John9999 said: ↑"I’m comfortable that a fully built S35 will hold up just fine.. Am I way off in what I’m seeing on pricing... Anyone comfortable in sharing the rough cost on upgrading?"
I think you're a little off & I’m happy to share my numbers, I did the S35 in May of 2017, work was done by the JpShop in Chester Springs, PA. Here was the breakdown (I did the S30 front too so some of the below numbers are cut in half to account for the charges dedicated to the rear only…). All my numbers include labor because I don’t have the knowhow or tools necessary for these kinds of modifications so if you’re doing your own work you’d have to adjust accordingly:
Super35 with drum brakes:
$2,418
Gear package: $253
30 spline shafts: $277
ARB locker: $940
Air line: $84
HO compressor: $147
Synthetic lube: $17
Labor: $700
I built a 44 axle on EGCS’s website with the same gearing, locker, & both re-use of drum brakes and upgrading to disc, & then added what you’d have to do once it’s delivered (I really have no idea what the labor would be to have it swapped by a shop as I’ve never priced it so my numbers below might go up or down depending on that cost):
Dana 44 with drum brakes
: $3,599
Axle: $2,868
Air line: $84
HO Compressor: $147 (this presumes you're doing the front too, if not double this)
Labor guesstimate: $ 500
Dana 44 with disc:
$4,524
I agree with Rob5589 above regarding the disc v. drum, for me the cost wouldn’t be justified but that’s up to you. Funny thing is I haven’t had a drum brake on a vehicle since I got rid of my 72 Nova back in around 91, I went about 25 years on all discs until I picked up my TJ with rear drums. Honestly, if I didn’t know they were drums I would never guess they were, I cannot detect a difference between the two performance-wise.
Given that you’re comfortable that a fully built S35 will hold up just fine the real question is does it make sense to build something beyond what you know you need & is it worth over a grand more, or in the case of the disc brake option two grand more?
On the other hand if you can find a built 44, particularly one that has your preferred locker & gear ratio already in it & you can get it at a price (factoring in the cost to swap it in) that puts you much closer to the S35 build price then it makes a lot more sense. Not only couldn’t I find a 44 set up like that when I was in the planning stages I couldn’t even find one with any configuration so my options were pretty much build a new one or go the route I went.