Axles Upgrade?

[Twitchy Leo]

I'm looking at swapping the front axle on my TJ from the stock D30 to a D44. One of my buddys hooked me up with a 44 off his 80ish Wagoneer. Should this work with the proper fabrication? I forgot to mention the axle has a detroit and hubs. Am I going to regret being locked up front with limited slip in the rear come winter time? The open front end with limited rear works awesome in the winter!

 

[Mug]

"It is engineered to keep both wheels in a constant drive mode, and has the ability to automatically allow wheel speed differentiation when required."
-From: http://www.eaton.com/EatonCom/Produ...roducts/Differentials/DetroitLocker/index.htm

Will you keep us posted if your D30 becomes available?

 

[Tacoma]

"It is engineered to keep both wheels in a constant drive mode, and has the ability to automatically allow wheel speed differentiation when required."
-From: http://www.eaton.com/EatonCom/Produ...roducts/Differentials/DetroitLocker/index.htm

Will you keep us posted if your D30 becomes available?

Yeah, that means "if you get off the gas". If you don't, you go straight.

 

[Mug]

Yeah, that means "if you get off the gas". If you don't, you go straight.

I agree. You shouldn't be driving that way in the snow anyway.

I'll admit to never driving on a detroit, though.

 

[rholbrook]

It would be easier and cheaper to put a Chromoly kit in the front.

 

[Twitchy Leo]

It would be easier and cheaper to put a Chromoly kit in the front.

Nothing against the 30. It has been great and never given me any problems. I actually traded about $500 worth of labor for the axle, locker and high steer kit. I figured it would be a fun project and the wife can't get mad cause I havn't spent anything out of pocket so far.

 

[rockreligious]

Nothing against the 30. It has been great and never given me any problems. I actually traded about $500 worth of labor for the axle, locker and high steer kit. I figured it would be a fun project and the wife can't get mad cause I havn't spent anything out of pocket so far.

uh-oh...... I once told my wife "ive got everything to build this rig laying around".......$30,000 later my wifes not impressed.

If your going to be happy with a limited slip in the front, your d30 is plenty of axle unless your running 38's which wouldnt be all that great on the hiway in the snow.

also Im not sure but 80'ish waggy front might be vacuume disconnect, if so Id probably shy away from that.

 

[jeepspeedtj]

If your going to be happy with a limited slip in the front, your d30 is plenty of axle unless your running 38's which wouldnt be all that great on the hiway in the snow.

What am I doing wrong? I only run a 37 and I am making Hippy rich buying parts for my D30!

 

[rockreligious]

What am I doing wrong? I only run a 37 and I am making Hippy rich buying parts for my D30!

I ran a dana30 with 35" mtrs rockcrawling for years in my grand zj and only broke one shaft, now the rear 35 was another story, spun tube, bent tube, broken shafts, broken locker, and so on.

 

[jeepspeedtj]

I ran a dana30 with 35" mtrs rockcrawling for years in my grand zj and only broke one shaft, now the rear 35 was another story, spun tube, bent tube, broken shafts, broken locker, and so on.

I guess I might be a little to heavy on the throttle. But I never break when the tires are spinning it is just when they stop spinning!

 

[chadschoon]

Dana 30's are only recomended up to a 35" tire and that even puts stress on them.

 

[1993yj]

I personally would not go through the hassle of putting in a D44 in place of a D30. Your u-joints in your D30 should be the same size as the ones in the D44, and that is what usually breaks first on both of those axles.

What size tires are you running?
Are you having issues with breaking at the moment? From your statement below I have to assume not.

Nothing against the 30. It has been great and never given me any problems. I actually traded about $500 worth of labor for the axle, locker and high steer kit. I figured it would be a fun project and the wife can't get mad cause I havn't spent anything out of pocket so far.

It will be a lot of fab work for minimal gain in strength. Fun, maybe. Learning experience, for sure.

I know that you say that you got it for "free", but if $500 worth of labor is your definition of free, I have tons of stuff that can be done around my house if you want.

Personally, I would use that $500 worth of trade work and get what you can towards an ARB for that front axle. It will be far superior to the open diff, and since it sounds like this is a DD, it wont affect your winter driving.

 

[jeepspeedtj]

Dana 30's are only recomended up to a 35" tire and that even puts stress on them.

I know I was breaking U-joints with 33'' and alloy shafts. on my D30.
but I am poor and my 60 is not quite done yet! (What does it take to get Randy at Advanced off his ass?)

 

[mbryson]

.......... (What does it take to get Randy at Advanced off his ass?)

That's kind of funny. (I've never dealt with him though)

 

[Bart]

Put the 44 in and don't look back. You'll need to buy a bracket and truss kit, but to have a Detroit and selectable hubs up front is well worth the effort. That sounds like the 44 I was looking at. BTW, I love Detroits in the front. For the rear I prefer a selectable locker.