4.56 gears in a Dana 30 front

Not really, there's no bearing retainer plate that will hold things together. It's still a c-clip design, although the axle shaft is much much stronger, so if the shaft breaks, you're still screwed.

Jerry

-- Jerry Bransford To email, remove 'me' from my email address KC6TAY, PP-ASEL See the Geezer Jeep at

On 08 Jan 2004 08:02 PM, Jerry Bransford posted the following:

Yup, if the Super 35 kit eliminated the C clips and the tendency of a broken axle to exit the housing, I would order one tomorrow. If I am going to put that kind of money into a D-35 I at least expect to get a better retention system. Otherwise, I'd rather wait and spend a bit more on a D-44.

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

Hey Guys,

I hope that you won't mind my stepping in with a slightly different, although related, question:

I have a 01 XJ, stock Upcountry Pkg, 5sp tranny with the basic steel wheels. I *think* that this means that, like the OP in this conversation, I have the D30/35 3.56 differentials.

I've changed my tires to beef up the sidewalls and clearance for my occasional forays into rock, such as one might encounter on the passes of Colorado. (I do a bit of backcountry skiing in the Springtime; this took me over Cinnamon Pass and to Ophir Pass, e.g., last season just after both roads were opened.) These new tires are 30x9.5LT tires, and they've changed my driveline ratio enough that I'm having trouble maintaining my engine revs on the mountain roads I regularly drive, so I'm considering a differential gear ratio change.

Now for the questions part:

(1) What is the recommended source/parts manufacturer for what I'm trying to do?

(2) Assuming I do go through with things, does anyone have a recommendation on how far to go? Does a 4:10 differential make sense for my application? I probably only rarely drive over 80mph, but I'd rather not have to be at 3k rpm to achieve this speed on the highway for long timeframes. Also, will a 4:10 even fit in my diff cases?

(3) My rear differential is of the stock pseudo limited slip variety (Traclok?). Does it make sense at this time to consider going with a more capable limited slip product? How about on the front too?

Many thanks to all for any suggestions you might have...

cheers, john

What engine do you have? That's a very important factor to consider when doing a gear ratio change.

-- JimG

Right you are, Bill... I just thought 3.56 was odd. JimG

For all intents and purposes, 3.56 would be close enough to 3.55. And the OP should be sure he has the Dana 35 rear, many, if not most, XJ's had the Mopar

• * * Matt Macchiarolo
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Hey All,

I'm really sorry for having missed all of your helpful responses. As I explained to Bill, my isp's news server has yet to see them, and I've had to switch news servers.

So, the answers:

(1) Yes, I've got a 4.0 six;

(2) I'm pretty sure about the D35, but I'll double check this evening and get back to you.

Thanks again for your help, and your patience.

cheers, john

Hey All,

A quick follow-up...

I was incorrect: my 01 XJ 5sp manual does indeed come with a Mopar 8.25" rear differential, and the gear ratios are 3.07:1. Yikes, no wonder I'm having problems with the 30" tires!

Anyway, I've pretty much decided to lower that ratio to 3.73 and to upgrade my rear Traclok to an Auburn limited-slip system. (Based on Bill's post, the chart on ratios seems to indicate that 3.73 will still yield a lower ratio than came stock, and I was happy with that for my application.)

Regardless, all of this still leaves me with still more questions:

(1) I drive mostly highway mountain (my house is at 7500ft, with town around 5000) miles, and have 4wd to deal primarily with ice and snow conditions on these roads. Should I consider moving from an open front diff to a limited slip? What are some of the things I should consider in making that decision?

(2) Finally, is, in the opinion of your esteemed group, 3.73 low enough, or should I consider going with a 4.10?

many thanks again, john

Wouldn't that be a "higher ratio", which of course yields a lower gear? (hear we go again :-)

Does it go good enough now? Do you intend to do any off-road? A lLocked or limited slip front can cause handling/steering issues in snow and ice.

Do you ever intend to go bigger than 30" tires? If not 3.73 with the 4.0 would be fine.

I've had no complaints thus far, but I've never had it stuck either (I'm pretty conservative). I guess what I was asking is whether or not going limited slip would make my set-up more bullet-proof.

I do take it off-road, but only as a means to get somewhere; I am not going to make this vehicle a rock crawler. Your last statement gets at the crux of the matter: I know that a locker will affect handling in slick conditions; I didn't know if that was the case for limited-slip.

I cannot imagine going to bigger tires.

Thanks for all of your advice; it's really been helpful.

cheers, john