Ticking time bomb?

Well seeing as the consensus here is just to do the Super Dana 35, I am leaning towards that route. I will not do any hardcore rock crawling in this rig, it is mainly used off road here in the Low Country (Costal Region) and in South West Georgia (Tank trails, fire breaks on Fort Benning/Moore), so it is used more for bogging, getting dirty in the mud and getting into hunting areas. I can source several D35s at local pull-a-part for about $140-$170, and build as I go, just have to find someone with better welding/fabrication skills than myself, to do the truss.

I do appreciate everyone's input and sorry to hear about Jerry leaving the board.
 
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Rongus said:
Long time lurker with a semi-lengthy post. Wife says I am getting buried in my Jeep because of the amount of time and money I have sunk into this thing. I had one as a young jarhead and got rid of it when the little ones come along, but now that they are grown, I decided to get another. I know the Dana 35 debate has been beat to death but looking for some advice on what to attempt to do next. I bought a 2000 TJ off of a local high school student that was just looking for a down payment for a new to him car. I bought this thing for $1000 with 250K on the odometer some problems that I knew I was getting into. This was going to be a project for me post-retirement from the Marine Corps to build out the way I was wanting over time.

The frame had some major frame rot (vehicle was originally from NJ, and I sure the salt air here is Charleston probably doesn't help matters), replaced the frame with a Throttle Down Customs new frame, couldn't find a shop or welder in my area that was willing to do the frame caps/repair and I don't trust my welding skills enough for that job. After driving this thing for about 30K miles, the 5-speed failed so that was replaced (couldn't find a decent junkyard to rebuild but did find one rebuilt NV3500 at the time) Advanced Adapters had a new manufacture AX15 for cheaper than the rebuilt NV3500, so ordered that and put it in.

I had the motor blow about 5K after the new tranny was installed (it had a knock from the start and was getting the Cylinder 1 misfire code. I pulled the motor and shipped it off to S&J engines (didn't have the time to do myself due to travel for work) and had a low buck 4.7L stroker built and with upgraded head. So, while the motor was out, I figured it was time to start really digging into the drive train (axles, bearings and seals) and steering, so how I didn't ever notice this while driving it was beyond me (never heard popping or the ratcheting sound).

When I pulled apart the rear Dana 35 to check the condition of the components inside, I found out that someone along the line has installed a Spartan locker, everything I have read leads me to believe this is a disaster waiting to happen. For now, the Jeep has a small 2-inch lift, and a 1-inch body lift and is only running 31-inch tires, I plan on putting new wheels and tires when the 31 wear out, still should have about 20K or so left on them. At that point I was planning on stepping up to 33s. So the question becomes, wait for the Dana to grenade and build out a Super 35 or keep looking for a Dana 44, I figure the cost in the end will be about the same after sourcing a used Dana44 and all the parts to rebuild it.

@Jerry Bransford seems to be the powerhouse of knowledge on here and would love to hear his take on this, with anyone's opinion/experience. I searched on the forums but didn't see anyone with a stroker and a Dana 35 probably because it's a recipe for trouble. I don't trust my welding skills enough to build a 8.8 rearend and the axle assemblies at ECGS are a little more than I want to invest at this point. However, even with the cash I have sunk into this I still think I'm about $25k ahead of what I would have spent on a new Jeep.
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Couple things. How do you use your jeep? Do you try for wheel spin and go offroading much? What gear ratio?Why not just put regular cheap spider gears back in the Dana 35 if you are worried?

If you move to 33s you will need to regear both axles. Don't waste your time and money getting another rear axle or s35 until you make that move.

@Woodrow Has a stroker and s35.he wheels it too.

You absolutely don't need a truss unless you jump it
 
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Rickyd said:
Couple things. How do you use your jeep? Do you try for wheel spin and go offroading much? What gear ratio?Why not just put regular cheap spider gears back in the Dana 35 if you are worried?

If you move to 33s you will need to regear both axles. Don't waste your time and money getting another rear axle or s35 until you make that move.

@Woodrow Has a stroker and s35.he wheels it too.

You absolutely don't need a truss unless you jump it
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Sorry, I had just made a post that answered some of these questions. I plan on re-gearing when I go to do the larger tires. I am current running the 3.73 factory gears, or at least based on the tooth count that is what I believe I am running. With 31's being on it I don't see the point in re-gearing, until I am putting the bigger tires on. So I wouldn't have really changed anything out until then. If I have to pull the carrier to change the gears, I figured it makes sense to either build the rear end on a separate Dana 44 or Dana 35 with a new gear set (understanding the front will have to be re-geared at the same time), or just wait for it to grenade and build on my existing Dana 35.

The majority (about 65-75%) of the time this is on road, I don't rock crawl as I am in the coastal area of South Carolina, but I do like to play in the mud. I take it Fort Benning/Moore about 4 times a year and get in the red clay, tank trails and fire breaks. This is mainly for hunting or just getting dirty. I am getting to an area where I am not getting a lot of traction with any forward motion (to much spinning), I usually try and either back out of the area or bust out the winch/recovery tools. I don't drive it like a hot rod, because it is far from that, and don't usually get snow or ice where I worry about wheel spin on the road.

Thanks for the info on the truss, I don't plan of dukes of hazarding this thing.
 
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Rongus said:
Sorry, I had just made a post that answered some of these questions. I plan on re-gearing when I go to do the larger tires. I am current running the 3.73 factory gears, or at least based on the tooth count that is what I believe I am running. With 31's being on it I don't see the point in re-gearing, until I am putting the bigger tires on. So I wouldn't have really changed anything out until then. If I have to pull the carrier to change the gears, I figured it makes sense to either build the rear end on a separate Dana 44 or Dana 35 with a new gear set (understanding the front will have to be re-geared at the same time), or just wait for it to grenade and build on my existing Dana 35.

The majority (about 65-75%) of the time this is on road, I don't rock crawl as I am in the coastal area of South Carolina, but I do like to play in the mud. I take it Fort Benning/Moore about 4 times a year and get in the red clay, tank trails and fire breaks. This is mainly for hunting or just getting dirty. I am getting to an area where I am not getting a lot of traction with any forward motion (to much spinning), I usually try and either back out of the area or bust out the winch/recovery tools. I don't drive it like a hot rod, because it is far from that, and don't usually get snow or ice where I worry about wheel spin on the road.

Thanks for the info on the truss, I don't plan of dukes of hazarding this thing.
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Changing out a lunchbox locker for spider gears can be done without pulling the carrier. Just the cover and crosspin. If you are worried about the strain on the axleshafts. That's cool s&j will build strokers. I love my stroker.its what the 4.0l should have been from the beginning
 
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Rickyd said:
Changing out a lunchbox locker for spider gears can be done without pulling the carrier. Just the cover and crosspin. If you are worried about the strain on the axleshafts. That's cool s&j will build strokers. I love my stroker.its what the 4.0l should have been from the beginning
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May looking at just doing this, with maybe just the upgraded 1541H 27 spline aftermarket axle shafts, but the axle shafts would probably just be a waste of money that could be used for the S35 later. I'll probably just shop around and build my wishlist only rebuilding and upgrading to a S35 if needed (something breaks). I've had this thing for about 3 years, but it's been up and down with the frame and transmission replacement, but before the motor blew it hadn't been a problem so far, I think with the stroker going in that is what had me concerned with finding the lunchbox in the rear. The possibility of the additional horsepower and torque being the proverbial straw. Amazon had a 30 spline Yukon Grizzly marked down to $546, with a 6 month installment plan just two days ago, and wish I would have jumped on that (just saved it for rainy day), and then get the revolution 30 spline S35 axle set down the road, with new gear sets.
 
@Rongus If you want to change out the spider gears, I think I still have a like-new set lying around, minus cross pin. It's about a 15-30 minute driveway kind of job. I'll let you have them pretty cheap, just DM me.
 
C.J. Roberts said:
Perhaps you would enlighten me.
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Without diving too deep into things or stirring the pot, there were a number of recent cases where the opposite was true. Others had demonstrated results with things he had never tried or experienced, but he would dig in and not acknowledge the possibility. Arguments back and forth ensued, he left.
 
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On forums (heck even in life) people come and go. I might replace my TJ with a newer Jeep in the future and if I do, I'll be gone from here too. Nothing personal...just the way it is. I have had interests in my life and I have been a member of various enthusiast sites. Then, when I lose interest or get rid of the item that kept my interest, I left the site. Wasn't mad....just developed new interests. The longest site I've been a member of is almost 25 years. The second longest is about 15 years. A few sites drove me off due to garbage moderation.

Some people on forums feel the need for constant validation of their opinions but the fact remains, people have different opinions about things and always will. Some people develop a following of sorts in their online lives and their little posse of admirers feeds their egos. But with time, opinions and people change. Some can handle that and some can't. That's human nature. Just the way it is.
 
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