QuadraDrive Vari-Lok diff into TJ (Dana30): anyone done it?

[TurboMinivan]

I'm in the process of regearing my '97 Sahara from the factory 3.55s to my shiny new 4.56s. This means I need new carriers front and rear, which wouldn't be bad except it also means I have to lose my rear TracLok. (Well, actually, a LSD is worthless on the rocks anyway... so who cares.) I don't have the funding for a true locker at the moment, so I was simply planning on going pegleg front and rear for now. :-\

Well, things have changed. I just acquired a front pumpkin out of a QuadraDrive. All WJs had 3.73 gears as far as I knew, and that ought to theoretically use the same carrier as the new one I bought for my D30 4.56s. I pulled everything out of the boxes and, yep, the new ring gear goes right onto the WJ carrier. Sweet! Vari-Lok, here I come...

... but wait: there's a snag. The Vari-Lok diff moves the spider gears to one side in order to make room for the tiny little pump the locker needs to function. So while my TJ's stock axle shafts are the perfect diameter and spline count to slide right in, their lengths are wrong: one side is a little too short; the other side is a little too long.

To get around this little snafu on my now-depleted budget, I'm thinking maybe I can cut down the axle which is too long (cost: free) and perhaps swap to a WJ CV-style axle on the other side (cost unknown but I think I can swing it). It sounds a little odd to run a shaved TJ axle shaft on one side and a WJ axle shaft on the other, but if it actually works I don't mind.

So, has anybody out there done this swap? Have any insights, or can you point me to some info? Am I about to do something stupid? I've been googling for a while this evening but have come up empty. TIA

 

[mowlasley]

This may be a stupid question, but you have the entire housing out of the WJ right? Why not put the whole thing in? Is it LP or something?

 

[mbryson]

I'd just wait and install your new gears with the locker of your choice.

 

[TurboMinivan]

This may be a stupid question, but you have the entire housing out of the WJ right?

Nope, just the carrier plus everything that attaches directly to it--no housing and no axleshafts.

Today I sourced a pair of WJ QuadraDrive axleshafts; I should have them tomorrow. I'll see how well they fit into my TJ's housing; if they seem to work, I'll probably just run them as-is.

 

[TurboMinivan]

Well, the WJ axles aren't the correct length, either. This is probably a good thing since they use CV joints rather than U-joints. So I won't be using those.

Continuing to research the matter, I compared specs for WJ QuadraDrive axles with WJ 242 axles. The QuadraDrive axles are 1.06" different in length (one is longer, the other is shorter). Theoretically, this means my TJ will need axles which are also 1.06" different in length than stock. Tonight I'll take some careful measurements and find out for sure.

If that is indeed the case, my current plan is to order one new custom axle. I'll snip an inch off the remaining one. Then I'll put it all together and it should work great. If it does, I'll have to take some pictures and build a web page for reference.

 

[bobdog]

Just put a lockright in and call it good. What exacly is this Vari-loc? It does not rely on traction control does it?

 

[TurboMinivan]

Just put a lockright in and call it good.

I'd rather not, for a number of reasons. I'm very familiar with lockrights, though: I recently put one in the rear of my wife's TJ and I had one in my XJ back in the day.

What exactly is this Vari-loc? It does not rely on traction control does it?

No traction control at all. It's an interesting cross between a limited slip and a mechanical locker. For street driving, it pretty much behaves like an open diff--nice and smooth with no odd noises. Once one wheel spins, however, an internal pump causes fluid pressure to lock the diff and restore motion to the idle wheel. This pressure is maintained for a while, though, so it's not an on-off-on-off-on sort of traction device. The neatest part: whereas a typical limited slip requires quite a bit of wheelspin to heat the viscous fluid and transfer some torque to the idle tire, this system engages within one rotation of the spinning tire.

Oh, and I think I can now answer my own question as to why this isn't a popular swap. The Vari-Lok requires a unique carrier (along with the locking mechanism and all other parts) and that carrier all by itself lists for over $800. So I really lucked out by getting the entire assembly at no cost.

 

[johne8]

In the Same Boat

Turbo Minivan,

I am doing the same thing and am wondering how this worked out for you? I got a vari lok carrier for cheap and set it up in my TJ D-30 housing but - opps - the stock shafts don't work. So much for my cheap locker set up. I found that Randys ring and pinion sell inner D-30 shaft "blanks". They are made of 1541 material and have the 297x U-joint yoke already attached but are not splined. They are about $75 each. To have them trimmed to the correct length for the vari lok and splines cut buy Dutchmen, Curry, or who ever is going to cost approx. another $100 for the pair. I am worndering what you found out?

 

[TurboMinivan]

I am doing the same thing and am wondering how this worked out for you? I got a vari lok carrier for cheap and set it up in my TJ D-30 housing but - opps - the stock shafts don't work. So much for my cheap locker set up. I found that Randys ring and pinion sell inner D-30 shaft "blanks". They are made of 1541 material and have the 297x U-joint yoke already attached but are not splined. They are about $75 each. To have them trimmed to the correct length for the vari lok and splines cut buy Dutchmen, Curry, or who ever is going to cost approx. another $100 for the pair. I am worndering what you found out?

I ordered one custom axleshaft, the passenger side. After careful measuring, we decided we wanted an exact copy of the stocker but with one inch of extra (splined) length. Everything else--the rest of the spline, the seal area, etc--is to remain exactly as stock. I ordered this shaft through Dutchman and it set me back a couple bills, but it's still less than a Lock Right.

As for the other shaft, it is about 5/8" too long. It has plenty of surplus spline, however, so we're just going to snip a bit off the tip to make it the correct length. After that it should drop right in.

My custom shaft is supposed to arrive sometime today, then we'll put it all together over the next day or two. I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

[johne8]

I ordered a couple of custom inner shafts from Moser Engineering. I should be getting them in a few days. How did yours turn out?

 

[TurboMinivan]

I ordered a couple of custom inner shafts from Moser Engineering. I should be getting them in a few days. How did yours turn out?

Well, I finally received my custom longer shaft... but it turned out to not be quite long enough. It was a miscommunication and I accept the blame, but I found a buyer for this now-not-needed shaft... so I ordered another one, this time oh-so-slightly longer. I'm supposed to have it sometime this week and it ought to go together over the weekend.

It looks like it's all going to go together just fine. But I'll wait and pass final judgement after I actually get to drive it.

 

[WEELIT]

Sweet, I was wondering where could I find two complete housing to swap in to my WJ, Mine has open diffs front and rear , Not that it has stoped me much, but I would like to get some added traction for low cost.

 

[Devel]

so how did this turn out and dont ask how i stumbled across this cause im not sure either

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Hey Minivan, did this ever come to fruition? Someone was talking about this swap today and I came across this thread while searching.

 

[TurboMinivan]

It did all go together exactly as planned. It seemed to work okay, though the hardest trail that Jeep ever saw was Constrictor. I ended up selling that Jeep in the summer of 2006.