Rear differential skid plate

[Celticlady]

Ah, gotcha re the D44A. I appreciate that my Miata and Fiat Spider are mostly aluminum (sub 2500lbs is where I want my sports cars) but I'll take cast iron and steel on my Jeep wherever possible. I guess if I ever get hung up on my 8.25 I'll look for some way to get it to slide over stuff better.

I did find a discontinued skid plate for a Dana 35 here:

Rock-It Parts Rock-It Differential Glider for Dana 35c Rear Axle

Anyone who has spent any time on the trail knows that a differential will take a pounding. From mild to extreme trails, it's easy to have you front and rear diffs caught on an obstacle. The logical solution is a Rock-It TM Differential Glider.

www.quadratec.com

That might be an option to copy Celticlady - wouldn't be too hard to fabricate. I agree that mounting to the counterweight mounting holes would be the perfect place though.

Thanks for the link

 

[Celticlady]

Ah, gotcha re the D44A. I appreciate that my Miata and Fiat Spider are mostly aluminum (sub 2500lbs is where I want my sports cars) but I'll take cast iron and steel on my Jeep wherever possible. I guess if I ever get hung up on my 8.25 I'll look for some way to get it to slide over stuff better.

I did find a discontinued skid plate for a Dana 35 here:

Rock-It Parts Rock-It Differential Glider for Dana 35c Rear Axle

Anyone who has spent any time on the trail knows that a differential will take a pounding. From mild to extreme trails, it's easy to have you front and rear diffs caught on an obstacle. The logical solution is a Rock-It TM Differential Glider.

www.quadratec.com

That might be an option to copy Celticlady - wouldn't be too hard to fabricate. I agree that mounting to the counterweight mounting holes would be the perfect place though.

It's close to what I had in mind.
Looks like I will be making my own.
It does not seem to be a difficult project like my winch bumper. I want it to be easy off/on. I can have all my skid plates and winch bumper sitting on the floor in 60 mins.
I will make patterns from the finished product.


I got hung up on a stump hidden in tall grass That is when I found out jeep 4wd is just one wheel drive.

95% of were i drive in my ranch in the ozarks. Its pretty ruff. I have had this jeep since 2010 when my Cherokee got T-bone by a tahoe

Its a fair replacment. Hate that f.. traction and abs system. If I had known would have bought the 2005.

Here is my other 4WD

 

[Celticlady]

I googled Dana 35 Skid Plate and it seems really strange that nothing (other than a cover guard) shows up. Let us know what you come up with. I can see how the u-joint and rear of the driveshaft could get damaged on a big rock but that also seems like a very low probability situation. The risk:reward ratio isn't high enough for me to pursue something like that - compromising clearance on what's already a low point under the vehicle is not worth the small benefit a skid plate would provide for me - just my opinion and I hope I don't have to eat my words some day.

I just installed a Yukon cast iron diff cover on my 8.25 - I figured it would strengthen the already stout diff housing, and would not peel off or puncture like the factory cover could if I ever drop onto a sharp rock. It also provides a flatter, distortion free flange surface that should reliably seal with a gasket (instead of silicone sealant). Another thing I liked when I bought it was it has a drain plug - unfortunately it appears to be positioned too high to allow all of the gear lube to drain out. Another complaint is that the fasteners and drain/fill plugs have SAE hex heads instead of metric - so I have a Jeep I service with a set of metric tools with these non metric fasteners?? The ARB diff cover looks like a better design but I decided to save $75 by going with the Yukon - I'd probably splurge on the ARB if I were to do it over.

Just found a NOS cast iron Yukon dana 35 cover on ebay for $71

 

[Shankster]

Just found a NOS cast iron Yukon dana 35 cover on ebay for $71

Good price (I paid $135 shipped). If it's anything like mine (Chrlysler 8.25 version) it might complicate you attaching your skid via the mounting holes though since the bolt holes are inset. Mine also starts bulging out right in the middle of the bolt holes which would make it really tough to attach anything. Looks like the D35 version has a wider flatter flange so hopefully you'd just need to get some long bolts at the hardware store.

Your Liberty is a 02, right?

 

[Shankster]

I got hung up on a stump hidden in tall grass That is when I found out jeep 4wd is just one wheel drive.

Maybe a rear locker is in your future - made a big difference for me

Here is my other 4WD

That looks like fun - military surplus I assume?

 

[u2slow]

Maybe a rear locker is in your future - made a big difference for me

The only reason there isn't a rear locker in ours is because the factory trac-lok hasn't given up yet. Always been on the radar...

 

[derekj]

It's close to what I had in mind.
Looks like I will be making my own.
It does not seem to be a difficult project like my winch bumper. I want it to be easy off/on. I can have all my skid plates and winch bumper sitting on the floor in 60 mins.
I will make patterns from the finished product.


I got hung up on a stump hidden in tall grass That is when I found out jeep 4wd is just one wheel drive.

95% of were i drive in my ranch in the ozarks. Its pretty ruff. I have had this jeep since 2010 when my Cherokee got T-bone by a tahoe

Its a fair replacment. Hate that f.. traction and abs system. If I had known would have bought the 2005.

Here is my other 4WD

That definitely won't get hung up on a stump!

 

[Celticlady]

Good price (I paid $135 shipped). If it's anything like mine (Chrlysler 8.25 version) it might complicate you attaching your skid via the mounting holes though since the bolt holes are inset. Mine also starts bulging out right in the middle of the bolt holes which would make it really tough to attach anything. Looks like the D35 version has a wider flatter flange so hopefully you'd just need to get some long bolts at the hardware store.

Your Liberty is a 02, right?

06

I looked at the picture. Yes its for cap bolts. Cap bolts are used to hide the regular bolt head from being sheared off by rocks.

If I use a bar with holes to attach the bar to the diff it will disperse the bolt torque.

I am not that worried about the back of the rear diff. I don't intentional go rock climbing. I have a lift but that leaves the rear diff still where it was. So I could go bumping over a rock or two

 

[Shankster]

06

Are you 100% sure it's a Dana 35? U2Slow figured out that Dana 35s only came on Liberties in 2002. If you have drum brakes I believe it would indicate you have an axle from a 2002. Can you post a photo of your differential?

 

[Celticlady]

The only reason there isn't a rear locker in ours is because the factory trac-lok hasn't given up yet. Always been on the radar...

What would be a good drop in limited slip or basic locker?

I assume front and back must be done at same time?

 

[Celticlady]

Are you 100% sure it's a Dana 35? U2Slow figured out that Dana 35s only came on Liberties in 2002. If you have drum brakes I believe it would indicate you have an axle from a 2002. Can you post a photo of your differential?

According to link of differential covers thats a 35. Not drum brakes. 2006

It is not original. It is a salvage rear end.
As I remember it's the same as what was in it.

 

[Celticlady]

Maybe a rear locker is in your future - made a big difference for me


That looks like fun - military surplus I assume?

Yes. 1998 M1078 LMTV with a dump bed conversion. Short wheel base with the cab over. Good for navigating in tight spots. Air spring assist. Hauled 55 loads of gravel out of the creek this summer.

 

[Celticlady]

Are you 100% sure it's a Dana 35? U2Slow figured out that Dana 35s only came on Liberties in 2002. If you have drum brakes I believe it would indicate you have an axle from a 2002. Can you post a photo of your differential?

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attachments/f67/384357d1501535309-dana-35-vs-8-25-smile-1.gif

I have been totally confused by all the confusing replies to whats in my liberty.

This link ( unless it's wrong) pretty much tells it right. I hope.

 

[u2slow]

What would be a good drop in limited slip or basic locker?

I assume front and back must be done at same time?

If you mean 'lunchbox' style (replace spider gears only) I suggest the Powertrax No-Slip for quietest behaviour. There is also Lockright, Spartan, Aussie, perhaps a couple more. To my knowledge there is no drop-in limited slip; these require fresh bearings and setting the backlash again.

No, do not need to both ends at the same time.

 

[seafish]

Info below is from

https://www.offroadxtreme.com/news/chrysler-8-25-vs-dana-35-whats-the-difference/


"The easiest way to tell which axle you have is to look at the bottom of the differential. If there a flat section on the bottom, about 4 inches wide then you have a Chrysler 8.25.
If the bottom of the differential is completely rounded, then you have a Dana 35."

ALSO, the D35 axle tube is 2 3/4” diameter versus the 3” diameter of the C8.25 axle tube.

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[seafish]

According to link of differential covers thats a 35 …
It is not original. It is a salvage rear end.
As I remember it's the same as what was in it.

You must be registered for see images attach

Please don’t take this personally, but your rear end is flat on the bottom, not rounded.
It also has a rubber plug in it … BOTH of which mean it's a Corporate 8.25, not a Dana 35.

 

[Celticlady]

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Please don’t take this personally, but your rear end is flat on the bottom, not rounded.
It also has a rubber plug in it … BOTH of which mean it's a Corporate 8.25, not a Dana 35.

Ok. Its just that I have been told 50 deferent times its this or that.

I don't know what to believe.

The 8.25 is the better one but....???

 

[Shankster]

The 8.25 is the better one but....???

You 100% have a Chrysler 8.25 and you definitely don't have a Dana 35. The 8.25 is a much stronger diff so this is good news. Hopefully you didn't buy that Dana 35 cover?

 

[seafish]

Ok. Its just that I have been told 50 deferent times its this or that.

I don't know what to believe.

The 8.25 is the better one but....

Ya sometimes the interwebz just *****.

Would it help if I told you that my 2005 KJ has the exact same pumpkin as yours and I just installed the ARB rear diff cover for the C8.25 with the Lubelocker LL-C825 reusable gasket about a month ago and they were both a perfect fit?

In the pic below you can easily see the flat bottom of the C8.25 pumpkin even with the rounded bottom of the C8.25 diff cover.

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