TECHLINE
78 OCTOBER 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com
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volume of mail, electronic and otherwise, we cannot respond to every reader, but we do read everything.popular axle assemblies, but not all of these
devices will be a viable option for your specific
application. Given that the TTB Dana 35 front
axle isn’t exactly known for being bulletproof,
I would recommend treading lightly into the
traction-adding device waters. The steering
U-joints and axleshafts could easily become
collateral damage during your 4x4 fun with the
increased traction offered by a locking differ-
ential. With that said, if you need a full locker,
I would recommend a selectable locker that
you can turn off when it’s not needed. This will
decrease the wear and tear on the entire axle
assembly. Given that parameter, the only select-
able locker options I know of for the TTB Dana
35 are the ARB (arbusa.com) Air Locker, Auburn
(auburngear.com) ECTED, and the Eaton (eaton.
com) ELocker. If you don’t like the air-operated
ARB, you can go with either the Auburn ECTED
or the Eaton ELocker. Both are operated via a
12V switch and wiring. The Eaton ELocker func-
tions as an open differential when unlocked and
a full spool when the 12V switch is flipped. The
Auburn ECTED has the advantage of perform-
ing as a limited-slip differential when unlocked
and a full spool when engaged. The limited-slip
feature is nice to have on-road in snow and ice.
This is especially true in a front-axle application.
Regardless of which traction-adding device
you chose, you may want to consider other TTB
Dana 35 axle upgrades. For example, if your
Explorer features automatic locking
hubs, you should seriously consider
swapping them out for some manual
locking hubs. The manual locking hubs
from companies such as Warn
(warn.com) are considerably
more reliable than the auto
locking hubs, even more so
when backed up with a lock-
ing differential and bigger tires.BALANCE ME
Q
What is the best method for balancing
larger wheel and tire combos aside from
hammer-on and/or stick-on weights? I’ve seen
a lot of things from airsoft BBs installed in the
tires to the powder you throw in baggies. I’m in
need of rebalancing my wheels and tires since
I believe one of mine has been unbalanced
since it was mounted.
MATT HOUCK
VIA FACEBOOK.COM/JOHNCAPPA4X4A
Balancing large tires and wheels can be a
tricky endeavor, and unfortunately nearly
impossible with some used tires. The biggest
offenders are bias-ply tires and radial tires that
feature more durable sidewalls. These tires can
develop flat spots when the vehicle is parked
for any length of time. That time shortens as
temperatures cool off. So, let’s say you roll into
your local tire store after driving 30 minutes or
so to warm the tires up, park, wait in line, fillTECHNICALLY
Q
I’m 42 and all I’ve ever been into is cars.
I moved to Pennsylvania about 12 years
ago, 30 minutes from Paragon before they
closed it. I never ever heard of a front axle
being called a “front rear” before moving here.
Have you ever heard of such a thing? Also, isn’t
it true that although we all use the term LJ for
the TJ Wrangler Unlimited, that term was made
up and it’s still a TJ?
SEAN HIGGZ
VIA FACEBOOK.COM/JOHNCAPPA4X4A
Interesting, I have never heard of a front
axle being called a “front rear.” However,
I have heard of axle components being called
very strange things, such as the centersection
of an axle being called a “hog’s head.” It’s
understandable, because the assembly looks like
the head of a hog if you imagine the pinion and
yoke as the hog snout. Anyway, there are likely
many other colloquialisms from the area that are
different than what you are used to. Good luck
with your new second language.
As for the ’04-’06 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited,
technically speaking it’s a derivative of the TJ
Wrangler. Sort of in the same way the Sport,
Sahara, and Rubicon don’t have their own desig-
nations. The Jeep engineers who developed the
’04-’06 Wrangler Unlimited and worked on the
’97 TJ will indeed tell you that the LJ designa-
tion is made up and that it was never used dur-
ing development or production. At least that was
the story many years ago. In mid-2004 when
I got my hands on a short-term test Wrangler
Unlimited from Jeep, I noticed a build tag on
the front crossmember. This metal tag had LJ
stamped in the model box. It also had 4WOR
stamped on the tag. The Jeep was special-
ordered and slated to enter into 4-Wheel & Off-
Road’s 4x4 of the Year competition. I followedup by checking the build tag in the same
location on the Jp Magazine Wrangler Sport
project Jeep and found it had the TJ designation
stamped in the same box. Of course, the Jeep
engineers I spoke to could not explain my find-
ings at the time, so the LJ designation stuck,
despite their chiding about being wrong about
the new designation. Today, it doesn’t really
matter; the TJ Unlimited is forever known as an
LJ, regardless of if it’s incorrect or not.EXPLORER TRACTION
Q
I have more of an opinion question than
a tech question. Given the choice of any
traction aid on the market, what would you
choose for a front TTB Dana 35 under a Ford
Explorer? You can’t say ARB Air Locker!
KYLE EDWARDS
VIA FACEBOOK.COM/JOHNCAPPA4X4A
Selecting a traction-adding device for the
front or rear of your 4x4 requires a lot
of thought and evaluation of several factors.
These factors should include tire size, engine
output, automatic or manual transmission, how
you plan to use the vehicle off-road, and even
driving style.
The ’90-’97 Ford Explorer Dana 35
TTB axle enjoys more traction-add-
ing differential options
than many less