What do I need to offroad a ZJ?

[Badger]

thats not a true locker.that reuses the stock carrier which is a major weak point of the 35.

as to how much money you would be wasting on a 35 any and all of it .....

start looking for a 8.8 out of the late 90's Ford Exploders.they came from the factory with a limited slip and they are stronger .

 

[dungbeetle]

I ran a car-part search that showed the explorer V8 axles are the same from 96 to 2000. It also showed 6 cylinder axles to be different. I assume the V8 one is what I should get?

Richard

 

[Badger]

should be the same axle .the part numbers might be different due to limited slip and non limited slip.

just make sure its out of a 95 or newer since they used a 31 spline shafts instead of 27 spline shafts.also they switched to disk brakes in 95

i'm sure somebody else will chime in.

 

[kowe69]

How about this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993...007QQitemZ170170352226QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I can afford to blow 250 bucks to find out if I want to get "committed" to this hobby.

Richard

I had one of these lockers in my 12 bolt under a full size Blazer and 35" tires for years with no problems. The Dana 35 may have a weak carrier but if it breaks it can be upgraded later. As a beginner and on a budget is all about trial and error. In the long run this may cost you more money but if you invest a ton of money into a new axle and/or Detroit locker then you decide the rock crawling is not for you then you wasted even more money. You could then sell your parts but you never get what you paid for them.

My first trip to Moab was in a stock 94 explorer. It sucked at rock crawling but I was hooked. I knew right then and there that I was willing to invest a great deal of time and money into a project.

My advise is start small and work your way up. Badgers advise is good but is probably better suited for someone who is committed the the sport.

 

[cannoncrawler]

Go rent a jeep in moab. that will give you an idea what can be done. try a few things with and without the lockers engaged. if yer willing to spend a couple hundred to see if ya like it, there ya go. a rubi will go alot more places than a newby should go anyways, so start there.

 

[mbryson]

How much money would I be wasting if I put lockers in a Dana 35?

whatever you spend. I wouldn't put a dime in that axle I didn't have too. It's marginal in stock form. I never broke mine in my XJ, but after seeing how frequently and easily they break on other vehicles, I drove it GINGERLY. You might be fine with that axle up to 31" tires if you treat it nice. The best part of that is that you won't have spent any extra $$$ on a true pile of an axle

What axle would be the easiest upgrade? And, what kind of vehicle does it come out of?

Richard

LOADED question there. Totally depends on intended use and tire size/trails you intend to run.

 

[dungbeetle]

A while back someone posted a used lift kit here and I eventually bought it from him. I never got around to installing it, and now it looks to me like all the pieces aren't here, and the shocks are probably worn out anyway.

After listening to the comments here, I think the best approach is to either figure out what pieces are missing in this lift kit, or go with one sold by the supplier up in Heber. After that, before I head out on the trail, it seems wise to install the rock sliders and probably even the lockers. According to the ebay ad, using lockers reduces the stress on the axle by preventing wheels from wildly spinning and then grabbing. Might be just marketing BS, but it sounds logical. When the Dana 35 finally takes a dump on me, hopefully I'll be ready with an explorer axle to install.

Thanks for all the advice

Richard

 

[Badger]

go with one sold by the supplier up in Heber
Richard

If you are talking about Rocky Road stay far away !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in the jeep world he has been nothing but trouble.

 

[kowe69]

Lockers can put more stress on single axle since 100% torque is transfered under all conditions. What the eBay lister said is true to an extent. Most axles break from being locked while making excessively tight turns on solid ground and/or losing traction and causing wheel hop. When any wheel starts to hop the forces on the axle will snap it. I even saw it happen on an open diff Dana 44 in a Jeep a couple years ago.

 

[JoeT]

Looks like a ProComp 3-4" Kit. Those arms don't flex the best as they have a fixed bushing on the end. So when you start flexing your rig out the arms end up tearing up your axle brackets.

 

[Cody]

Here, just buy this and be done with it.

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=47830

If you want to start small, do a front to rear swap. use stock front coils in the back, and pick up some 3.5" coils (those pro cromps may do the trick actually). Some sway bar disconnects and longer shocks and you can clear 31's w/ no trimming and 32's with a little trimming on the bumpers.

Wheel that for a bit til you get a taste for how much more you want and then do the next step at once--go bigger or start adding some armor and lockers. I would wheel the thing open for a bit before I locked it up. Sometimes lockers will get people that dont' now what they are doing into trouble.

Cody

 

[Greg]

Here, just buy this and be done with it.

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=47830

That's really not a bad idea, especially for the price. Your ZJ is well-built for how little you're asking.

 

[Zombie]

Here, just buy this and be done with it.

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=47830

If you want to start small, do a front to rear swap. use stock front coils in the back, and pick up some 3.5" coils (those pro cromps may do the trick actually). Some sway bar disconnects and longer shocks and you can clear 31's w/ no trimming and 32's with a little trimming on the bumpers.

Wheel that for a bit til you get a taste for how much more you want and then do the next step at once--go bigger or start adding some armor and lockers. I would wheel the thing open for a bit before I locked it up. Sometimes lockers will get people that dont' now what they are doing into trouble.

Cody

What he said, and if it makes things easier for you, I know where an ALD44 will be for sale before May. Its a 3.73 ratio, factory limited slip, disk brakes, its in a ZJ factory, so it should bolt right in to yours. There is an Aussie locker available for it as well. Just food for thought.

 

[redbulltj]

My vote is budget boost and upcountry springs RE control arms.

Quality shocks

Tires that fit 32s maybe

Skids/sliders

8.8 and gears

Air, tools and first aid kit.

 

[Greg]

My vote is budget boost and upcountry springs RE control arms.

Quality shocks

Tires that fit 32s maybe

Skids/sliders

8.8 and gears

Air, tools and first aid kit.

That sounds well within reason. It would be easy to do those mods one at a time, while still being able to wheel/drive it daily in between.

 

[Zombie]

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention, I used mostly used parts, one good sale on crappy shocks, and a little teeny bit of fabrication, and I lifted my ZJ about 3.5"s for just under $250 including shocks. Shop used... you can do cool things.

 

[allterrain]

Dude, just forget all these guys and do what Cody does- call Creasy... at least that's what I heard.

 

[Cody]

Creasy? Ya, ummmm, no. My junk works.

 

[GOAT]

Richard

I sold those wheels to some guy from KSL

 

[GOAT]

Take it to Moab and then figure it out.

Someone was selling some sliders on here or KSL. Sliders are a MUST. Do not perform one suspension mod before installing some. Try Kevins or JKS (ORGS) for some good sliders.

Forget modding the D35 and toss a pop-right in the front, the rear will live longer.

The progression/regression of my ZJ
Day of purchase

6" w 35s(too tall)

Day of sale 3" w31s

I've changed rigs, but not my driving style