Would a Dana 30 be worth using?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Ry' N Jen

Banned
Joined
Dec 26, 2006
Messages
9,242
Reaction score
12
Location
Slightly North of the 49° th. Parallel... In HongC
If you stuffed a Dana 30 with high quality components, would it be a good choice for an SFA swap onto a KJ?
Or would you be better off going with a Dana 44 and just swallow the additional cost of quality components?

I'm starting to price stuff out and making a budget for the eventual transition to solid front axle swap for what will be my KJ.
As Jen has her heart set on a modded XJ in the near future...
 

tjkj2002

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
39
Location
Somewhere between being sane and insane!
The KJ is a heavy pig,more so when doing a SFA.Why polish a ****? I personally wouldn't go less then a '75-'77 HP44 for the front with there 1/2" axle tubes which are twice as thick as a D30's.
 

ridenby

Gold Supporter
Joined
Apr 19, 2009
Messages
4,276
Reaction score
3
Location
Kentucky
The KJ is a heavy pig,more so when doing a SFA.Why polish a ****? I personally wouldn't go less then a '75-'77 HP44 for the front with there 1/2" axle tubes which are twice as thick as a D30's.

X2-and would not be scared of HP60.
 

MSReNeGaDe

Banned
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
494
Reaction score
0
Location
Greenwood
There are tons of people running 37+ tires on jk Dana 30's with axle sleeves and c gussets. I don't see why it wouldn't work

sent using the dark side of the force
 

tjkj2002

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
39
Location
Somewhere between being sane and insane!
There are tons of people running 37+ tires on jk Dana 30's with axle sleeves and c gussets. I don't see why it wouldn't work

sent using the dark side of the force
Just polishing a **** with a 7.25" ring gear compared to a 8.5" ring gear of a D44.Start adding alloy axles and CTM's(or RCV's) then your weak point after the stock tubes is the ring gear(or spiders).Sleeving and trussing is money better spent elsewhere.

Might as well throw a D35 in the rear while your at it.

Just a comparision for JK axles,the OEM stock is the D44 front compared to others.

You must be registered for see images



'75-'77 F100/F150 HP44 comes standard with 1/2" thick tubes,can be had for $150-$200 all day long.
 

Red_KJ_666

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
124
Reaction score
0
Location
Riverview NB Canada
Dana 60's and 35" tires there's a pumpkin dragger lol I wouldn't do tons on anything with less than a 38", IMO if you can do a 44 do it if not throw a XJ 30 in for now and swap to the 44 when money allows mine will eventually be a Rubi 44 as it's a simple bolt in now.
 

tjkj2002

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
39
Location
Somewhere between being sane and insane!
Dana 60's and 35" tires there's a pumpkin dragger lol I wouldn't do tons on anything with less than a 38", IMO if you can do a 44 do it if not throw a XJ 30 in for now and swap to the 44 when money allows mine will eventually be a Rubi 44 as it's a simple bolt in now.
The TJ D44 is nothing more then a D30 with a 8.5" ring gear and low pinion to boot.Not really worth the $$$ on a TJ D44.The JK D44 is not really a D44 at all,shares nothing with a actual D44 but name and is the wrong bolt pattern but at least it's a HP diff.


I run a rear HP60,but has the same ground clearance as a D44.Drooling now that Currie has come out with the RockJock70:Hump:
 

Ry' N Jen

Banned
Joined
Dec 26, 2006
Messages
9,242
Reaction score
12
Location
Slightly North of the 49° th. Parallel... In HongC
There are tons of people running 37+ tires on jk Dana 30's with axle sleeves and c gussets. I don't see why it wouldn't work

sent using the dark side of the force


Ya but those guys running 37+ inch tall tires don't off road them... Just mall crawlers!

Just polishing a **** with a 7.25" ring gear compared to a 8.5" ring gear of a D44.Start adding alloy axles and CTM's(or RCV's) then your weak point after the stock tubes is the ring gear(or spiders).Sleeving and trussing is money better spent elsewhere.

Might as well throw a D35 in the rear while your at it.

Just a comparision for JK axles,the OEM stock is the D44 front compared to others.

You must be registered for see images



'75-'77 F100/F150 HP44 comes standard with 1/2" thick tubes,can be had for $150-$200 all day long.


That cheap Eh?
I might have to go state side and look for one.
I had a line on a "Cheap" 44 but it was NFG! That's why it was cheap!
I didn't buy it.

Dana 60's and 35" tires there's a pumpkin dragger lol I wouldn't do tons on anything with less than a 38", IMO if you can do a 44 do it if not throw a XJ 30 in for now and swap to the 44 when money allows mine will eventually be a Rubi 44 as it's a simple bolt in now.

Never thought of a Rubi 44. Hmmm, built in electric locker.
Is that locker any good?
 

MSReNeGaDe

Banned
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
494
Reaction score
0
Location
Greenwood
Really? I know a few locally who do. Its safest to go pro rock 60's

sent using the dark side of the force
 

J-Thompson

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2007
Messages
2,048
Reaction score
0
Location
just south of doucheville
It all comes down to tire size and driver style
if all you plan is 33's then any Dana 30 will be fine
35's and a HP 30 would be better
I have seen what guys put there TJ's through and
have rarely seen a 30 fail
and when they fail it is because the Jeep is open/open
in the rocks following guys who are locked/locked
If I were to SFA a KJ
I would make it simple and strong but with easily available
parts ,probably find a donner YJ for steering and front diff
and t- case if you have the 242 could also use the drive shafts
but they will need to be adjusted for length and rebalanced
I would build or buy the long arms/track bar/mounting brackets
I would use coil overs mounted in the OE location
This will be a fab heavy job
But you rely on the fab work to hold up and know that moving
parts can fail so you want to be able to walk into any
chain parts store and get what you need
 

tjkj2002

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
39
Location
Somewhere between being sane and insane!
It all comes down to tire size and driver style
if all you plan is 33's then any Dana 30 will be fine
35's and a HP 30 would be better
I have seen what guys put there TJ's through and
have rarely seen a 30 fail
and when they fail it is because the Jeep is open/open
in the rocks following guys who are locked/locked
If I were to SFA a KJ
I would make it simple and strong but with easily available
parts ,probably find a donner YJ for steering and front diff
and t- case if you have the 242 could also use the drive shafts
but they will need to be adjusted for length and rebalanced
I would build or buy the long arms/track bar/mounting brackets
I would use coil overs mounted in the OE location
This will be a fab heavy job
But you rely on the fab work to hold up and know that moving
parts can fail so you want to be able to walk into any
chain parts store and get what you need
Mud is one thing,rocks are another.That's one of the 1st things guy's do out here is scrap the D30/D35 combo for something alot stronger.

D44/HP44 parts are just as plentiful and the HP44 stuff can be alot cheaper then a D30 replacement parts like wheel bearings.
 

ridenby

Gold Supporter
Joined
Apr 19, 2009
Messages
4,276
Reaction score
3
Location
Kentucky
The running gear from a 78 or so Ford would be more than sufficient for most. Personally I think 37" tires are a good point of aim. As for clearance at the diff.,a shave will take care of this.
 

J-Thompson

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2007
Messages
2,048
Reaction score
0
Location
just south of doucheville
Mud is one thing,rocks are another.That's one of the 1st things guy's do out here is scrap the D30/D35 combo for something alot stronger.

D44/HP44 parts are just as plentiful and the HP44 stuff can be alot cheaper then a D30 replacement parts like wheel bearings.

You seem to be one of the many many people who think
all we wheel is mud
You and them would be WRONG
EVERY person who I wheel with HATES mud
We do not have boulders that stay where they are either
what we have are rocks the size of tires from Honda
to tractor or bigger and they move
This means that the trail that was a 3 last week
is a 5 this week and could get better or worse
I just know that more often then any place I have
wheeled the directions are "as soon as your back
tire clears that rock find the revlimiter"
have a turdy five and you end up broke
but we break as many HP44's and even 60's as
we do 30's and 99% of the time it is the
ears on the stub shaft or the u-joint
Like I said 33's and a 30 no issues
35's and a 44 (nonRubicon) no issues
37+ and a 60 (I6) no issues
V8 and all bets are off
open diff and crazy wheel speed same thing
 

tjkj2002

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
39
Location
Somewhere between being sane and insane!
You seem to be one of the many many people who think
all we wheel is mud
You and them would be WRONG
EVERY person who I wheel with HATES mud
We do not have boulders that stay where they are either
what we have are rocks the size of tires from Honda
to tractor or bigger and they move
This means that the trail that was a 3 last week
is a 5 this week and could get better or worse
I just know that more often then any place I have
wheeled the directions are "as soon as your back
tire clears that rock find the revlimiter"
have a turdy five and you end up broke
but we break as many HP44's and even 60's as
we do 30's and 99% of the time it is the
ears on the stub shaft or the u-joint
Like I said 33's and a 30 no issues
35's and a 44 (nonRubicon) no issues
37+ and a 60 (I6) no issues
V8 and all bets are off
open diff and crazy wheel speed same thing
I wheeled down south,not as far south as you are but what you call rock crawling is the bunny trails here in CO.


Will it live? Yes but once you start pushing harder and harder that D30 going to give up the ghost sooner then later.Same goes for a HP44 but you have alot more time at half the cost of a built HP60.Heck even HP60's break out here in CO all the time,and some with 37" tires.

A HP60 is just a headache for a KJ because of it's shear size,at least a HP44 is much more installer freindly.The D30 requires the use of coilovers and sorry but on a KJ front coilovers just don't flex as well as seperate coil/shock setup.
 

MSReNeGaDe

Banned
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
494
Reaction score
0
Location
Greenwood
Almost every JK with 37" tires and stock axles here only mall crawl and complain about everything that running 37" tires brings.

PR60's huh? Good way to spend $16,000+,some beef for sure.

Really? So no option is sane unless its your option? Jk forum has 60000+ members. Probably 15000 are running 35+ tires EASY. Most with d30 front ends. Why don't you stand in front of all those people and tell them the set up they've been running for years is completely ******** and wont ever work. I'm running 35's on mine and so far no issues.

sent using the dark side of the force
 

tjkj2002

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
10,612
Reaction score
39
Location
Somewhere between being sane and insane!
Really? So no option is sane unless its your option? Jk forum has 60000+ members. Probably 15000 are running 35+ tires EASY. Most with d30 front ends. Why don't you stand in front of all those people and tell them the set up they've been running for years is completely ******** and wont ever work. I'm running 35's on mine and so far no issues.

sent using the dark side of the force
JK forum is the most censored BS place in the world.They ban poeple just for showing a pic of the JK with a product of there black listed company's,which is almost all but those that pay the forum bills.

JK D30 with 35" tires.............

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images


This one is on stock sized tires.........
You must be registered for see images attach
 

MSReNeGaDe

Banned
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
494
Reaction score
0
Location
Greenwood
Stock tires. Proving that if you drive like a jack ass your sh*t will break

sent using the dark side of the force
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top