welding diff

[blown XJ]

so i was thinking about welding me rear diff since i lost my LS (broke it) i have a very bad tration needi have a dana 35 with 35 BFG is this a esasy way for tration can i change gear after i weld them?? i have a fabricator that will weld it for me i just want the pros and cons

[CrashNBurn]

Yeah welding your diff is definatley a cheap way to go for traction. I personally have never run a welded diff but I hear many different stories of welded diffs from lasting a long time to lasting a few days. If you have good solid welds I cant see why you would have any problems. A con to a welded diff is that you should keep checking your welds regularly.

[Bounty__Hunter]

I ran a welded D35 for several years, up to 33" tires behind a 2.5L engine. Never had a problem.

Welding the spiders in a limited slip can be tricky, you won't be able to weld any gear to the case due to the clutch packs. Fill in the 8 pockets where the side gears and spider gears mesh with a lot of metal and you should be fine.

[blown XJ]

no i got an open diff now i got a new axle i have 35's and a 4.0 with some power mods and i pretty haevy right foot do you think it will still hold up my friend is a great welder and he did it on his chevy and drives the hell out of it and hasnt broke in 3 years so im going to have him do it. but i have stock gears now if i weld this gears can i regear it after i weld my present ones up?

[TwistedCopper]

I'd go for it, but remember you're pushing your D35 with 35" tires no matter what you have in the pumpkin. I'd keep that in mind before being heavy on the skinny pedal open or welded

[Bounty__Hunter]

D35 with a 4.0L and a heavy right foot is not a good combo. You may get by for a short time wheelin like that, either open or welded, but it's gonna give. Consider a Ford 8.8 with the 4.10 and limited slip, I can get them around here for $100 and they install pretty easily. The 8.8 will handle almost everything you can throw at it with 35" tires.

You will still be able to regear after welding the spiders.

[blown XJ]

thats great but i dont have the money to get a 8.8 and then i would have to regear my front to match im on a very tight buget

[Bounty__Hunter]

The 8.8 can be found with many of the same ratios as jeeps, if you can afford one. $12 for a pair of spring perches and somebody to weld them and the shock mounts on for you.

[LRwrnglr]

My brother put a spool, same idea, for about $80 from O'Reily's and it has held up excellent. He's had no problems. Just a thought

LR

[Bounty__Hunter]

There are no spools or mini-spools manufactured for the D30 or D35. I'd have them if they were, well, before I went to 44's.

[LRwrnglr]

Oh ok. That makes sense, my brother drives an old Ford F150 so I think its a Ford 9".

[Utah_jeepster]

Still a D35 on 35's...a bad combo, add in a heavy right foot and your asking it to break.
I would suggest you don't weld it and save your money till you could afford a bigger axle that your could weld up. For if is your daily driver your going to riding the bus soon with a welded D35 on 35's.

[almostcj7]

I have a D-70 under my CJ-7, Welded it, and the only draw back is a little tire chirping on the pavement. Just dont try to drive on ice, Welds dont unlock!

[blown XJ]

its not me daily driver im in the process of buying a comanchee dana 44 for a guy on a comanchee forum i will prolly go with some kind of locker other then welding it for the 44

	Locking Differential Provides even more traction than a limited-slip differential by “locking” the axle shafts together when the driver wants to do it. Locking differentials do not allow for wheel-speed differences and must not be used on dry, paved roads.

[Bounty__Hunter]

One plus of me swapping to D44's was the availability of full spools. Many I know don't go back after spooling.