I currently have a Hp vac disco 30 in my 91 cherokee with 3.55 gears. I am swapping out the old rear 35 for a 8.25 with 3.55 gears. So the rear is all ready figures out. what i need advice on is the front. I could swap in a Lp 30 out of a 00 cherokee but i want to keep my Hp. Could I take the shafts and swap them over to my current Hp 30. Did they ever change the spline count for the carrier side? should i do this or swap the entire axle. what would you guys do?

 

Put a block off plate on the vacuum disconnect and use a one piece axle. That way you keep the clearance of the HP 30.

 

^x2

 

Yeah that was one of my ideas. Do you know if the newer shafts will fit in the older carrier. I guess i could change the spider gears out if i needed to, Right.

 

The axles are the same. The newer ones ('95+) do have bigger u-joints witch is a good thing.

 

great to know guys. thanks

 

I have a friend doing the same, but he couldnt get the passenger side axle to go in the tube all the way. so he pulled the one piece axle out and noticed a gear in the axle tube just to the left of the opening for vac. stuff. how do you get the gear out? he said he coudnt get it out any tricks?

 

The passenger side one-piece axle will not go in with the vacuum mechanism in the housing. It has to be completely removed and a plate made to cover the hole. Then the vacuum lines from the t-case will need to be plugged.

 

I know that his housing had a piece on the inner most side that he couldnt get out. Any ideas? the new axle would hit the splines of this piece, its has splines on the outside and the inner most axle rest on the piece. he does have the axle pieces out and the shift collar

 

That thing just to the inside of where the vacuum disco is on your buddies axle is a plastic busching that was required to keep the two piece axle centered in the tube. I used screwdrivers, punches, pliers, whatever it took. I broke the busching in my axle into pieces and just removed all the pieces. Now, the problem is you will have to acquire an inner axle seal like the later model D30s have otherwise all your gear oil will run out the end of the axle tube and whatever muddy, watery, nastiness you 4wheel in will get inside your diff. Randy's Ring and Pinion actually sells a kit for changing your D30 two piece axle over to alater model one piece. It comes with a blankoff plate to put over the hole in your axle housing where your vacuum disco was and it comes with the axle seals you will need.

 

why are you replacing the front axles

 

Dana 30 hp are cheep and easy to find(with out vac diss.) just get one and be done...easy squeezy. Pick and pull less than 100.00 and done...just my two cents

 

thanks for the info!