D44 Breakage, Vs. D30???

[cracker]

Ok this is definetly out of my ballpark. Man what kind of Rock you guys runnin ?

He's being a wise ass. He's got a Dana 30.

 

[boise49ers]

Yeah I figured ! Thats why I like lots of smart asses just like myself

 

[Jimminyc]

Anyone got a good lead on a D60 from a mid to late 70's Ford?

i dont know, I just built this 44 rear....and now im talking about swapping in new stuff. its a never ending drive to go bigger isnt it!
Anyone got a 44 rear and a 60 front?? That would look sort of funny...

 

[myjeepsbigger]

My recent D30 breakage....wheeling dirt trails only w/35" Baja Claws & locked. I'm not really too heavy on the gas, either....but it really seems tough on the front shafts when you have them loaded heavy (like when the weight shifts to the front when entering a ditch, etc). I'm trying to band-aid mine through the summer, so I switched to newer 297 style shafts....and a feather-light right foot.

Ball joint that went at the same time as one of the shafts (wasn't loose before, AFAIK).

 

[DirtyMJ]

Only thing I ever broke on the HPD30:

I haven't broke anything on my D44 yet, as it sitting in my garage...

 

[steelmen]

I always enjoy seeing good carnage pics! So, Those of you who have swapped in a 44 have seemingly had less breakage it looks like. Ive got half a mind to just jump to a D60. I wish there was a narrow D60 out there that i could just weld on pearches and Go. But, i have heard that the easiest swap for the xj, would be a late 70's Ford D60 correct?

why do you want a narrow dana 60

is your xj a DD?

or are your trails real narrow?

 

[JohnX]

He's being a wise ass. He's got a Dana 30.

Look whos calling me a wise ass...the almighty wise cracker himself.

oh yeah...I do have a 30, but I dream about a pair of 80's and some 40's to go with them.

 

[cracker]

Look whos calling me a wise ass...the almighty wise cracker himself.

oh yeah...I do have a 30, but I dream about a pair of 80's and some 40's to go with them.

Might as well go 44" or even larger at that point

Come to think of it, do they make a 80 front?

 

[DirtyMJ]

Might as well go 44" or even larger at that point

Come to think of it, do they make a 80 front?

Aftermarket, yes.


Never seen a genuine Dana 80 front though.

 

[Goatman]

Anyone got a good lead on a D60 from a mid to late 70's Ford?

i dont know, I just built this 44 rear....and now im talking about swapping in new stuff. its a never ending drive to go bigger isnt it!
Anyone got a 44 rear and a 60 front?? That would look sort of funny...

I have a lead on one......

The biggest thing about getting a D30 or a D44 to hold up is the chromo shafts. Since they both use the same axle u-joint, and the ears on the axle yokes are basically the same, a stock D44 isn't much stronger than a stock D30 since the weak link in both is the axle joint and yokes. Upgrading to a D44 and using stock Spicer axles is close to senseless, so the cost of chromo shafts and aftermarket u-joints has to be figured in to the upgrade.

A D30 with good shafts and joints can be very reliable with up to 35" tires depending on what type of wheeling you do. A D44 with good shafts and joints is pretty damn reliable with 35's, but starts getting iffy with 37's if regularly wheeled in rocks. I never broke my D44 with 35's, but with 37's I've broken my D44 more than I broke my D30 on 33's. Of course, I'm much harder on the D44 than I was on the D30.....

On the D44 the most common break is the lockout hubs, which sometime take out the wheel hub. The next most common break is the stubs, which sometimes (most times) take out the spindle. So, you have a fully built D44, and still carry stubs, locking hubs, hub and rotor, and a spindle.

With bigger than 35' tires, a D60 is really nice to have. The problem is that a stout D44 (chromo shafts and joints, hi-steer) can be built for around $2500. It's nearly impossible to build a front D60 for under $5000, unless you run a stock fullwidth 8 lug Ford axle. If you want it to be narrowed and 5 lug to match your rear axle it's going to cost $5000 minimum with Spicer shafts and joints.

You got to pay to play. :confused1

 

[Rev Den]

Call Currie.

Rev

 

[Matt S.]

Call Currie.

Rev

Why? so you can pay a ton of money for something someone else can do as a one off? I say if you are considering building something, go 9" with 60 outers. The next would be a HP 60, then a HP 44. I am working on 60s for mine as we speak, just trying to get them in my handsassgas:

Goatman is correct on all accounts, unless you run 8 lug full width... a 60 is some shinny pennies. I am plannin on full width with 8 lug... so i get to do it the less expensive way. I dont have money tied up in rims and all that thankfully!

The 30 will hold.... just dont wheel.

 

[Rev Den]

Why? so you can pay a ton of money for something someone else can do as a one off?

Easy. Bolts right in. Not that expensive.

But...to each his own.

It is a option.

Rev

 

[Capt. Nemo]

Might as well go 44" or even larger at that point

Come to think of it, do they make a 80 front?

Petersen's mag just had a write-up about the D80's. You'd have to run at least 44's to keep the pumpkin out of the rocks.

 

[cracker]

Easy. Bolts right in. Not that expensive.

But...to each his own.

It is a option.

Rev

Probably the worst option.

The Currie 'brackets' are re-used Dana 30 brackets. It is a piece of $hit.

Get the housing from Currie yes but the whole thing, no fawkin way in hell.

 

[Matt S.]

Probably the worst option.

The Currie 'brackets' are re-used Dana 30 brackets. It is a piece of $hit.

Get the housing from Currie yes but the whole thing, no fawkin way in hell.

dats what i heard from lots and lots and lots and lots of peeps. but my hood is full of asshats like chrahkah.

Seriously... dont spend anymore on a 30 than you have to. lock it, gear it, wheel it, break it, save, save some more, then save even more, and buy a hi9 with dedenbear 60 knuckles, longfield CV, and some deep ass gears.

 

[XJ_ranger]

Im just a webwheeler...

but I NEVER broke my 30...

'upgraded' to a 44...

To echo Goatman - Buy alloys if you dump $$$ into any axle...
Stock shafts (dont have the budget for alloys yet...)

But Im just a webwheeler

 

[Jimminyc]

When i think more about it, The pair of Dana 60's sounds like a great option. Ive already got a long arm 3 link in the front thats beefy tube. It would just mean welding tabs to the front, building steering, Pearches on the rear and hooking up brakes, and drivelines.
Easy right?
Now to find a good pair of 60's near Colorado.

 

[KarlVP]

even a pair of 60's require some big tires to keep the pumpkins out of the dirt.

I would say at the VERY least, 36 inch tires.

 

[cracker]

even a pair of 60's require some big tires to keep the pumpkins out of the dirt.

I would say at the VERY least, 36 inch tires.

40s

hard enough to keep the 44 out of the way on 37s.