BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
I see welding and a truss in his near future.
The Nail Salon
- Thread starter TORX
- Start date
- Location
- NE Texas
This would have NEVER happened, with kevlars:wave1:
ceb0217
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- oregon,corvallis
LJ dude
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Vancouver, WA
Time for a 44
BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
What! This was his real first run with the 30.
This just had to be one of those things that just happen, Just a random failure.
Bronzewyrm
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Independence,or
LJ dude
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Vancouver, WA
It probably was just a random failure but why not use it as an excuse to go bigger!
LJ dude
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Vancouver, WA
NW99XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gresham, Or.
Ouch man..... So do you know when/how it happened?
So whats the plan? A Torx-Fab "Super-30"?
Full on Axle swap with another 30...or are you gonna stuff a 44 under there?
So whats the plan? A Torx-Fab "Super-30"?
Full on Axle swap with another 30...or are you gonna stuff a 44 under there?
- Location
- Vancouver, WA
I think half of that is from prerunning a short arm lift.
TORX's Hypothesis:
During Thursday's trail run we were on Lilly Pond trail. On the last section of trail I managed to tag a rock HARD with my front diff. It was one of those situations where I wasn't paying attention, and the rock snuck up on me. My own dumb fault.
At the time the hit almost brought the Jeep to a stop. I was in first gear low range so I wasn't going fast, but we were going down hill so gravity defintely help with the magnitude of the hit. It also rung the front diff like a church bell, a sound I've never heard before come from tagging a rock.
I got out after to take a look and make sure I didn't hit my steering, and all I saw was a little bit of rock rash on my Ruff Stuff diff cover. Props to Ruff Stuff for making a diff cover that will break a housing before their cover.
Over the next two days of wheeling, and then the drive home the crack and damage began to spread. During Saturday's run Eric and I heard some mystery noises coming from the front end. I attributed it to the front Detroit just unloading.
On the drive home at highway speed I heard a low pitch groan coming from the front end. It didn't sound too bad compared to other noises I've heard in the past, so I ran with it. I'm really hoping the crack in the housing didn't mess up the gear back lash. Looking back I was hearing more noise during deceleration. I hope the gears are still salvageable.
Then a few miles from home the front Detroit started popping hard on any sort of turn. I thought I may have spit a u-joint cap, or broke the Detroit. Once I got home I put a jack under the axle and realized I was taking up the slack in the housing before lifting a tire. FML.
I guess it could have been worse. It could have completely cracked in half on the trail, or come apart on the highway.
I had very few issues with my last D30 after five years of trail abuse, so I'm not going to preach trusses are a requirement. In fact I didn't truss this axle because of that. I didn't think I'd have any issues with the housing. Unfortunately, I found a weak link, and proved myself wrong.
Right now, I'm really lacking motivation to fix it. I won't lie yesterday I started at it for awhile and had part out thoughts go through my head. It'll get fixed, but it was such an unexpected break I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.
I'm going to work on getting the axle yarded out today, and stripped down. A 44 isn't an option, nor do I blame the break on it being a "30". The most logical thing to do right now is find a new housing. Cross my fingers the 4.56's and Detroit survived and transfer them over. Then I'll make a truss for the passenger side, that ties in the chunk to the tube. Hell, maybe I'll join the Sleeved D30 Cool Kid's Club too.
I really need to find a new hobby.
During Thursday's trail run we were on Lilly Pond trail. On the last section of trail I managed to tag a rock HARD with my front diff. It was one of those situations where I wasn't paying attention, and the rock snuck up on me. My own dumb fault.
At the time the hit almost brought the Jeep to a stop. I was in first gear low range so I wasn't going fast, but we were going down hill so gravity defintely help with the magnitude of the hit. It also rung the front diff like a church bell, a sound I've never heard before come from tagging a rock.
I got out after to take a look and make sure I didn't hit my steering, and all I saw was a little bit of rock rash on my Ruff Stuff diff cover. Props to Ruff Stuff for making a diff cover that will break a housing before their cover.
Over the next two days of wheeling, and then the drive home the crack and damage began to spread. During Saturday's run Eric and I heard some mystery noises coming from the front end. I attributed it to the front Detroit just unloading.
On the drive home at highway speed I heard a low pitch groan coming from the front end. It didn't sound too bad compared to other noises I've heard in the past, so I ran with it. I'm really hoping the crack in the housing didn't mess up the gear back lash. Looking back I was hearing more noise during deceleration. I hope the gears are still salvageable.
Then a few miles from home the front Detroit started popping hard on any sort of turn. I thought I may have spit a u-joint cap, or broke the Detroit. Once I got home I put a jack under the axle and realized I was taking up the slack in the housing before lifting a tire. FML.
I guess it could have been worse. It could have completely cracked in half on the trail, or come apart on the highway.
I had very few issues with my last D30 after five years of trail abuse, so I'm not going to preach trusses are a requirement. In fact I didn't truss this axle because of that. I didn't think I'd have any issues with the housing. Unfortunately, I found a weak link, and proved myself wrong.
Right now, I'm really lacking motivation to fix it. I won't lie yesterday I started at it for awhile and had part out thoughts go through my head. It'll get fixed, but it was such an unexpected break I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.
I'm going to work on getting the axle yarded out today, and stripped down. A 44 isn't an option, nor do I blame the break on it being a "30". The most logical thing to do right now is find a new housing. Cross my fingers the 4.56's and Detroit survived and transfer them over. Then I'll make a truss for the passenger side, that ties in the chunk to the tube. Hell, maybe I'll join the Sleeved D30 Cool Kid's Club too.
I really need to find a new hobby.
- Location
- NE Texas
Dustin, I have a nitro minimum gear setup kit that i didnt use.. It's yours if you need it!
(http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23_39_148&products_id=3291 )
Find another HP30, Take it to KnA with the gears/locker/bearings, order a sleeve and inner C gusset kit and call it a day..
Couple hundred bucks.. (and a shitload of labor)
Atleast it got you home!
ceb0217
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- oregon,corvallis
I will look I might have a non disco hp housing sitting at my house.
When I break stuff, I make sure I do it right. 
Got the front end yarded out of the Jeep. Close up of the break in the housing.
All the plug welds on the passenger tube are broke free. The whole tube is literally semi float in the housing. I can rotate the tube an 1/8" in either direction. The only thing holding it in is the burrs from the plug welds.
Then I started digging into the gears and Detroit.
I'm really glad I installed magnets in the cover. I can only imagine the damage the gears/bearings would have suffered if this was loose.
Carnage inside the Detroit. Left side is good, right side is bad.
Thrust washers have some pretty good grooves in them. I'm wondering if this could have happened over the course of 200 miles, or if it's been an existing problem?
Side gear deleted a tooth.
Looking inside the Detroit housing there's a casting flaw. Not sure if this is a big deal or not, but it makes you wonder.
What I pulled out of the diff. For all the things I found, there seems to be more chunks than I can account for. I'll have to inventory the parts with the schematic.
This isn't really a surprise, I kinda expected it. The gears look to be okay, the question is whether or not the patterns been broken. I'm going to call West Coast Differentials and see about getting the Detroit warrantied. From some of the things I found I kind of wonder if it was defective from the get go. Then I'm going to call the gear guy and see what the best course of action is.
This whole fiasco reminded me I really need a dedicated daily driver with how I use this rig.
Got the front end yarded out of the Jeep. Close up of the break in the housing.
All the plug welds on the passenger tube are broke free. The whole tube is literally semi float in the housing. I can rotate the tube an 1/8" in either direction. The only thing holding it in is the burrs from the plug welds.
Then I started digging into the gears and Detroit.
I'm really glad I installed magnets in the cover. I can only imagine the damage the gears/bearings would have suffered if this was loose.
Carnage inside the Detroit. Left side is good, right side is bad.
Thrust washers have some pretty good grooves in them. I'm wondering if this could have happened over the course of 200 miles, or if it's been an existing problem?
Side gear deleted a tooth.
Looking inside the Detroit housing there's a casting flaw. Not sure if this is a big deal or not, but it makes you wonder.
What I pulled out of the diff. For all the things I found, there seems to be more chunks than I can account for. I'll have to inventory the parts with the schematic.
This isn't really a surprise, I kinda expected it. The gears look to be okay, the question is whether or not the patterns been broken. I'm going to call West Coast Differentials and see about getting the Detroit warrantied. From some of the things I found I kind of wonder if it was defective from the get go. Then I'm going to call the gear guy and see what the best course of action is.
This whole fiasco reminded me I really need a dedicated daily driver with how I use this rig.
Bronzewyrm
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Independence,or
or just calm it down a bit:nono:. it is not jeepforceone. and with the time you spent on building it. you may want to keep this one around for a while. ill be honest, i was plotting on how to come up with a towrig, trailer, and sleeper all in one... The ENTIRE way home. im glad you made it home man. its all in good fun right?
NW99XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gresham, Or.
Amen to that!!!! Glad things didnt take a turn for the worse. Gotta say, with all the damage, and with as bad as the breakage was.....that little D30 STILL got you home..... Thats saying something.
kenny811
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Damascus, OR
"Right now, I'm really lacking motivation to fix it. I won't lie yesterday I started at it for awhile and had part out thoughts go through my head. It'll get fixed, but it was such an unexpected break I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
Dustin, every Jeep guy has these thoughts!! The repair thoughts, not the getting an LJ thought. Build a new 30 and hit the trails!!
Dustin, every Jeep guy has these thoughts!! The repair thoughts, not the getting an LJ thought. Build a new 30 and hit the trails!!
NW99XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gresham, Or.
If I had any expertise in welding, or gear set-up…. Or had an extra housing laying around, I’d offer you all the help I could Dustin.
Sadly, all I can offer you is support and motivation.
But if you DO need a third hand or a ride to the wrecking yard or something, let me know.
Sadly, all I can offer you is support and motivation.
But if you DO need a third hand or a ride to the wrecking yard or something, let me know.
Snapple
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Mcminnville OR
well if you need an extra hand hit me up. I do have free time to come up and help out.
ceb0217
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- oregon,corvallis
if you dont find one closer I do have one
