Jerry B: "The Super 35 from Superior Axle is a very worthy upgrade, it definitely allows a Dana 35c to be locked with up to 35" size
tires without much worry. I swapped my Dana 35c for a
Dana 44 but would have no qualms running a Super 35 in really tough terrain.
In fact, the 30 spline hardened alloy shafts that come in a Super 35 kit are slightly stronger than the OE 30 spline shafts used in a Dana 44. Plus the
axle tubes used in a TJ Dana 30 and TJ Dana 44 are identical. So other than the R&P gears being smaller in a Dana 35 which is really not a huge deal for 99% of wheelers, there's not much to not like about the Super 35 kit.
If swapping axles is no big deal and you can find a TJ Dana 44, that would be a good way to go but as said already, the Super 35 kit is entirely worthy and it survives in some very rough terrain. I know of several Jeeping friends that wheeled in positively brutal Johnson Valley with Super 35 equipped TJs. They often broke other stuff but not their Super 35 axle shafts.
"
Jerry B:
It's called a Super 35 kit and it actually makes the right Dana 35 parts (axle shafts and carrier) stronger than a stock
Dana 44. Hardened chromoly 30 spline shafts vs. the Dana 44's carbon steel 30 spline shafts. Not to mention its full case locker that price includes that doesn't come in a junkyard 8.8.
A Super 35's hardened chromoly 30 spline shafts are stronger than an 8.8's 31 spline carbon steel shafts and you'd have just as much trouble finding a spare 8.8
axle shaft on the trail as you would a
Super 35 shaft. Not to mention the Super 35's reputation on the trail, by those who actually know, is superb. During the entire time Superior Axle made their Super 35 kits, and they were sold by the thousands, they only had a handful of broken axleshafts (I was told single digits by their former GM) replaced under warranty. It was one of their most successful products ever.
Jerry B: "That's a very good kit, it doesn't get any better than Revolution Gear & Axle.... it's definitely worthy of 35" tires.
So far as the ring & pinion gears go, the only thing that has to be done is to set the backlash which is not difficult, at least not nearly as difficult as setting the R&P gears up from scratch. Setting the backlash only involves shimming the ARB carrier left or right until the right amount of backlash between the ring & pinion gears is achieved. Enough preload also has to be included to make the ARB tight enough to require a couple blows from a mallet to seat it into the housing.
However, there's a lot more to getting the rest of an ARB air locker installed properly than just getting the backlash set. That is why ARB strongly urges it be installed by someone who is experienced at installing ARB air lockers. Not just lockers, specifically the ARB Air Locker which isn't an easy install. For that reason, I wouldn't consider this kit really installable by Joe-average shadetree mechanic even if setting the backlash would be an easy job for him."
Jerry B:
Something that was immensely surprising to me while I was installing one of Superior Axle's axle trusses onto my
Dana 44 axle, according to Mac McMillan who ran Superior Axle at the time, was that they had surprisingly discovered the Dana 35 pumpkin was actually a bit stiffer than the Dana 44's pumpkin was. He indicated the Dana 44 actually needed the truss more than the Dana 35 did. Not to mention the Dana 35 and TJ Dana 44 axle tubes are cut from the same exact same tube stock.
Jerry B:
The Dana 35's ring & pinion gears don't have a reputation for giving problems with 35's and Super 35 kits at all. That's only a rumor spread by some with no personal experience. Super 35 equipped TJs are common in the toughest wheeling areas in North America like Johnson Valley without ring and pinion gear problems. It's similar to the old rumor 4.88 was too low of a ratio for TJ axles and that the pinion gear with that ratio was too small to hold up.... which was eventually proven untrue too.
The bottom line is that Super 35 kits have been around 16-17 years and they have a sterling reputation among those who don't simply repeat rumors..
Hope you don't mind Jerry. Just some of my Google fu...
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