KD4315

You're right! It was the 4cyl 2.5 automatics.

cruiser54

Actually, 4.0 autos had them with a towing package on the XJ Wagoneers in 3.54 ratio.

My 90 MJ has a Dana 44 factory.

KD4315

Interesting. Aren't those extremely rare? I thought they were much more common under 2.5 automatics.

cruiser54

That's what I remember primarily.

fannitti

so the 8.25 swap should be easy same lug and no prob with drive shaft. what about if I'm lifted or not cuz my jeep isn't lifted at the moment it will still work no issues still a direct swap. I'm looking for cheap and easy for now to get rid of the dana 35

cruiser54

Not lifted, get the driveshaft from the same XJ you get the diff from.

fannitti

ok so for stock hight get axle and the drive shaft from it and its a direct swap and then when i lift it can i put the original shaft i had in my jeep back in?

94XjSport94

How high are you going to lift it?

cruiser54

Good question. At 3.5", the stock one on my 88 works just fine.

fannitti

Yea 3.5 re lift. Use the stock 89 shaft and te 8.25 diff? Still do the tcase drop cuz I can't afford a sye

884x4

I found an 87 jeep Cherokee 4.0 Aw4 Laredo 4x4 upcountry package. Had front skid, tcase skid and gas tank skid. The rear end was a d44.

To OP:
I'm picking up a ford 8.8 Monday for 100$ and disks. 3.55 ratio and its a strong axle. 31 spline. Ordered heavy duty u bolts, plates, shock tabs and spring pearches for 140$
Only thing bad about an 8.8 is you have to relocate all that crap. But at least you can do it with beefy parts

nick_xj01

I have one of the factory xj D44s I only paid $100 for it.

cruiser54

Yes

Liberty Guerrilla

After reading all of the above I feel better about what I'm lookin for. Thanks everyone who participates on threads like these. It makes it so much easier to accomplish what we need to do.

I just picked up a 92 Laredo and darn it, it has the dreaded D 35's.

Gonna start my search here in the high deserts of NM for an 8.25. From what I see, even if I plan on doing a 3"/3.5" lift in the future I will be fine.

Here's a pic of my new obsession... and certainly not my last!

sturoc

For a 1992 XJ Sport 5 spd 4.0 all stock:

I gotta line on an 1995 8.25 complete.
So since my D35 has over 215k on it and is making slight vibration i feel in my butt: the old 'dadadump' every couple of hundred feet at 40-65mph,
Wonder if it's not a good time to swap out completely ?

Going consensus is the 8.25 is the better diff.
Were there two different axle splines for them or just the 29 spline ? is there any difference in strength between different axle spline #s ?

I don't think the guy has the driveshaft & u-bolt plates for the 8.25 .
Will my stock DS fit ?
If not, I gotta try the local JY, what year(s) driveshaft will fit for the swap ?