Dana 30 to Dana 44 swap

cpwolf

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So I pulled my Dana 30 with 4.10’s.

found it impossible to pull the springs, without pulling a lower control arm...and basically everything else, ha.

We bought it with this Rancho 3.5 inch lift, it seems to be a combo spring and spacer lift. Either way, I literally had everything disconnected except the CA’s were loosened. Not event close, and standing on it didn’t help, lifting one side to help it articulate, nope. I disconnected the tips on both sides. And the lowers still hit the bracket and I couldn’t pry bar getting them off.



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Don’t want to be an ass, but with all this investment into front axle you run skyjacker shocks?

Ha,. not at all. My son put them on up at Texas Tech before I got the Jeep back. I'm waiting to cycle the suspension and get good measurements before I get Rancho's again, which is what was on it before.
 
Don’t want to be an ass, but with all this investment into front axle you run skyjacker shocks?

I've got the Dana 44 front and Rear sitting in the garage here, the front will go on and I'll have to send the Tom Wood's DS back to get it shortened. When it gets here I'll then do the rear, a SS SYE and have to get a new TW DS ha. Wife is loving the spend, dribble dribble need this and that.
 
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So live and read and learn. I took @Jerry Bransford and a few others' advice, and had to take off a lower control arm and I could load up the 4" Currie front springs, didn't even have to take off the lower bump stop. It literally lowered to the floor, the low profile floor jack comes in handy, ha.

Either way, got the springs on, and they seem to fit right, pretty fired up. Hooked up the steering that just came off my Dana 30 , and the ZJ upgrade just last year, and now another issue, but I'm stopping with this step, ha. Spent an entire day on it past weekend, and now just did the process to add a spring on each side in about an hour. If I do this again, I'll be freaking fast at it, ha.

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So next step and I hit a snag. I bolted the TRE and Draf Link up. They hit 55 Ft LBs like Jeep spec.

Then, then the pin looks deep in the tapered hole.

@mrblaine I followed a thread you discussed this, I literally bought these Moog Drag Link and TRE last year, they just came out of the Dana 35 and we’re just right.

The Dana 44 I just put in had a Currie Currectlync and was not reamed about by owner, so now I’m a little stuck.

Options? Buy a new TRE and see if it fits? It’s borderline, am I over thinking this?

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So next step and I hit a snag. I bolted the TRE and Draf Link up. They hit 55 Ft LBs like Jeep spec.

Then, then the pin looks deep in the tapered hole.

@mrblaine I followed a thread you discussed this, I literally bought these Moog Drag Link and TRE last year, they just came out of the Dana 35 and we’re just right.

The Dana 44 I just put in had a Currie Currectlync and was not reamed about by owner, so now I’m a little stuck.

Options? Buy a new TRE and see if it fits? It’s borderline, am I over thinking this?

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Hard to tell which is the one that is wrong. Either the holes are worn or the pins are undersized/stretched. I can check some knuckles here if you like?
 
Hard to tell which is the one that is wrong. Either the holes are worn or the pins are undersized/stretched. I can check some knuckles here if you like?

Let me check something first. I have the Dan 30 here on a dolly, I’ll pull this and put it that again and see the depth. I’m just realizing that the cup was pretty smashed, maybe it was in deep in the Dana 30 and I didn’t notice.

If I isolate that the knuckle taper is the issue, I’ll reach out to buy new ones, thanks.

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Hard to tell which is the one that is wrong. Either the holes are worn or the pins are undersized/stretched. I can check some knuckles here if you like?

@mrblaine I got all my axles on, and got back got the front TRE depth.



So this is a pic of a brand new Moog TRE that is the right one for this Jeep. It only toghtens really deep. 55 Ft LBs. Unless I’ve now had 2 bad TREs (possible) then the hole in the Knuckle has to be wallowed out some.


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Is new knuckle my only feasible option?

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This axle had a Currie Currectlync on it according to the last owner, but they said that is the same, it doesn’t hallow out that hole.
 
@mrblaine I got all my axles on, and got back got the front TRE depth.



So this is a pic of a brand new Moog TRE that is the right one for this Jeep. It only toghtens really deep. 55 Ft LBs. Unless I’ve now had 2 bad TREs (possible) then the hole in the Knuckle has to be wallowed out some.


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Is new knuckle my only feasible option?

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This axle had a Currie Currectlync on it according to the last owner, but they said that is the same, it doesn’t hallow out that hole.

I would guess you need new knuckles but, the only way to actually know is to find a stock OEM tie rod end and fit it in there. Otherwise we are just guessing, fairly well but still a guess. Or, find a knuckle that you think it good and fit the Moog end in it and see if it is the same or better than what you have.
 
I had a new Moog TRE that sat too deep in the knuckle, bought a new knuckle and it was still the same. Haven't tried a second new TRE, just stuck some washers under the nut to get the castellations up to the hole.
 
I would guess you need new knuckles but, the only way to actually know is to find a stock OEM tie rod end and fit it in there. Otherwise we are just guessing, fairly well but still a guess. Or, find a knuckle that you think it good and fit the Moog end in it and see if it is the same or better than what you have.

So this is the one that came off and input it in the Dana 30 that is on the dolly.

Hmmm, is 55 foot pounds right? Ha, I need to double check that. But I’m 99% sure on that.

I also need to look at the dam Moog part, make sure I have the right one, and at this point I think I need to get a OEM TRE to test.

Knuckles bad on the Dana 30 removed and the 44 I just put on?

All guessing agree, trying to play the odds.

TRE OEM next step

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@mrblaine I got all my axles on, and got back got the front TRE depth.



So this is a pic of a brand new Moog TRE that is the right one for this Jeep. It only toghtens really deep. 55 Ft LBs. Unless I’ve now had 2 bad TREs (possible) then the hole in the Knuckle has to be wallowed out some.


View attachment 369516
Is new knuckle my only feasible option?

View attachment 369517
This axle had a Currie Currectlync on it according to the last owner, but they said that is the same, it doesn’t hallow out that hole.

If you're worried about the hole being wallowed out why not pick up a tie rod flip insert? You'll get a fresh insert and also a bit more clearance.
 
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I would guess you need new knuckles but, the only way to actually know is to find a stock OEM tie rod end and fit it in there. Otherwise we are just guessing, fairly well but still a guess. Or, find a knuckle that you think it good and fit the Moog end in it and see if it is the same or better than what you have.

@mrblaine I bought a brand new Currie Currectlync.

I put it on tonight, and this isn’t even close to being tightened down to 55 ft pounds. That’s 3 TRE’s in there, and 2 are brand new out of the box, that’s definitive enough I would think.

I figure I have to get a a new knuckle as option 1.

But, someone mentioned a flip? I’ll start reading, but is this something you would suggest? If I’m getting rid of the knuckle, Is that a way to salvage (make lemonade out if you know) ?never mind this has turned into a a ton of work, I’m not going down the road of cutting. Off parts and welding at this point.

Frankly a lot of folks on here need to stop saying “bolt in”, I’ve found that’s NEVER the case on my TJ for some strange reason. I spent pretty good on these and the Knuckles are wallowed out.

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@mrblaine I bought a brand new Currie Currectlync.

I put it on tonight, and this isn’t even close to being tightened down to 55 ft pounds. That’s 3 TRE’s in there, and 2 are brand new out of the box, that’s definitive enough I would think.

I figure I have to get a a new knuckle as option 1.

But, someone mentioned a flip? I’ll start reading, but is this something you would suggest? If I’m getting rid of the knuckle, Is that a way to salvage (make lemonade out if you know) ?never mind this has turned into a a ton of work, I’m not going down the road of cutting. Off parts and welding at this point.

Frankly a lot of folks on here need to stop saying “bolt in”, I’ve found that’s NEVER the case on my TJ for some strange reason. I spent pretty good on these and the Knuckles are wallowed out.

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I have knuckles, I can do a flip on one for you. You will need to address the swaybar link mounts and raise them 1" if you do the flip. I like the flip and we do it a fair bit, always on stuff for our builds but you may have different needs.
 
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@mrblaine I bought a brand new Currie Currectlync.

I put it on tonight, and this isn’t even close to being tightened down to 55 ft pounds. That’s 3 TRE’s in there, and 2 are brand new out of the box, that’s definitive enough I would think.

I figure I have to get a a new knuckle as option 1.

But, someone mentioned a flip? I’ll start reading, but is this something you would suggest? If I’m getting rid of the knuckle, Is that a way to salvage (make lemonade out if you know) ?never mind this has turned into a a ton of work, I’m not going down the road of cutting. Off parts and welding at this point.

Frankly a lot of folks on here need to stop saying “bolt in”, I’ve found that’s NEVER the case on my TJ for some strange reason. I spent pretty good on these and the Knuckles are wallowed out.

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View attachment 375274

Do the flip. It's well worth it.

Blaine's weld-on sway bar extensions and tie rod are also a solid buy if you choose to go that route. I drive by braille and mine hasn't had an issue yet. Bent 2 curries though.
 
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