Dana 35 and Flo Daddy header By Rusty's

[ToyRochon]

I know that the Dana 35 is a peice of sh#@, but I see a lot of jeeps running it with large tires and it living for a good amount of time. What you all think of running with 35's and saving up for the Jeep Dana 44 rear end? I am wanting to run a RE 4.5 long arm and then run 35's with it. I know I ll have to be nice to it and watch how I push it.

What do you think of the Header he makes?

 

[TigTorch]

Don't know about the header. Your 4L inline six isn't a super high reving motor so a header may not help much. The earlier 4L manifolds had weak ears and would break. (maybe your problem) Jeep changed them slightly (in 2001 ??) and later ones (AKA junkyard) are better.

Unless your jumping your rig or tire hopping it hard, the D35 will probably hold up just fine with the 35's................until you put a locker in it.

 

[ToyRochon]

I am planning on locking it, but when I do that I do the shafts as well. Thanks tig. But my stock exhaust manifold is beganin to leak. The headers are the best replacement for the manifolds. As far as I know, That seemed to be the only way to fix the junk. Thats what I always did at 4wheelparts.

 

[junkyard jim]

The factory "header" manifold cracks because of movement in the mounts and someone leaving the hanger off that goes on the bellhousing. The exhaust swings from the weight back and forth and flex cracks the pipes. Mine has 300,000 on it with no cracks and it gets heavily abused with towing, etc.

 

[Cascade_Crawler]

as for seeing "a lot of people running big tires and making it survive" that just isnt true. these things break on the road with big tires. I wouldnt run 35s on it. Stick with 33s and have everything you need to pull out a shaft on the trail and change it.

 

[NotMatt]

What's a locker for the D35 gonna cost you... somewhere in the 250-350 range depending on what you get. Add another 100 bucks onto that, and you can buy a D44 from an older Cherokee to swap in, or an 8.8 from an explorer. Both are far better options than a locked D35 with 35" tires.

If you're going to run the D35 for a while, do yourself a favor and skip the locker... save your money to put towards the axle swap. A locked D35 will not hold up to 35" tires, no matter what anyone says. It'll probably break on the street going around a corner.

As far as the manifold goes, I've always pulled them off, cleaned them up real well and fixed the cracks myself by welding, then I add a small gusset/brace in between the collector pipes where they crack. Never had one re-crack on me after that.

 

[crazybluerider1]

I've found that the junk yards arent as proud of the 8.8 as they are of dana axles. I found a couple of disc brake units down here for around 200$ and one even had a factory locker (LSD). Try to score on of those then you will be saving money big time. :awesomework:

What's a locker for the D35 gonna cost you... somewhere in the 250-350 range depending on what you get. Add another 100 bucks onto that, and you can buy a D44 from an older Cherokee to swap in, or an 8.8 from an explorer. Both are far better options than a locked D35 with 35" tires.

If you're going to run the D35 for a while, do yourself a favor and skip the locker... save your money to put towards the axle swap. A locked D35 will not hold up to 35" tires, no matter what anyone says. It'll probably break on the street going around a corner.

As far as the manifold goes, I've always pulled them off, cleaned them up real well and fixed the cracks myself by welding, then I add a small gusset/brace in between the collector pipes where they crack. Never had one re-crack on me after that.

 

[1 grumpy]

I'd get a 44 before I spent money on a 8.8 since it has a c-clip like a dana 35.I've been running my 34's for about 4yrs now with no problem's 30 in frt 35 rear with locker 34x9.5x15 swamper's

 

[Howdyman]

got away with a lockrite and 36's behind an i-6 for several years, I to upgraded shafts. Ran Evans and Liberty 5-6 times a year.

 

[AUGDOG]

lockrite and 35's you will be fine...

 

[ToyRochon]

Thanks for all the insight. The more the better keep it coming. As for the rear dana 44. Does anyone have a lead or idea where I can find a Rear dana 44 for a Tj, or thinking of findind a good rear one and order up Rubicon Express bracket kit and put it in. Or if anyone got a better I like to here it.

As for the header, when working at 4wheelparts I always told the customers to replace once they started to leak. It was just since of the end is coming,but I know the 2001 and newer exhaust manifolds are much better the older maninfolds. But I am trying to do the most for less. Just like we all do. Thanks

 

[CrustyJeep]

Dana35 + locker = boom. Dana35 + locker + anti-wrap bar = BOOM. And that's with 33's and mild driving. Don't be retarded.

 

[ToyRochon]

dana 35

What you all think about putting a clip elimator kit. going to 30spline. Cheap upgrade $500.

 

[NotMatt]

You mean the Super 35 kit? 30 spline shafts, c-clip elimination, and a detroit locker to go with. This could be a decent choice, but the problem is that the D35 housing is a weak piece of trash, so you'd better also be trussing the tubes not only to each other, but to the center section as well. Then after that, you've got a tiny ring and pinion set that will go boom next, once you've polished the rest of the turd, AND you've still got tiny drum brakes that (in my experience) are barely adequate for stock sized tires, let alone oversized.

It's your money in the end, but I would save up and get an 8.8 or a 44 for that much (I even think the kit with the detroit in it is more than $500).