Newbie needs opinions?

[fixajet]

I picked up my first jeep a little over a year ago and so far so good. Ive spent alot of time fixing it up and even made it to the jeep safari in moab last year. Can't wait until March for the next one. Which brings up my question.
Its an 88 yj with the 4.2. Ok, ok, I NOW know the carburetor sucks! but thats hind site and fore site (I did'nt know, like I said its my first jeep) but Ive got it nuttered and the idle tubes drilled out, even running the juice box ignition so it does run pretty good. It'll even pass Ut county emissions if I retard the timing enough ha!ha!. Ok Im digressing. The jeep has auto transmission which I personally love. Its easy for my wife to drive and I love it on the trails where other people are clutch in clutch out all the time, I just drive. HOWEVER it sure sucks coming down hill! It hardly has any hold back power for the steep hills. I would really like to put in the Tera-low 4:1 transfer case and I think that would really help, but for my jeep, its about $1250.00 and Santa just dosent have that kind of cash right now. Down the road yes but now no. So what do you all think about rear disc brakes? Its half the cost of the tera low, about $600.00 for the kit. I don't want this thread turning into "why don't you just get a ford 8.8 off of a 95 or newer explore, it comes with disc brake". I really don't want to go there.
I just want to know if the disc brakes on the rear will make a noticable differnce in stopping (im running 33" tires) and or slowing down comming down steep hills.
Thanks, like I said Im new to jeeps and so far I can't believe I have gone this long without one.
I just wish my pockets were deeper!

 

[bobdog]

Rear discs wont make too much difference going down steep hills forward. They will make a huge difference backing down hills that you did not make it up however. Why are you anti 8.8? It seems really really dumb to spend $600 on a set of rear brakes when you can have a much better rear that has the discs for the same or less. You must really be in love with that 35.

Learn more about rear disc conversions you can have them for a lot less than $600. $200 seems high to me.

 

[Vonski]

When it comes to the tcase gears vs. disc brakes dilema, the tcase gears should be your choice. I won't get started on axle swap options (and if I did, the Ford 8.8 wouldn't be one of them anyway), but I will say that I wouldn't recommend putting any money into the d35 unless it's for a cheap/neccesary repair until you can afford swap it out.

 

[grinch]

When it comes to the tcase gears vs. disc brakes dilema, the tcase gears should be your choice. I won't get started on axle swap options (and if I did, the Ford 8.8 wouldn't be one of them anyway), but I will say that I wouldn't recommend putting any money into the d35 unless it's for a cheap/neccesary repair until you can afford swap it out.

Amen to that.... This is coming from somone who was dumb enough to do the super 35 kit when it first came out. Waste of money on a terrible axle.... if 600 is alot of money then why waste it on a junk axle??? I vote for the teralow if you need to change anything.... Just be patient and save the pennys santa clause gives you and so forth... lol..

 

[TELFORD]

I know you dont want to turn this into a axle swap thread, but if you are going to spend 600 your nuts not to. discs are not the solution. Take that 600 and fix the problem the first time, not twice............been there done that, learning that for the 3rd time. just my .02

 

[BlackSheep]

I agree with the previous posts that say fix it right the first time, but I don't understand what the big difference between your auto and my auto ('97 TJ) is. I shift the tranny to 1st gear, and I have all kinds of compression braking. I often come down reasonably steep slopes using only my transmission. In fact, I came down from the top of constrictor using mostly tranny (and a little e-brake) when I broke a brake line just before the eagles nest last summer.

I know my tranny has a locking torque converter (or whatever the proper term is for it), perhaps that is the difference.

Back to your problem, save your money and do every mod right the first time. Keep asking questions. I have learned a ton from the people on this board, and I wish I would have taken a little more time before I started making mods. Last year, I replaced a lift kit that had I known better, I would have never installed in the first place.

as for t-case gears, lower will definately help with your downhill speeds, and certainly help with your crawling prowess. I have seen the tera low gears occasionally for sale used, so save your money, and keep looking around, you might just luck out.

 

[RockMonkey]

Nobody here is going to tell you to spend $600 (or $400, or $200) on disc brakes for your dana 35. That would be a huge waste of $600. You WILL REGRET IT. Tell us again why you don't want to swap in a better axle.

 

[fixajet]

"I know you dont want to turn this into a axle swap thread, but if you are going to spend 600 your nuts not to. discs are not the solution. Take that 600 and fix the problem the first time, not twice."

Before I begin the why not the axle swap answer, let me say once again that I am a newbie to jeeps/axles/off roading in general. So I am learning as I go. If I could do it over, I would have looked for a 92 or newer and got the fuel injection, but I didn't know the carter carb was such a piece of crap before I bought it, so Im learning as I go and Im learning about axles too.

Ok here goes: Ive always gone on the philosophy that "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" My jeep is an 88, Ive been running 33 inch tires for the year and half that Ive had it. The previous owner ran 33's etc.. etc.. and it has the original axles still in it. From the shape that the jeep was in when I bought it, it looks as if the jeep has been driven like it was stolen more than once. So I don't see in the future or I don't anticipate any problems with the D35. So why upgrade to another axle When the jeep is 16 years old and hasent had an axle problem. (at least that Im aware of) And if I do brake an axle, I just bought a couple of spares off ebay for $10.00. So thats why.

However, after reading your posts, I can see why you all would suggest to me not to be putting money into the D35. Especially if I can get a beefier axle with disc's for cheaper than the d35 disc brake kit. Thanks for openning my eyes. I think the reason my jeep dosent have very good hold back is that my rear end gear ratio is 3:55 (I believe). If I had 4:10 it would be better. So I think maybe the best solution for now, would to just be patient and save up for the teralow, and then if I do ever have an axle problem, don't mess with the 35, get a 44 or maybe 8.8 etc..
I appreciate any and all advice. I value everyones opinion, especially if it will save me a dime or two and save me from having to do things twice.
thanks.

 

[BlackSheep]

I think the reason my jeep dosent have very good hold back is that my rear end gear ratio is 3:55 (I believe). If I had 4:10 it would be better.

yeah, that would be a difference. I do have 4.10s in my rig.

 

[RockMonkey]

My rig has great compression breaking too, with the 4.0 and automatic. Of course the 3.8 Atlas, and 5.38s make some difference...

 

[Vonski]

My rig has great compression breaking too, with the 4.0 and automatic. Of course the 3.8 Atlas, and 5.38s make some difference...

or so you'd think, smarta$$...

 

[Caleb]

"I know you dont want to turn this into a axle swap thread, but if you are going to spend 600 your nuts not to. discs are not the solution. Take that 600 and fix the problem the first time, not twice."

Before I begin the why not the axle swap answer, let me say once again that I am a newbie to jeeps/axles/off roading in general. So I am learning as I go. If I could do it over, I would have looked for a 92 or newer and got the fuel injection, but I didn't know the carter carb was such a piece of crap before I bought it, so Im learning as I go and Im learning about axles too.

Ok here goes: Ive always gone on the philosophy that "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" My jeep is an 88, Ive been running 33 inch tires for the year and half that Ive had it. The previous owner ran 33's etc.. etc.. and it has the original axles still in it. From the shape that the jeep was in when I bought it, it looks as if the jeep has been driven like it was stolen more than once. So I don't see in the future or I don't anticipate any problems with the D35. So why upgrade to another axle When the jeep is 16 years old and hasent had an axle problem. (at least that Im aware of) And if I do brake an axle, I just bought a couple of spares off ebay for $10.00. So thats why.

However, after reading your posts, I can see why you all would suggest to me not to be putting money into the D35. Especially if I can get a beefier axle with disc's for cheaper than the d35 disc brake kit. Thanks for openning my eyes. I think the reason my jeep dosent have very good hold back is that my rear end gear ratio is 3:55 (I believe). If I had 4:10 it would be better. So I think maybe the best solution for now, would to just be patient and save up for the teralow, and then if I do ever have an axle problem, don't mess with the 35, get a 44 or maybe 8.8 etc..
I appreciate any and all advice. I value everyones opinion, especially if it will save me a dime or two and save me from having to do things twice.
thanks.

going on your same philosophy, "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" why would you want to change your rear brakes out from drum (which work fine) to discs?

Its good to see you are actually listening to the advice of others, and not wasting money on the D35. Also, on your philosophy thing, you will soon find out (after you have broken once or twice) that sometimes you change/replace/repair things that aren't broke to prevent them from becoming broke...I have never broken an axle while on the trail, this was through D30, D35, D44, Ford 9", and now I have D60s...I have changed simply cause I KNOW axles break (even the large 60s) and it wouldn't be a matter of if but rather when I broke...figured I may as well help prevent something if I can...

 

[grinch]

Plus if your still learning about axles here is one to think about... That d 35 is a c clip axle that means if the shaft breaks you can lose a tire. Now I was in an extrem situation but here goes. I was in a street accident where I was side swiped at about 40 miles an hour. It broke the axle the tire came off and forced me into a rollover.The jeep went over 3 times and threw me 60 feet. An extreme case yes but if your climing and it breaks on a vert this is a verry real situation... Even if the broken axle stayes in the housing long enough to get off the obsticle you still cant limp it home. You have t fix it then and there. Just one more thing to think about.

 

[hilltj]

Plus if your still learning about axles here is one to think about... That d 35 is a c clip axle that means if the shaft breaks you can lose a tire. Now I was in an extrem situation but here goes. I was in a street accident where I was side swiped at about 40 miles an hour. It broke the axle the tire came off and forced me into a rollover.The jeep went over 3 times and threw me 60 feet. An extreme case yes but if your climing and it breaks on a vert this is a verry real situation... Even if the broken axle stayes in the housing long enough to get off the obsticle you still cant limp it home. You have t fix it then and there. Just one more thing to think about.

Graphical addendum:

When your D35 breaks, this works for getting it out as long as you have a buddy to drag you and don't care about sacrificing a tire. This pic shows us getting ready to drag this TJ about 1.5 miles back off the Fordyce Trail. That was fun

Fun trip tho, check out the rest of the pics: http://jeepnut.org/tripreport/fordyce200308/index.htm

 

[Vonski]

Does anyone remember the addy for the website dedicated soley to Dana 35 ghetto trail fixes?

 

[Zukimog]

Atlas T-case is a great idea for gearing and has a few options. The Dana 35 locked is a scary axle , only a matter of time when you hear that snap and just like in that pic above out comes the axle shaft.

The 8.8 is still a C-clip design but a hell of a lot stronger than the 35 in my opinion. I've seen 35's detonate and yet to see an 8.8 (I'm sure that day is coming ) The 8.8 is 1-1/4" narrower than the 35. I'll dig around for a clip of a locked 35 go snap. It was nothing hardcore

There is always the 44 option

 

[RockMonkey]

There's a nice set of Dynatrac axles in the For Sale section. Why spend $600 on your junk axle, when you could have $11,000 worth of bling?

 

[fixajet]

Plus if your still learning about axles here is one to think about... That d 35 is a c clip axle that means if the shaft breaks you can lose a tire. Now I was in an extrem situation but here goes. I was in a street accident where I was side swiped at about 40 miles an hour. It broke the axle the tire came off and forced me into a rollover.The jeep went over 3 times and threw me 60 feet. An extreme case yes but if your climing and it breaks on a vert this is a verry real situation... Even if the broken axle stayes in the housing long enough to get off the obsticle you still cant limp it home. You have t fix it then and there. Just one more thing to think about.

Not true. My jeep has NON c-clip axles. I believe 1987 thru 1989 D35 were all non c-clip. So that may be one good thing going for me.

I really started this thread to find out if rear discs brakes would make a big difference over the rear drums in stopping and holding me back comming down hills. Apparently they do not. At least not enough to change them over. I wasent really going to spend 600 bucks on the kits that are out of the catalogs, I would have researched and found parts on my own (still might) like I always do. Thanks for the replys, I hope someone will stop and help me on the trail when I do break the D35 ha ha!

 

[grinch]

Yeah we will still help you... Not all of those d 35's in those years are non clip. Count yourself lucky. I have ownd an 89 yj that had c clip dana 35 in it...
And even worse a np 208..... And ive been told that they only came in the xjs... I think jeep just uses whatever it has laying around lol.....