So im sitting at 5" of lift and turnin 33's. My low pinion dana 30 vibrates a lot some due to not having adj. upper control arms. Anyways im gonna re-gear to 4.56's and i figured while im at it i might as well swap in a HP dana 30. Plus this way I can build it out of the jeep then just install it. My hub bearings on my current axle are blown out as well so even more of a reason. Im thinking I will just get a nice junkyard axle. But I have a few questions.

1) I want to do at least one locker when I regear and it would seem more logical to put it in the front end however I want a selectable one. Problem is there so expensive what do you guys recommend?

2) What years if any are the housings strongest in the dana 30's?

3) Any other general things I should look out for?

Any help would be great...thanks guys

 

um i would do an arb or an ox locker or you can get a regular locker and than convert to locking hubs but i think that way would be most expensive because the conversion is expensive! unless you got a different axle that already had locking hubs like maybe an early ford bronco axle that has them and if i remember correctly they have a d44 in the front but not positive. But you can always trust the d30 so you don't necessarily have find the strongest. Also i would make sure that if i did do a d30 to upgrade to chrom shafts and bigger u joints

 

Try and find an axle with the abs shafts. They will have the larger u-joints. Besides that if you could find one with 4.10 gears it will save you a few dollars, you wont need to buy a new carrier.


Personally I will never put no more then a lunch box locker in a d30. The axle just doesnt justify the cost of the locker and labor to install. Now if you were putting a d44 in, then i would.

 

x2 on the shafts and u-joints. The d30 isn't a bad axle by any means. I just picked up a d30 for pretty cheap and it came with chromoly shafts and 4.56 gears, can't beat that for $100. As far as lockers go just get the ARB air locker. I've hears shaddy things about the OX locker. Also you can also truss the d30. Trek offroad (or TNT) has a sweet truss for that axle.

 

I would use the money that you were gonna use for that locker and do an 8.8 swap for the rear. That way you could build up a HP D30, as you already planned,with junkyard D44 parts and relocate spring perches on the 8.8 (which I believe you can find with a limited slip).
So now, you would have a much stronger rear axe with a Limited slip, disc brakes and a bolt pattern that matches the front , and you would have a stronger HP axle in the front that you can fit with stronger u-joints and chromoly shafts.
And all of that for about the same price as just a front axle swap with an ARB or an OX locker.

 

An 8.8 wouldnt be a bad choice I may consider that but i dont think im following you with the front end...your saying you can use 44 internals in a 30?

 

I believe you can pull the inner and outer shafts of ZJ D30s that are equipped with ABS. They have the 5-x297 u joints which are probably stronger than what you will have in a HP D30. I would do this first so that you can run your 33s with no worries along with the 8.8 in the rear so that you can keep your stock bolt pattern while you source parts for the d30/44.

Here is a writeup on what I like to call the Franken-30. http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista...HybridAxle.htm

Note that you can use Reid racing knuckles , they will bolt right up to your existing yokes, that way you wouldnt have to source out the cj knuckle yokes, and you wouldnt need the d44 knuckles this way. Then all the other chevy and ford parts will bolt to the reid knuckles as shown in the writeup.
They can be found here. http://www.reidracing.biz/DANA30.php

Also, if you decide to build this hybrid D30, you will need to redrill your ford 8.8 shafts and rotors to give yourself that 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern

Happy hunting.

 

thats a great article, but Reid knuckles are stupid expensive. Also unless you have all the parts to do a live hub axle it can get real expensive.

 

Seems you missed the part where the OP says he has the LOW pinion D30 already and wants to get a HIGH pionion D30 to work up.

In my experience any D30 with the ABS has the bigger Ujoints and swap right in.

 

Seems you missed the part where the OP said he was planning to build up a HP D30 Stronger and asked about fitting D44 outers on the HP D30 that he was building up.

Also, not all Cherokees have ABS. My '95 Sport doesn't.

So maybe next time read the entire thread before flaming.

 

Yeah, they are pretty expensive. But being in the Marine Corps, I pretty much live for free, so I find that I can bear with the cost of those over the trouble of searching for ghosts in a graveyard (CJ yokes).

As for the parts for the outers, all of those chevy and ford junk yard parts are pretty common, so finding the combination you need is relatively easy. Then all you need is your bearings and seals and your pretty much good to go.

Next December when I get back to the states I am going to be building up the Franken-30, along with swapping in either an 8.8 or a narrowed 9 inch. For the past year and for all of this next year I am pretty much just spending money on parts and having them stored at my parents place, so around next December '10/January '11 be looking for an in-depth writeup. I may even make a video and post it.

Here is the plan:
Rubicon Express 7.5" Lift
Franken-30 Build-up w/ 4.88 gears and an OX
Ford 8.8 or 9 inch Rebuild/swap w/ 4.88 gears and an OX (or a Detroit for the 9 inch)
High steering
Essentially Offroad Jeep Speed Roll Cage
Front Prerunner Bumper
Rear Tire Carrier bumper
All necessary unibody reinforcement

All of this sitting on 35's. I'm keeping the Dana 30 because I am too lazy to narrow a full width front axle. Plus finding axle shafts will be much easier and I know I will not go past 35's and know that I can build up the 30 strong enough to do the job.

Next December is pretty much going to be my wet dream; taking a bone stock Cherokee and turning it into a Krawler.

To the OP: I would go with the axle improvements before I bought the locker. Yeah a locker will help a lot in an offroad environment, but having the piece of mind that your axle shafts are not gonna snap outweighs a locker in my mind.
Build the axles and then save up for lockers.

 

My aren't you some kind of special.

IF you maybe read the entire thread before flaming you'll notice "any D30 with the ABS" Means ANY THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH and not ALL

And in the original post AT NO TIME did the OP ask about D44 parts.
Here it is again in it's entirety.

Building the right Dana 30
So I'm sitting at 5" of lift and turning 33's. My low pinion dana 30 vibrates a lot some due to not having adj. upper control arms. Anyways I'm gonna re-gear to 4.56's and i figured while I'm at it i might as well swap in a HP dana 30. Plus this way I can build it out of the jeep then just install it. My hub bearings on my current axle are blown out as well so even more of a reason. I'm thinking I will just get a nice junkyard axle. But I have a few questions.

1) I want to do at least one locker when I regear and it would seem more logical to put it in the front end however I want a selectable one. Problem is there so expensive what do you guys recommend?

2) What years if any are the housings strongest in the dana 30's?

3) Any other general things I should look out for?

Any help would be great...thanks guys

You were the one to bring up D44 parts and the OP was just asking for clarification AND furthermore he asks about internals NOT outers.
If your gonna flame me at least get your facts straight.

To XJ2010, I may be wrong here and am quite willing to accept correction on this but I have not read or seen anything that says you can swap in D44 parts onto or into a D30 either high or low pinion, but anything is possible with the right amount of time and money.

 

Yes you can. Again here is a link to a write-up
http://pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista...HybridAxle.htm
And here is his response to my response, where he clearly asks me about putting 44 parts in a D30.

Again, read the entire thread, then flame away.

 

I give up. Apparently they do not teach comprehension AND reading anymore.

To XJ2010. Good luck on your search.

 

My $.02

Hp D30, 30 spline alloy shafts, Eaton E-locker, truss