# Critique my setup!



## dingo151 (Sep 10, 2008)

Hey everybody!

I'm building up a Wrangler to do small lots and driveways around town. Can you guys give me a heads up as to what's not going to work. I'm a newbie so it's kind of a shot in the dark.

Starting with a 91 Wrangler with a 4.0 and a 5 speed.
Dana 30 in the front with air locker 4:56 gears
Dana 35 in the rear with air locker and full floater kit 4:56 gears
Pro comp coil suspension kit (basicly like a TJ)
33" tires
Western 7.5 plow - Straight blade

I'll have to build a mount because they don't make a mounting kit but that shouldn't be too hard. Ideas, problems?

Thanks
Dean


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## festerw (Sep 25, 2003)

With 33's, gearing, lockers and all the weight from the plow/ballast I'd be concerned about snapping axle shafts. The Dana 30/35 aren't known for their strength.

If it were me, new heavy duty leafs front and rear, some 235/75/15's put the plow on and call it a day.


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## bribrius (May 5, 2007)

check with plowmeister. from what i see he has some time in his setup and seems to know his sh*t.


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## dingo151 (Sep 10, 2008)

Plowmeister.....any suggestions


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## tls22 (Sep 30, 2007)

That jeep is going to be great for driveways, prob the best vehicle to use for driveways! Good luck!


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

You have an excellent driveway machine there

I used the YJ platform for 12 years. the dana 35 will hold up IF you dont abuse it. that means NO spinning the tires. (I currently have Dana 30 front, Dana 60 rear in my TJ)
you will need about 300# of weight in the back I made a steel box that bolted down where the rear seat belts attached and made 50# lead ingots to put in it.

put some air shocks up front to help hold up the plow. In the stock YJ the air shocks from the rear of a 1985 thunderberd will fit the JEEP (may need an adapter for the top shock mount don’t remember)

this is important; you are using a big plow (I used a 7 1/2 fisher RD) and the jeep is light.
you need help with traction, get EXCELLENT SNOW tires like a blizzak. and get them in 31" size I am also running 4.56 gears in my Jeep I use 33" tires in the summer and 31" Blizzak for plowing that tire and gear work extremely well together. if you plow with 33" tires you Will burn out the clutch slipping it to control your speed OR use low range (a real PIA backing up) with 31" tires I plow all except for the heaviest snow in high range.

I have two sets of tire/rim combos Blizzak and summer tires. If Im going to go without plowing for a week or so I'll put the summer tires on and switch back to the blizzak for plowing.

Also you now have ~600# up front and 300# in the back your brakes are not up to that much weight take it easy.

AAAAA.. theirs probably more…
O ya A friend of mine (yes I have a friend) has 3 YJs set up as described except one with 30” blizzak and 3.75 gears, one with 3.07 gears (he has to use lowrange a lot with that one).


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## dingo151 (Sep 10, 2008)

Where does a guy latch on to a set of these Blizzak tires? I talked to my local dealer today and he'd never heard of them. Any ideas?

Thanks
Dean


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

tirerack.com

Blizzak is made by Dunlop. the tire has a special treat compound that works fantastic on snow/ice. Lots of tire Manufacturers make similar tires.


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## jimaug87 (Feb 15, 2007)

take it easy with that locked 35


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## cjshloman (Nov 10, 2004)

Weakest link is that rear 35. Find a waggy with 44's and swap if ya got the cash, waggys will have the same width as stock, or do a built ford 8.8 rear.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I plowed for 12 years with a Dana 35 Never had a problem my friend plows with one still. they are fine as long as you dont abuse them!!!! read that as NO SPINNING OF TIRES!! you brake the rear end when you spin the tire on snow or ice and then the tire finds pavement, the sudden traction stops the tire from spinning. Unfortunately the rest of the drive train is still going round and round and that is what brakes the rear end.:realmad:

If you have ARBs for your air locker the ARB is stronger (4 spider gears) than the stock dif (2 spider gears). that means you move up the chain to the next weekest link, that is the axles.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

Put an old school bus heater in the rear. This will help with the fogging up and those cold nights. My first plow truck was an 77 CJ 7. Loved pushing snow, hated scraping the inside of the windshild while driving from the inadequate heat. Great plow truck, made an custom pin mounted 7.5' Fisher set up. Way too heavy with the V8 in the front.

DAFF


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## festerw (Sep 25, 2003)

YJ's and TJ's for sure don't suffer in the heat department working correctly in those models it will sweat you out.


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## dingo151 (Sep 10, 2008)

Thanks for all the ideas guys! That Dana 35 doesn't make me warm and fuzzy either. I've been thinking about building an 8.8 for the rear but I'm not sure if they are much stronger than the setup I have know. I think a Dana 60 like plowmiester has would be the way to go but boy those "60s" sure aren't cheap.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Ford explorer R axle is almost a bolt in option. I used a Dana 60 because I wanted a revers cut to get the pinion up high. revers cut dif in the rear is weaker than a reg dif so I went to a bigger dif. When I go offroading that Dana 60 hangs so low I drag it all over the place


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## festerw (Sep 25, 2003)

dingo151;593922 said:


> Thanks for all the ideas guys! That Dana 35 doesn't make me warm and fuzzy either. I've been thinking about building an 8.8 for the rear but I'm not sure if they are much stronger than the setup I have know. I think a Dana 60 like plowmiester has would be the way to go but boy those "60s" sure aren't cheap.


Like Plowmeister said the Exploder 8.8 is a close fit, you also may be able to score a 44 from a TJ, but depending on the wheeling community in your area those may already be scavenged.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

AAAAHHHH the TJ axle will NOT fit a YJ without EXTENSIVE MODS.


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## festerw (Sep 25, 2003)

theplowmeister;594068 said:


> AAAAHHHH the TJ axle will NOT fit a YJ without EXTENSIVE MODS.


That's right, that's my bad  I forgot the TJ's don't have REAL springs (now I'm just messing with you)

On edit, this one I for real don't know, what about a XJ 8.25 those might be a little easier to come by.


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## dingo151 (Sep 10, 2008)

Hey,


Do you guys know if an 8.8 is the same axle tube size as a 35?

thanks
Dean


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## 89MJComanche (Mar 3, 2008)

dingo151;584630 said:


> Hey everybody!
> 
> I'm building up a Wrangler to do small lots and driveways around town. Can you guys give me a heads up as to what's not going to work. I'm a newbie so it's kind of a shot in the dark.
> 
> ...


I second the opinion on the weak axles.

IMHO. all that you need to plow with a stock Jeep is a good set of AAL's to beef the front for the extra weight. Stick with factory gears as a little tire spin wont hurt on hard surface.

Add a set of mud slinger retreads for $40 each in the 235x75xR15 size and you are all set.

A small 6.5 foot blade is also all that you are going to want on a Jeep.

Using a lifted Jeep that is built for looks or off-road is not exactly an ideal setup.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

I'l say it again I know people that have plowed for years (including me) with D35 axles. as long as you are not an animal they will work fine. 6 1/2 is to narrow when you angle the plow. You could plow this year and save some money to put in a 44 rear end next year.

Again the D35 with STOCK size tires is fine!!! If you go to 33" or bigger tires the diff is not strong enough. stick with the smaller tires for gearing also.


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## jimaug87 (Feb 15, 2007)

A stock 35 in the rear would be ok if you were easy on it, but he has tall gears (
more torque) and a locker. 

If you can come across an 8.8, that should put your worries to bed.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

The week link in the D35 is the spider gears. Depending on the brand of locker the spider gears or there replacement might be stronger. then you move the week link to either the ring gear or the axles.


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## '76cj5 (Dec 12, 2003)

theplowmeister;585095 said:


> tirerack.com
> 
> Blizzak is made by Dunlop. the tire has a special treat compound that works fantastic on snow/ice. Lots of tire Manufacturers make similar tires.


I thought they were Bridgestone are they renamed or something? 
http://www.tirerack.com/it/it_08win/index.jsp


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

OMG..... I am WRONG.... I'M NEVER WRONG.


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## '76cj5 (Dec 12, 2003)

theplowmeister;601039 said:


> OMG..... I am WRONG.... I'M NEVER WRONG.


Someone circle the calendar for this day. 

You had me going on this as I'm buying my 4th set of Blizzaks now but I have to deside wich Jeep to put them on. The plow jeep or the DD jeep.


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## Milwaukee (Dec 28, 2007)

Can you put Dana 44 in there? My friend who is very very in Jeeps. He have one oldest jeep it have dana 44 there.


I don't know but Dana 30 with snowplow it would worn out fast plus there no way to not ever spin because most time it would spin. 

And Ford 8.8 I say it almost simple to Dana 44 but Dana 44 look more sturdy by your eye. I say I don't know which is stronger 8.8 or Dana 44 but I know Dana 60 are stronger than 8.8 or Dana 44


And please get lot pic of that we enjoy see how swap success.


Is Jeep CJ8 have leaf spring on front axle? I remember my another Uncle bought for so cheap so he use for drive in wood though mud. It was way rusty not safe to drive on road plus no brake.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

The D30 is Fine, I still use my'n. your axles are fine as long as you don't run offroad with big tires.


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## gunsworth (Nov 18, 2003)

dingo151;594832 said:


> Hey,
> 
> Do you guys know if an 8.8 is the same axle tube size as a 35?
> 
> ...


No, it is closer to a dana 44 (those are the peches I used for mine, I forget the part number but you can get em from the dealer for like 20$ a set)

From what I researched the 8.8 exceeds the 44 in almost all areas (not by much) but they are all over and cheap with the right bolt pattern. Just get one from a 99+ ford explorer they are usually disc with 4.10s and posi. the explorer version also has a higher spline count than the ranger version. I put a few welds were the tubes are pressed into the pig (They are know to spin under load, easy fix)


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## hillbillydeluxe (Mar 15, 2008)

Blizzak is made by Dunlop............

I thought Blizzaks were by Bridgestone.


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## martyman (Nov 11, 2000)

I wouldn't put lockers in...too dangerous.


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## PLOWMAN45 (Jul 2, 2003)

yeah 7 should be the max its a 1/4 ton


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