In my opinion it isnt even worth regearing, but thats just me.
In most areas you can find the proper 44 front for around $150, so I cant imagine putting much into a dana 30, UNLESS you plan to run tires 31 inches or smaller, no lockers and light-moderate wheeling.





OzarkJeep

"If I take a stand It will be my own"

 

If you want, I will be selling my d30 narrow trac in a month. It has brand new 4.10 gears (less than 200 miles on them). A very strong powerloc, and new balljoints on the drivers side. I'd be looking to get around $300 for it.

Keith

ITS GOOD ENOUGH /wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif

 

Ozark,

How much strength is gained by putting in the warn heavy duty axles/larger u-joints? Does that just make the weakest link in the front end the ring and pinion?

CJay

 

ask H8monday CJay.

he spent lots of $$ on those warn axles I think, and still ended up going to a 44.

I think it still leaves the ring and pinion, and the hubs as weak links. and those axles cost alot more than a 44 should.


OzarkJeep

"If I take a stand It will be my own"

 

I had the YJ version with 260 U joints, but I still snapped 2 passenger side inner axles, even with the 260 U joints as the weak link. I sold my D30 to my friend with the Lime green YJ in Reno, and he blew up the ring and pinion about 2 weeks after he swapped it. D44s are cheap and easy to swap, thats where I would spend my money.
I just now thought back on my choice to swap in the D44, and as often as I used to change the U joints in my D30 I got to the point that it didnt even bother me to have to repair a U joint(maybe because I had Jeepchick do it some of the times), But I just realized I havent had a single problem with my front axle in about 4 months, since I swapped in the D44. Not one problem, hell my U joints are gonna actually have a chance to rust if I dont replace them soon.

Jeff
89 YJ
If at 1st you dont succeed, your replacement will try and try again

 

What do you guys think about the D44 that 4Wheel drive hardware is selling?
It's a Currie setup less the knuckles, brakes, etc.
You have to use your old D30 knuckles and brake stuff.
Mizu

 

How much does it cost, and what does it come with?

Jeff
89 YJ
If at 1st you dont succeed, your replacement will try and try again

 

The weak link is the axle joints in a D30, but I have heard people bad mouth D44 axle-joint. The D30 joint is very weak, but, IMHO, a D44 link will would up to 90 percent of extreme wheeling, just keep an eye on it. I have freind that have done Helldorado, Upper and lower on stock D30 front joints with no problem, and that was with a week of wheeling at Moab beforehand. My CJ was having rearend problems from Prichtett canyon the day before, so I couldn't join. The D30's axle do allright. I have yet to break A D44 U-Joint, but you need more than a D44 in the rear, IMHO.

Thanks, Ray

 

Mizu,

I dont think the Currie axles in 4wdharware are much of a deal, maybe good for someone who cant fabricate at all, or has no junkyards near by.

the only plus is that tey are the proper width, no outboarding, no super wide flares needed.
But they are $1100 empty housings, plus more for spring plates and U bolts, do they use factory steering linkages?
and you still get the weak external parts from a dana 30.

lets say you find a dana 44 front in a junkyard for $150,
have a shop narrow it ( optional to most folks) and send the shaft off to get shortened too and its altogether $400.
so you have an empty housing the proper length for $550 WITH stronger outer hubs.

I guess there are alot of jeepers out there with much better funding for their rigs than I have, but so much of this stuff I see for sale sure doesnt strike me as cost justified.




OzarkJeep

"If I take a stand It will be my own"

 

The cost of the d44 front axle is $1089.95, however, they ARE including R&P gears in your choice of ratio and the install kit, AND the inner axle shafts that use the 297X joint.
I agree that it might be cheaper in the long run to source parts from a junkyard and get the machining done locally, however some people don't have very good junkyard skills and would rather spend some extra money in one place and get a brand new unitb that is already set up for CJ use.
Bob in MA

 

Good point Bob,

I overlooked the gear and install kits included, so thats worth $200-$300.

$1089
+ gear install labor ( $200-$500)
+ Balljoints and install ( $50)
+ paint the housing, assemble your dana 30 stuff to it.
+ spring plates ($79)
+ ubolts 4 @($7.99)

for an axle you can bolt into your CJ AFTER someone else has assembled all of the little things ( gears, balljoints) and still has the weaker outer hub.

hmmmm, I need to start custom narrowing Front Dana 44s.

I have more time than money, so its a pretty easy choice for me, I also like to do everything I can as a learning experience, obviously some folks dont enjoy the finding/making part as much as others.


OzarkJeep

"If I take a stand It will be my own"

 

Thanks Ozark and H8 and everyone else!

J