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Topic: Considering Welding D35 Spiders

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Considering Welding D35 Spiders

I am seriously considering a rear axle upgrade to an 8.8 with 4.10s, and a non disconnect D30 also with 4.10s. Currently I have a disconnect D30 w/ 3.07 and a D35 with the same. I will be doing this swap hopefully in the next year or so. So, I want to get full use out of what I have.

So the question is, how long will a D35 last with moderate wheeling, limited road time, a Renix 4.0, AX15, 3.07, and welded spiders?

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Is it moving out of the driveway?

Don't do it. You'll regreat it...



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It will move out of the driveway. Since I opperate mostly out of a truck, my Jeep has become more of a toy. I can't and will not be able to wheel every weekend. So over the next year it will probably see a real day of offroading 10 times. When I do drive it on the road it will be to town or to Redbird(each a 15 min trip). Long hauls it will be on the trailer.

I am more or less just wanting to get traction on the cheap, and want to see what a welded diff will do to help. I know it will cause excess tire wear, effects cornering, and increases my risk of breaking other things.

But I THINK that I can live with it for one year and hopefully the D35 will too...

Axle condition will not matter when done, as I see a weak D35 with 3.07s has low resale value.

If the axle blows up day one, I would be in a pickle.
If the axle lasts 8-12 months, I will consider it money (break cleaner, welding wire/gas, and gear lube) well spent.
It the axle lasts 12+ months, I might be able to spend axle ugrade money elsewhere.

Please any add and facts, opinions, or educated guess on how long it will last.

Would you still advise not to do it, Adam?

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This is why I wouldn't do it;

1) You'll know it's a "weak-point" and you'll wheel like it's the week point anyways knowing in the back of your mind you are woried about breaking a shaft.

2) The added benefit of having it welded in my opinion is not worth it. Spend the time while wheeling getting to know your rig better and what it can/can't do. Spend time getting to know how to wheel your specific rig better and how to choose better lines.

3) Your in trouble if you break it; why do something knowing that you'll most likely going to end up breaking something?

4) Wheeling with an open diff (front & rear) makes you become a better wheeler. You'll thank yourself down the road and appreciate the mods you do in the future more.



Case in point is my MJ. Yes I built my MJ to be a cheap weekend wheeling rig for me; but thats not the only point why I built it. I built it in a storage shed, with basic hand tools, and on a very limited budget to PROOVE that you don't need a lot of money, a lot of space, or a lot of fancy tools to have a very capable trail-only rig. I wheeled it with open diffs front/rear (d30 & d35) on 35" tires for 2 years prior to upgrading. I NEVER got stuck, I never thought about breaking anything, and I never had to choose to go another way on the trail cause I know what my rig could do. I also spent that time wheeling improving what I do on the trail, and improving the products (yes I used it as a test bed for many of our MJ products as well). Most of the time I spent pulling others out of situations that they got themselves in. Everyone who's wheeled with me in my MJ can attest that it's a very capable rig; heck I have been known to pull out $40K JK Rubicon's evileye. I guess what I'm getting at is doing a "hodge-podge" mod by welding the rear D35 is not an "end-all" answer to improving your wheeling. Honestly I think that you'll end up hating it and wish you never did it to begin with. I can't tell you how many spider gear sets we've sold to guys who are replacing welded gears cause they hate it...

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So is driving skill what makes your MJ so capable? Suspension? Cool Stickers? Or....?

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I agree with Lead. Figure out what your rig can do with open diffs. My Bronco was my first rig with a locker and a spool. It could go through and up every thing I pointed it at. However I actually have more fun with my stock axles in my XJ. I'd plan on using what I have till I break it, than do the upgrades.

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So, I guess that idea is out the window. Thanks for the input guys!

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