itsajoopthing87

I just bought a 98 cherokee. With a bad rear diff. I have a 87 with the 3 pc axle. Im searching the webs. And dont see anything so ill ask on here and see what you guys have to say about this...... Can i take my carrier out of the old d30 and swap it into the newer 98? Is there any differences between the years besides the vac disconnect?.

xjmarc

As long as you know how to set up a ring and pinion you should be fine. The high pinion gear sets are the same for both models.

94XjSport94

Yep ^^.

Gear pattern changes with a new carrier.

itsajoopthing87

Ok so I should be able to pull all the internals from the 87 minus the axles. And swap it into the 98 d30 assembly with the 98 axles?

94XjSport94

Yes, but the gear pattern will change because it has a new carrier. Or even if you just swap the ring gear, it will still have a different pattern.

itsajoopthing87

Ok.... So I'm trying to follow you. What I'm going to do is. Pull the ring gear,pinion gear and carrier out of the 87 d30 with 4.56 and put it in the 98 d30 and use the axles from the 98. Ur talking when I install them I have it properly shimmed so I do not while the gears out correct?. Or something else I will I counter in the swap...

94XjSport94

This doesnt make sense, or at least i cant read what youre saying.

Why not put the 98 shafts in the 87 axle and block off the vacuum plate?

itsajoopthing87

One of the perches is bent..

cruiser54

Isn't the 87 high pinion and the 98 low pinion?

94XjSport94

Only the 00-01's are LP.

I'd weld on new brackets before i thought about re shimming a carrier.

cruiser54

Good to know. You know me. Not familiar with that new fangled ****.

Fred/N0AZZ

I'm confused as hell he said the "rear differential" was bad a D30???? in the 98. Wants to pull one from an 87 with a 3 piece axle to go in it??

In a 98 I thought all that came in them was an 8.25 or D35.

itsajoopthing87

Ok... so the 98 has a bad rear diff... the front is fine. My 87 rustbucket has a dana 30 &35 with 4.56 gears. Im going to swap out the 35 and instead of swapping the front 30 from my 87 thats bent. Pull my carrier ring and pinion. And put them in the 98 d30. Instead of dealing with the agrivation of chopping my perch off and trying to make it right. I was going to use the 98 Assembly thats not bent. Im just wanting to know if there are any diffrences in carriers. Like bearing sizes. Spline counts for the axles. And so on.

xjmarc

They are the same but it would be much easier and cheaper to weld on new perches than to set up the ring and pinion in the other housing, I'd replace the bearings and you'll need a shim kit. The bearings and shims alone will be around $100 not to mention labor if you don't have the tools and knowledge to set the gears up. New perches can be had for around 40 bucks.

Fred/N0AZZ

Thanks for explaining to an old man, I see now.

He is correct a new Master Install Kit starts at $100 (I just bought 2 cheaper ones), then the knowledge to do a proper setup/tools so they aren't destroyed the first few miles you drive it.