would like to know if anyone knows what rear i have and what other dodges have the same so i can replae it with ???

 

There should be a sticker in the glove box that tells you what rear you have.. if its missing there are metal tags attached to the cover bolts that tell you... if factory it should read 3.5 (3.55) or 3.9 (3.92)

You can also request a build sheet from dodge... www.dodge.com/owners

 

have rear riped out tag says 35 on it thats all

 

count the bolts on the diff cover, 10 bolts is 8.25 and 12 is 9.25 iirc the dakota definitely used the same rear ends as the durango

 

35 for 3.55 gear ratio...

 

Keep in mind if you are 10 bolt 8.25 you will stress your rear axles with 35's if your a 12 bolt 9.25 35's are ok but keep in mind your front diff will not handle anything over 33's and you will crack your differential if not snap your drive line and warp your disc brakes.

Now if you do a SAS lift in the front with a D44 you can easily get away with 35's in front.

 

these trucks are known to warp front brake rotors in stock form larger tires have nothing to do with it.

also i would expect the cvs to go out long before the differential cracks.

 

True yes they may warp with factory settings, but larger tire size have everything to do with it, You stress your Differential gears which will cause it to crack I seen it happen. Also larger tires means you have more to stop and start putting stress on the transmission.

Rear 9.25 is rated +3 strong as the Front is only rated +2 weak
Even after I lifted my rig I replaced all the factory parts with high performance heavy duty parts. Just look at my spec sheet on at the top of this forum "Show your Durango"

Also you will need to re - gear your differentials if 35's are going on there.
Unless your building a mall cruiser and a speed bump is the only thing you going to wheel over then run 35's.

So far I have taken my rig through Hollister, Rubicon, Pismo Beach dunes, Nevada open country, Idaho back hills, Oregon trails, Tahoe snow runs, Death Valley Dessert runs. From Black Diamond 3 to standard Diamond 4's. So i know a little about this......





Here are the specs:



Axles & Differentials
Dodge used both the 8.25" (210mm ring gear) and 9.25"(235mm ring gear) rear axles in Durango's interchangeably and thus it is hard to tell which axle you may have without checking. To determine whether your Durango has a 8.25" or 9.25" axle you have to either look at your build sheet or take a peek at the actual rear differential cover on your truck.
If the cover has 10 bolts then it is a 8.25" axle, if it has 12 bolts, it is a 9.25" axle.

Two ratios - 3.55 and 3.92 - have been available with each power train. All rear axles are were available with an optional limited-slip differential. The Durango uses the same lightweight aluminum front axle housing as Dakota.If you have a 4x4 Durango 31" tires are the normal max. recommended for the front axle by the manufacturer do to it's given axle strength. Although many Durango enthusiasts have run 33" front tires offroad without reporting a problem.
The front axle for the first generation Durango (2000-2003) is rated 2+ (which is between the weak and moderately strong rating system described to the right).

The 9.25" rear axle in the older 4x2 Durango's (and some 4x4 Durango's) is rated as a 4 strong (35" tire size rated).
Axle overall strength ratings:
1= Very Weak
2= Weak
3= Moderately Strong
4= Strong




The front axle is not particularly well suited for the use of a locker or LSD (Limited Slip Differential) due to it's relatively weak rating. If you do want to use a locker in the front differential, you would need PT4WD (Part Time 4-Wheel Drive). Since locking hubs or a selectable locker are not available for the front axle of a Durango, a front locker cannot be used safely in a FT4WD (Full Time 4-Wheel Drive) Durango. If you have FT4WD and installed a front locker, it would cause serious steering problems on the pavement.






Specifications (Rear):
Chrysler 8.25" Rear Semi Float Axle
Overall Strength Rating: 3
Max. Tire Diameter Recommended: 33"
Ring Gear Size: 8.25"
(10) #3 Ring Gear Bolts on a 8" diam bolt circle
1.21" dia axle shaft with 29 splines



Notes: This axle first appear in light 4x2 trucks in 1966 as was also used heavily in medium powered cars. It was the last solid rear axle used in Chrysler's rear drive cars built into 1989. It has seen extensive use in Dodge half-ton trucks (4x2 as well as 4x4) with 6 cylinder engines. There is much conflicting information as to when this axles was last used in full sized trucks. When the Dakota debuted in 1987, it was used for the V6 models and is still used today. It was also used extensively in the rear of Jeep Cherokee XJ's after 1997. Early units used the rather spindly 27 spline axle shafts, which were upgraded to 29 splines for 1996. A reasonably wide selection of lockers and LSD's are available. It's a c-clip unit.



Chrysler 9.25" Rear Semi Float Axle
Overall Strength Rating: 3+
Max. Tire Diameter Recommended: 35"
Ring Gear Size: 9.25"
(12) #7 Ring Gear Bolts
1.3" dia axle shaft with 31 splines



Notes: This unit flrst appeared in the1969 era half ton trucks with V8's (small and big-block engines). If you think it looks like an enlarged 7.25-inch unit-that would be a fair assessment. It is even used in '70s muscle car applications and in the last of Chrysler's luxury tuna-boats into the early 1980s. This axle is unusual but cool and convenient in that it uses carrier bearings that are adjusted with hex adjusters reached through the axle tubes via a long tool. This can generally be considered to be a keeper in most half-ton applications, though the available lockers makes a fairly short list.

Specifications (Front):
Chrysler 7.625 IFS Front Axle
Model Years: 2000-2003
Overall Strength Rating: 2+
Max. Tire Diameter Recommended: 31"
Ring Gear Size: 7.625"
( #3 Ring Gear Bolts on a 8" diam bolt circle
1.12" dia axle shaft with 27 splines



No Image Aailable
Notes: The aluminum cased unit is produced by Detroit Axle but is very similar to the Dana 35. Prior to the 2000 model year, either Dana or Chrysler produced units could be seen, but since the turn of the millennium, Chrysler has been trying to produce as much as possible in it's own Detroit Axle facility. The Chrysler and Dana units are effectively in the same strength and durability area.



'Dana 35 IFS Front Axle
Model Years: 1997-1999
Overall Strength Rating: 2
Max. Tire Diameter Recommended: 31"
Ring Gear Size: 7.56"



Notes: The new era Dakota and Durango models often came with V-8's, and the Chrysler 7.25 IFS unit wasn't stout enough, so the Dana 35 IFS front is used. It has 27 spline axle shafts and CV assemblies. In the late '90's, it is found mixed with almost identical Chrysler built units. It's proven to be a decent performer in TTB or IFS form in the front of Fords and Dodges. In these units, it's merely a D35 ring, pinion and carrier in a new case and many of the solid axle's weak links are eliminated. The housing can easily be tweaked by spirited driving or simply difficult terrain in a combination with big tires. This will cause other failures, including broken axle shafts, blown differentials (or lockers) and failed axle bearings. The D35 is reliable in stock form with axle ratios as low as 4.10 combined with a 31x10.50 tires. With 35 inch tires, or larger, the axle is over- stressed and will break. Dana 35 upgrades start in two areas, a truss and beefier shafts. The improved shafts can be either units made of a better alloy steel or larger diameter shaft with a higher spline count, as with the Genuine Gear "Super" 35 kits. Next up is your choice of a locker or limited slip. With these modifications, you could be reasonably safe up to 35 inch tires and a 4.56 axle ratio. If you need more than that, swap to a Dana 44.

 

i didnt mean to imply that larger tires wouldnt make the issue worse, just that warped rotors are a fact of life with these trucks in any form.

also yes over enough time i understand the stress issues (i have a degree in mechanical engineering there is not much you can tell me about stress/strain that i dont already know) however the CVs will wear out long before the differential will i guarantee that, its simply bc they are the weakest link in the front driveline. people have trouble with the cvs running anything over the stock 31inch tires.

 

Hi I have questions about wanting to lift my durango and seen you know a lot about them. I want to put 35" on it so I would want to know what front and rear axles I could put under there and a good lift to get me there and any other information would be awesome.