Dana 35 Ring and Pinion Gear Set 3.55 Ratio Spicer

Most people shopping for a Dana 35 3.55 gear set are not regearing for big tires. They own a Cherokee XJ, Wrangler YJ or TJ, or Grand Cherokee ZJ that left the factory with 3.55 gears, the rear end has started to howl, and they want the same ratio back so nothing else on the Jeep changes. The Spicer SVL 2020468 is that part: a new 3.55 ring and pinion for the original Dana 35 rear, cut 39 teeth on the ring and 11 on the pinion, with a 26-spline pinion and an 8-bolt ring gear.

What the ring and pinion does in a Dana 35

In the Dana 35 the pinion is driven by the rear driveshaft and meshes with a ring gear bolted to the carrier with eight bolts. At 39 to 11 the driveshaft makes 3.55 turns for each turn of the rear wheels. Because the Dana 35 ring gear is small for the weight of a loaded Jeep, tooth wear and pinion bearing wear tend to show up together, and once the gear contact pattern moves the axle starts to sing. A fresh 3.55 set puts the mesh back where it belongs and keeps the ratio the transmission, speedometer and front axle were set up for.

Symptoms and when a 3.55 is the right pick

• A rising whine on the highway that changes between gas and coast
• Gear oil with metal paste or chips on the drain plug magnet
• Chipped, spalled or blue-heat-stained teeth found during a cover gasket or bearing job
• A factory 3.55 axle that needs new gears, where changing ratio would mean also regearing the front Dana 30
• A stock-tire XJ or TJ with the 4.0L that still pulls fine and only needs the noise fixed

If the noise is a constant growl that does not change with throttle, check the carrier and pinion bearings first. Our Dana 35 problems and upgrade guide and carrier bearing noise guide cover how to tell them apart.

How to confirm before buying

Start with the axle itself. These Jeeps were built with more than one rear axle, so verify you have a Dana 35 by the cover shape and tag before counting anything. Then confirm the ratio: read the tag under a cover bolt, check the build code, or turn the driveshaft and count against one tire as shown in our axle ratio and code guide. If you are moving up to 31 inch tires, the Spicer Dana 35 3.73 set is a better match, and 33s usually call for the Spicer 4.88 set.

Fitment

Summit Racing catalogs the 2020468 as a Dana 35, standard rotation, 3-series carrier set with a 10-bolt cover, 8 ring gear bolts and a 26-spline pinion. That matches the Dana 35 rear used on the 1990-2006 Cherokee XJ, Wrangler YJ and non-Rubicon TJ, and 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee ZJ models that got this axle. It does not fit the 2018-up Wrangler JL Dana 35 M200, which uses gears like the JL Dana 35 gear package. Published ring gear and pinion shaft dimensions for this set vary between catalogs, so the safest check is tooth count, spline count and bolt pattern on your old gears, or send us your year and VIN. Other axle parts are on our hard parts page.

Install notes

No bearings, shims, crush sleeve, seal or ring gear bolts come with this set. Pair it with the Dana 35 master bearing kit or the Timken Dana 35 master kit. Pull the cross pin and C-clips before the axle shafts, mark the bearing caps, and keep the old pinion shim as a starting reference. Revolution Gear's setup chart gives the Dana 35 a 0.045 in starting pinion depth, 12-15 in-lb pinion preload, 0.006-0.010 in backlash and 55 ft-lb on ring gear bolts and caps. Use new ring gear bolts with thread locker, read the pattern with marking compound, and fill with 75W-90 gear oil, plus friction modifier for a Trac-Lok. Since this is a same-ratio swap, the front axle stays as is. Drive gently for the first few hundred miles and change the oil, as laid out in our ring and pinion break-in procedure.

My Jeep came with 3.55 gears. Do I need to change the front axle?

No. Replacing worn 3.55 rear gears with this 3.55 set keeps the front and rear ratios matched, so the front Dana 30 can stay as it is.

Is a 3.55 good with 31 inch tires?

It will work, but a 4.0L XJ or TJ on 31s usually feels better with 3.73, and 33s generally need 4.10 to 4.88. Keep 3.55 for stock or near-stock tire sizes.

Will this fit a Wrangler JL or Gladiator?

No. The 2018-up JL Dana 35 is the M200 axle with different gears. This set is for the earlier Dana 35 used under XJ, YJ, TJ and ZJ models.

Does this include bearings and an install kit?

No. It is the ring and pinion only. You need a Dana 35 master bearing or install kit with pinion and carrier bearings, races, crush sleeve, shims, pinion seal and ring gear bolts.

What gear oil does the Dana 35 take?

75W-90 gear oil. Add friction modifier if the axle has a Trac-Lok limited slip, and change the oil after the break-in miles.