axle strenth comparisons
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 649
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From: north carolina
axle strenth comparisons
hey guys, i know this topic has been covered more than once, however, i have a question. being that the dana 35 is a reverse cut 7.5, is there a real need to upgrade the rear from 7.5 to 8.8? the reason i ask this is i currently have a dana 28 and 7.5 rear. and currently looking to change out the 28 for a 35. i know the 35 is stronger than the 28 and all the reasons. just wanted to know if i really should up to the 8.8 rear if the gains where small. i have been told that the ranger version of the 8.8 uses the same axle diameter as the 7.5, its the explorer/f-150 that uses the larger 8.8 axles. the largest tire i want to run is a 33x 12.5 x 15.
Post Fiend
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Try it and see, if it holds up then your a step ahead and if it doesn't, you were gonna swap it out anyway. With 31's and would say no problem, but 33's are getting iffy. If you add a truetrac or something, that will strenghten the carrier. I have an 8.8 with 28 spline axles and a truetrac and have climbed over logs, rocks and such and if yet to trash an axle and I run 32's. My buddy has a 98 2wd with the 7.5, 4:10's and a truetrac, he has a lift and 31's, he beats the crap out of that truck and has yet to break an axle. It would also depend on what you were going to be doing with the truck, rock crawling, trail ridding ect. If you get an 8.8 from an explorer, it will have the bigger splined axles.
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: north carolina
as far as gearing goes, i would more than likely change the ratios to acount for the 33's. the 7.5 has a stock l/s rear. its the clutch type carrier ford used in the 80s. i know the 28 cant handle 33s. but i just cant see why a dana 35 could and the 7.5 rear couldnt being they are the same other than one is reverse cut. if anything the dana 35 would be weaker being that it has universals (good spots to blow one out).
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2005
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I would try it and see what happens, may not have one problem with it. In jeep circles, the D-35 that comes in the rear of wranglers isn't highly praised either. For anything bigger than 33's then recomend you swap to a ford 8.8 or a D-44 in a wrangler. There is more stress but on the rear diff than the front, your rear diff see's 90% use, where as the front may see 10% use and thats if you wheel alot. Also all offroad situations don't require you to be in 4wd all the time. The rear diff gets the brunt of the use. On my 02 wrangler, I had the D-30 in the front and D-35 rear, with 4:10 gears and 31" tires I never had a problem and I use to wheel it pretty hard. I have no experience running 33's. They do offer a D-35 strengthening kit from superior, that includes stronger axles, housing trusses and a detroit locker or truetrac. This kit is supost to allow you to run up to a 35" tire on a wrangler. Most guy's feel it's just as cheap to swap to a D-44 or 8.8 as to buy the kit.
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 649
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From: north carolina
the only experience i have with that tire size one the 7.5 is pretty positive. my cousin has a BII that he takes to the mud bogs with. he runs a 33x12.50 and the most problem he has had is the dana 28 (broke 3 axles now runs the 35) and the cvc drive shaft that ford used in the BIIs., here in eastern nc there arent many rocks to climb but plenty of low lieing areas and lots of mud trails. if i do have to change axles im going to opt for one out the expy being it has the same carrier and axle diameter as the f-150. or one from a 2003+ fx4 ranger they now use the same deal. unless by pure dumb luck i run into an early bronco and get to do a sas and get the 9" 
again only by pure dumb luck lol
again only by pure dumb luck lol
