Dana 30 Build?

[rockclimber]

You aren't the average member Dan, being a professional machinist with your own shop, and able to build a lot of custom stuff with little to no cost.

*I* couldn't have pulled off what you did in your budget, and I do like to think I am above average capable..

but even with his shop to do custom work he spent more building the d44s up than he did ont he 60/14.


nobody ever said this was going to be free/cheap, but neither will building a 44, why not spend the money once?

 

[cal]

my point was only that REAR 44s don't last that long on a 37" or bigger. sure some people make them work for a while, but why handicap yourself like that. and my ONLY point about that is that it makes your bolt pattern point a non-issue

While I admit to only knowing one naxja member who's run 37's on his XJ rear 44 (37" creepies, stroker, atlas) - he did it for *years* without it breaking, and when he did replace it, it was due to housing failure. It held up fine.


You're arguments sound like you have never run 37's, 39's, dana 44's or dana 60's. "You have to go big because the internet says its cheaper, easier and all that works.".

The reality is that is just bad information. 44's will hold up to 35's and 37's for as long as someone wants to wheel them without you having to worry about it.

After you've gotten rid of your 30, run 37's on dana 44's, come back and lets hiave this conversation again. For now, your lack of practical experience seems to be getting in the way of good advice.

 

[rockclimber]

While I admit to only knowing one naxja member who's run 37's on his XJ rear 44 (37" creepies, stroker, atlas) - he did it for *years* without it breaking, and when he did replace it, it was due to housing failure. It held up fine.


You're arguments sound like you have never run 37's, 39's, dana 44's or dana 60's. "You have to go big because the internet says its cheaper, easier and all that works.".

The reality is that is just bad information. 44's will hold up to 35's and 37's for as long as someone wants to wheel them without you having to worry about it.

After you've gotten rid of your 30, run 37's on dana 44's, come back and lets hiave this conversation again. For now, your lack of practical experience seems to be getting in the way of good advice.

cal, just because I've kept my XJ limited to a certain tire size does not mean I know nothing about putting big(ger) tires on jeeps.

there was no practicality to putting a tire bigger than 33" on my DD.. now that its not a DD, things are changing.

however, my jeep is not the only jeep I've put work into.

 

[1990JEEPXJ]

Just tell him to go 5-ton rock wells and 54's. Sheesh

 

[rockclimber]

Just tell him to go 5-ton rock wells and 54's. Sheesh

with 5 tons he could probably handle 62"s... just sayin.

 

[cal]

cal, just because I've kept my XJ limited to a certain tire size does not mean I know nothing about putting big(ger) tires on jeeps.

there was no practicality to putting a tire bigger than 33" on my DD.. now that its not a DD, things are changing.

however, my jeep is not the only jeep I've put work into.

What you have worked on, and what you have built, owned, and run are not the same experience. Statement holds true.

 

[rockclimber]

Whatever you say cal

 

[blondejoncherokee]

this is the age old discussion from the dawn of time, it began long ago in the biblical times, when men first wheeled cherokees, the dispute began: do I build the 30, or go straight to a 60 or a middle ground of the hp 44?

wheel the 30 on 35s to start. upgrade as cheap parts and budget allows. itll last a while, maybe only another few years, maybe 5 more . you may never break anything.

just wheel like you are aware you are running 37s on a dana 30 and carry spare shafts and unit bearings and steering. Upgrade as money allows. No axle will last forever, its just a matter of your driving style and what parts you actually want to be fixing, and the frequency of fixes. Driving style plays a huge role.

i love my 30 on 36s, beadlocks, full case locker, truss, sleeves, gussets 4.88 cryod R&P, chromos, etc, but im not living in ignorance, it makes me nervous when im out there in the harder lines, but most trails in northern CA i can get through with no issues whatsoever. I know that it wasnt ideal, and when it blows up and leaves me stranded ill be doing much more work to the unibuddy and going shaved 14b, and a hp60, but that litterally could be years away with how long this thing has lasted already for the last 8 years. Ive been impressed. It gets driven to the trails and was my DD for a few years.

 

[MikeMc]

So only dogs can be experts on dogs because they're the only ones that have experience being dogs. Not being a dog makes a human completely unable to understand dogs. Which of course is complete crap.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

the 30 brakes would not be fun on heavy 37s, like toyos at almost 100 pounds each, consider the WJ swap if you go bigger than 35s....

 

[rockclimber]

the 30 brakes would not be fun on heavy 37s, like toyos at almost 100 pounds each, consider the WJ swap if you go bigger than 31s....

FIFY.

 

[MrShaft696]

I don't know where this thread is going but I can get a fully complete D30 for 45 bucks around here so I would never pay 40 for one missing parts.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

there are a lot of 30's more built than yours.

How long do you consider long for a 44 and 37's? A lot of 44's have had 37's on them under XJ's for 10+ years and are still going strong. Its way cheaper to build a 44 than it is a 60 - to put a 60 under an XJ, you have $800+ to convert it to 5x5.5 or you have to go to an 8 lug rear end at the same time, not to mention the trouble of physically fitting a 60 under an XJ.

44 does sound like the answer here.

this is from the man who had me build the franken 30..... don't waste your time and money, build it to last and handle way more than you ever expect to throw at it and NEVER WORRIE AGAIN!!!! when will Cal ever learn???

 

[zachandandy]

Couldn't agree more with mr. Overkill. Don't waste money building a 30 when a stock 60 will be stronger and can be put in an xj for the cost of chromos and u-joints.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

$1000 to buy a front 60.
$800 to convert it to 5 lug (so you aren't buying a rear end too)
$300 in brackets (assuming you do it all yourself)
$200 in steering (assuming you do it all yourself)


And thats leaving you with a stock geared full width dana 60 with an open diff and 30 spline stubs.

.. vs $500 for a pair of ujoints that don't break.

cal, where the hell are you getting your prices from???? Currie????? you are NOT the person I would EVER ask for axle tech and take seriously unless I wanted to throw money away over and over again..... why stay with 5 lug??? buy the rear end as well and NEVER WORRIE AGAIN!!!!!!! doing it slowly I have spent less than $2000 for both my front super 60 and my rear 14 bolt, converting the front to gm lug pattern, this includes ALL brackets, gears, high steer arms, hydro components for full hydro and custom machining AND CTM u joints!!!!! DO IT SMART, DO IT RIGHT AND DO IT ONCE!!!!!

 

[ruggedjeep]

You want first hand experience and not my neighbors brothers son told me to never run anything bigger than a 35" on a D30?

Build what YOUR budget will allow. Im running a 15 year old hp30 with basic upgrades. 27 spline Alloy shafts, spicer joints, ARB and hydro assist....... oh on 36" IROKS with beadlocks. No fancy truss, no super duper u joints, just simple upgrades which were reasonable at the time. Ive left it alone for so long cause its worked so great. Ive had the the 36s and beadlocks for 4 years and I just recently suffered my first failure.

Ready for it??




Warranty completely covered it, no questions, had a new shaft in 5 days.



Oh and my jeep has a lot of tube on it. Its gets trailered everywhere and 90% of my wheeling is in Johnson Valley on some tough trails.

It was a DD with 35s for 10 years and even then I wheeled the hammers and the Rubicon with no serious issues.

Ive got nothing against building a 60, Im looking to do one now but at the time it wasnt right for me. If your budget allows you to build a 60 right and build the Jeep around it right too, than I say go for it but if its gonna be half assed and the rear axle isnt going to complement it and youre gonna run 35's just keep the 30.

So to all those who wouldnt trust a 30 bigger than 35s, keep punching your keyboard, your theory has been busted. :moon:

 

[zachandandy]

There's always the exception to the generally accepted rule. My xj still had the stock d35 in the rear, with a lockright and 4.88's. stock shafts, stock cover, no truss. It never broke, while I broke 3 stock front shafts, 1 chromo front shaft, 1 unit bearing, and a ring and pinion. Under your theory of 1 axle being proof that a 30 is to be trusted above 35's, I must be proof that a 35 is stronger than a 30 and a 44,as I broke a stock front 44 shaft on the same tires? Just because the axle holds together for some, doesn't mean it's going to hold up for others. Better safe than sorry.

 

[ruggedjeep]

There's always the exception to the generally accepted rule. My xj still had the stock d35 in the rear, with a lockright and 4.88's. stock shafts, stock cover, no truss. It never broke, while I broke 3 stock front shafts, 1 chromo front shaft, 1 unit bearing, and a ring and pinion. Under your theory of 1 axle being proof that a 30 is to be trusted above 35's, I must be proof that a 35 is stronger than a 30 and a 44,as I broke a stock front 44 shaft on the same tires? Just because the axle holds together for some, doesn't mean it's going to hold up for others. Better safe than sorry.

The "exception" is becoming more and more popular. This has been covered on and like forums for over 10 years and every time someone posts their success story with a D30 and "large" tires its the "exception."


dont drive like a drunken hillbilly in hopes of becoming the next youtube "watch this" sensation and you'll be fine.

 

[zachandandy]

Mine ate shafts without any driving like a drunken hillbilly. A lot of wrangler guys run 40's on dana 35's with minimal failures, yet they are still the exception and I wouldn't recommend putting any money into a 35, or a 30 for larger than 35's.

 

[Boostwerks.com]

There's always the exception to the generally accepted rule. My xj still had the stock d35 in the rear, with a lockright and 4.88's. stock shafts, stock cover, no truss. It never broke, while I broke 3 stock front shafts, 1 chromo front shaft, 1 unit bearing, and a ring and pinion. Under your theory of 1 axle being proof that a 30 is to be trusted above 35's, I must be proof that a 35 is stronger than a 30 and a 44,as I broke a stock front 44 shaft on the same tires? Just because the axle holds together for some, doesn't mean it's going to hold up for others. Better safe than sorry.

I'm going OT to make a point...

We have made over 330whp on a stock 1.6L Honda motor...beaten daily for 4 years without issue. How? because we took our time and did it correctly. Countless thousands of other enthusiast's have done the same with some making 500+whp. However, some choose to throw 5K+ into their motors to make the same power simply because the interweb fools told them they needed to do so. Should I have wasted my money as well? It's a common theme I've witnessed over the past 12 years with ALL aspects and facets of motorsports.

I'll happily go on record by saying I would buy a used JK 44 for the front of my XJ before wasting any money on a 60 for anything larger than 35's. Why? Simply because I'm looking at the whole picture, instead of just falling for common internet pipe dreams. Do I need to justify my reasons? No. Do the real life research for YOURSELF, and come to your own conclusions!

Just like Cal had mentioned, if you want to build a 60... all the power to ya! Simply just make sure you've considered all the variables involved before shelling out your hard earned money, as there is a lot more to consider than just the strength of the axle.