even though they both come with 27 spline diameter shafts? Because the rear axle takes most of the load/stress, the front axle seldom sees more than 50% of the load the rear axle sees nearly continually.
DominicWilbrink
Member
What is your thought on installing a Lunch-Box locker on a Dana 30 with 32~33" tires? I assume the chromoly axle shafts would be a good idea, but are they a necessity? I'm thinking about getting a Aussie Locker for my front.
Currently I have no plans of ever going with a bigger tire. I use it for a daily driver have downsized from the 35s that were on it when I acquired my 2001 TJ. The road handling has improved a ton with the smaller tires. And the 32~33 tires I am using perform well with the type of off road trails that I drive.
From what I’ve read in this forum, for up to 33s (maybe even 35s?) you should be good with stock Dana 30 shafts and a locker.