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WJ d30/xj d30

Demonoid369

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Salem, OR
While I know from the axles tubes out, the wj d30/d35 is different from a xj d30/d35 but are the differentials/center section the same?
I ask because I know some wj got vari loc lsd in them and I've wondered if the d35 and d30 vari loc would work in my 91' DD xj as the biggest tire it'll have is a 235/75/15
 
Only d44a rears were varilock. Wj d30 are low pinion and use CV shafts. The carriers are the same size so the fit in an xj but I know the shaft lengths are different for varilock so I don't know if it would work...with the gear swap it's not worth it Imo. They also don't hold up well to larger tires.

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Only d44a rears were varilock. Wj d30 are low pinion and use CV shafts. The carriers are the same size so the fit in an xj but I know the shaft lengths are different for varilock so I don't know if it would work...with the gear swap it's not worth it Imo. They also don't hold up well to larger tires.

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Actually some d30 from the WJ came with some type of LSD. I had one sitting in my garage when I attempted the WJ brake upgrade. The issue is, the carrier is not centered where the shafts go into. You would have to basically lengthen one shaft and shorten the other, even if you used the XJ/ZJ shafts. It seems they put all the clutch packs on one side instead of evening them out like in a conventional LSD.

I thought about getting my ZJ shafts shortened, or finding ones that were the right length(short shaft from non LSD wj in ZJ, they were close, but still at least an inch off. Cheaper and will work better just getting an aftermarlket LS.

I believe it came from an overland or limited model.
 
There were varilock 30s...I should have clarified the post. What I meant was the only rear you can get with the varilock is a 44a. 35s never got an lsd in a wj

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The varilocks we're part of the later quadra drive system, which was only a V8 option, which is why you only see them with the 44a. All V8 wjs had the 44a, usually with 3.73 gears. They are a good upgrade if you have a 4.0 wj, but that is the only thing I would ever consider swapping any part of those axles into.

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WJ D30, in XJ/MJ is mostly plug n pray. I just swapped one in myself, but there are things you need to address.
One of the reasons I opted to use it, aside from picking up for cheap, is the matching gears that my Exploder 8.8 has (3.73)

Unit bearings are 5x5 lug pattern, meaning stock XJ wheels will not bolt on.
With the bigger brakes/steering, you need larger dia. wheels. You could use XJ wheels or other, but would require wheel adapters. As the axle is wider than XJ, not recommended.

Upside is that the spring mounts and the CA mounts are close enough to work.

You will need/want to swap the pinion flange, to a standard joint yoke.

Sway bar mounts may work. IRO makes U-joint axle shafts.

I got my complete WJ 30 for cheap, already running JK wheels, so not using wheel adapters anymore.

IIRC, the WJ 30 is not "oddball" like the JK, so the carrier should work in a XJ/MJ 30. If you want cheap LSD for 30 and you can find a WJ 30/carrier for cheap enough, that should swap in. I do know that the WJ 30 can use a standard 30 yoke.



The rear axle housings are alum., not really worth your time to do all the work and swap in.
 
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