Dana 35 to Dana 44 rear swap

[marlor]

My jeep:
97 TJ SE 2.5ltr engine 5sp Man. 4wd. 31" tires. dana 35 rear with drum brakes (one brake destroyed during axle break)

My dana 35 snapped it's right rear axle during cold weather. Since I do occassional brutal offroading (found a quarry to play in) I decided I need to upgrade.

My options are:
rebuild and upgrade the current Dana 35 with Supreme Axles, disk brakes and a locker.

Get a Dana 44 out of the junkyard.

or get this:
MOPAR® Performance Rubicon Edition Dana 44 Rear Axle Assembly with Brakes for 07-09 Jeep® Wrangler & Wrangler Unlimited JK - Quadratec

Questions: Can I easily swap my Dana 35 for the Dana 44 without alteration of the jeep itself? Will the u-joint have to be replaced?

difficulty:
I cannot weld. I have no welder or facilities I can start welding in.

 

[currupt4130]

Finding a Dana 44 out of a TJ is your best bet. The MOPAR axle you are talking about won't bolt into your Jeep and is also a different width than your current axles. You can look on eBay or keep an eye on craigslist to see if either a standard or Rubicon 44 out of a TJ pops up. With the situation you've explained, that's about the only route that you're gonna be able to go.

What exactly were you doing when you broke your axle?

 

[marlor]

What exactly were you doing when you broke your axle?

Just driving out of my parking lot. I just made it out of my apartment complex and the right rear wheel fell off taking the right rear brake with it.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Plug and play is the only option you have unless it's already been modified to fit your Jeep.

 

[marlor]

So here's what I'm doing:
I'm rebuilding the Dana 35. I'm replacing the 27 Spline axles with stronger after market 30 spline axles.
I'm adding an OX locker
I'm replacing the drum brakes with a disk brake conversion kit.
I'm replacing the ring and pinion gears.

 

[tdavid14]

If you change R&P in back you must change front also.

 

[jps4jeep]

I think you are wasting your money. throw all the money in the world at the D 35.. It's still a D35. with the parts your spending money on, you could easily source a TJ D44, toss in a locker, regear and shafts and be better off than you are with a D35. the 30 spline D35 shafts and locker most likely cost more than a D44 chomo shaft and locker since there is a lower price point due to demand. Do what you want, but sounds like your just polishing a turd.