42RLE + 35s question - Moving over from my CJ to a TJ

BIGKAHUNA

Active Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2014
I am about to take on a 2006 TJ with the 42RLE trans as my daily driver. It came lifted with 33's and stock gearing when we got it. It'll be getting 35's and even as it sits now it'll need to be regeared. Ideally I'd like to upgrade to an 8.8 but the budget for this project won't be unlimited. Is there anywhere in Charlotte or online I might be able to find an 8.8 already set up to bolt in? What is a good price for one?
 
Shouldn't it have a dana 44 rear?
 
Buy from ECGS, cheapest and best place to get them from. Go with 5.13 gears, 5.38s would be better but you can't do those on that setup. You can't do 5.13s on a D35 I don't believe, (revolution just game up with a kit for 5.13s for a D30). Even with 5.13s, it will be a bit of a slug on 35s with the .69 OD that the 42RLE has. I run 4.88s but I don't drive mine a ton on the highway, or really overall lately.
 
That d35 probably won't handle the 35" rubber much, especially if you gear it. Deeper gear, smaller pinion. More stress on already weak design..
 
BIGKAHUNA said:
No - D35 & 30 - Only Rubicons came with 44's?
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Only rubicons had 44 fronts but I thought all wranglers had 44 rears in 06. Take a pic of the rear cover.
 
Most special Edition Jeeps Wranglers came with 44's in the rear, like the Columbia Edition, 60th Anniversary Edition, 65th anniversary edition, Golden Eagle, Rocky Mountain Edition, and finally the black tie Edition, select Sahara editions were ordered with 44's. There was a rumor of a shortage of dana 35s, where all received dana 44s for a few weeks one year, but Ive never seen proof. Of course all rubicon and LJ's so there's a slight chance you may have a Dana 44, just look at the cover.

Also, none of the "X" models had a Dana 44 option. Only the SE and Sahara models could be ordered with an optional towing package which allowed for the Dana 44
 
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CasterTroy said:
Most special edition Jeep Wranglers came with 44's in the rear, like the Columbia Edition, 60th Anniversary Edition, 65th Anniversary Edition, Golden Eagle, Willy's Edition, Rocky Mountain Edition, and finally the Black Tie Edition, select Sahara editions were ordered with 44's. Of course all rubicon and LJ's so there's a slight chance you may have a Dana 44, just look at the cover. http://www.wranglerforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=169304&thumb=1&d=1350353515
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What did you use to post this? Wondering where the amazon links came from. Odd thing is there aren't any referral codes in them.
 
D35

IMG_5088.jpg
 
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Chase at ECGS can't be beat on the 8.8 swaps. The only way to do it cheaper is to build it all yourself.

That said, I have twice passed on buying axles from ECGS because I was patient and found a used one already set up that matched what I needed.
 
Jeff B said:
That d35 probably won't handle the 35" rubber much, especially if you gear it. Deeper gear, smaller pinion. More stress on already weak design..
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This jeep will be a daily driver pavement queen that won't much serious wheeling - some dirt roads or mud on occasion. Even so the strength of the D35 concerns me. As much as I'd love to move up to an 8.8 it will come down to what I can afford. Having recently closed on a home the well is running low right now.
 
BIGKAHUNA said:
This jeep will be a daily driver pavement queen that won't much serious wheeling - some dirt roads or mud on occasion. Even so the strength of the D35 concerns me. As much as I'd love to move up to an 8.8 it will come down to what I can afford. Having recently closed on a home the well is running low right now.
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Fair enough. However, one day you will be in a parking lot & see a larger than normal speed bump and think "it's a jeep, it can handle it" may even be a dirt road with big pot holes. And you will snap one of those tooth pic shafts, probably not right away. Metal fatigue will get you when you do not expect it.

As suggested, you will be much less likely to break turning sharp in the parking lot with 33" rubber..
 
Jeff B said:
Fair enough. However, one day you will be in a parking lot & see a larger than normal speed bump and think "it's a jeep, it can handle it" may even be a dirt road with big pot holes. And you will snap one of those tooth pic shafts, probably not right away. Metal fatigue will get you when you do not expect it.

As suggested, you will be much less likely to break turning sharp in the parking lot with 33" rubber..
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Either way its getting 5.13's - that's as deep as I can go and from what I've gather so far is just about right for 33's pretty close for 35's. The 33" Mickey Thompsons on the TJ have considerable wear and I've get a fresh set of 35" Kevlar MTRs on the CJ that would save me $$ on a new set.
 
BIGKAHUNA said:
Either way its getting 5.13's - that's as deep as I can go and from what I've gather so far is just about right for 33's pretty close for 35's. The 33" Mickey Thompsons on the TJ have considerable wear and I've get a fresh set of 35" Kevlar MTRs on the CJ that would save me $$ on a new set.
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That will make the stress easier on your tranny & transfer case. However it's going to make that D35 scream of pain.

Good luck with that.
 
Jeff B said:
That will make the stress easier on your tranny & transfer case. However it's going to make that D35 scream of pain.

Good luck with that.
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Yeah I hear you. Been reading up on the D35 vs 8.8 debate and there are some strong opinions on both. I'll do what I can afford - will hold off for a while and see how it plays out. Thanks.
 
BIGKAHUNA said:
Yeah I hear you. Been reading up on the D35 vs 8.8 debate and there are some strong opinions on both.
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If your reading opinions that are in favor of a D35, you need to quit reading those opinions. 15 years ago, I tried to make a D35 last, and a couple shafts, 2 lockers, a set of spider gears, and a ring&pinion later, the smartest thing I did was replace it with a Dana 60.
 
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