In my search for new all-terrain vehicle i come down to either 91 Ford F250 XLT Reg. Cab Long Bed 5.8L 4-Spd Auto 4wd and 94 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2-Dr 4.0L 4-Spd Auto 4wd and well looking into Cherokee i read that the front Dana 30 is alright axle and can handle off-roading with locker but the rear Dana 35 is weaker then paper an easily break axle if pushed to hard which won't stop me from buying the jeep if still for sale when go the cash to spent but i'd really like to know how strong or weaker is Dana 35?

 

The first Dana 35 components to fail are usually the axleshafts. The tiny 1.18-inch 27-spline shafts that are only marginally bigger than the 1.16-inch shafts found in a Dana 30 front axle. In most stock applications, they will live indefinitely; however, adding a locker and/or larger-than-stock tires or driving abusively can snap them.
Cool thing is,they are easily upgradeable to be just about indestructable. There are two options when upgrading the 35 shafts. Superior Axle & Gear offersa Super 35 kit and Warn has a full-float kit. The Super 35 kit is available for both C-clip and non-C-clip axles. The kit replaces the smallish shafts with 1.31-inch 30-spline pieces that are over 35 percent stronger than stock. These are the same size as the shafts found in many Dana 44s and even some Dana 60s!
Warn replaces the C-clip and non-C-clip axles with full-floating pieces, similar to what is found on 1-ton trucks. Your vehicle can be flat-towed without spinning the driveline when the hubs are unlocked. If a shaft should snap, the wheel will remain on the vehicle and it can be driven with the broken pieces removed.

 

So the Dana35 in stock configuration is weak axle but with all the availability aftermarket support can be built up to take heavy on/off-road abuse, cool. Thanks for axle info.

 

i have a 4inch lifted 92 jeep wrangler with a dana 35c and a detroit locker in it. i have the 4.0 with a manual tranny and run 32-12.50-15 mud tires. i have 160k miles on the stock running gear and get into some pretty nasty off road conditions and i never had an issue with mine. so i guess it depend on how much beating you give the 35 to consider it weak. i read in mags that its weak, but havent broken mine yet. i doregular gear oil changes or when im in alot ofdeep mud and waterand maybe that helps. in fact i broke my detroit locker, but the axles didnt break and those detroits are supposed to be really strong. to each his own i guess, but i wouldnt go updating the axles till you find out just how much abuse you are going to put on it.

 

I looked up upgrade kit and runs $1200, 40% Stronger an comes with ARB locker but my brother had 89,96 & 99 Cherokee sports an never had problem with rear Dana 35, he had more problems with other drive system parts then anything. I'm think the Cherokee might be better since i can still tow my brothers father in-law boat 365 miles north an get same gas mile my 02 Chevy Astro Cargo Van gets.