Dana 30 Upgrade Opinions

Brian83

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Oklahoma City, OK
Needing some input from you guys. Scored a built Super 35 already geared to 4.88 for $400. Just have to replace the upper control arm brackets. Where Im stuck is what to do to the Dana 30. Im currently running 3.73s on 35s with a 4.0 5 speed. My first thought was since Im upgrading to just do super 30 kit with a slectable locker when I regear. I currently have a Spartan in the front. After thinking some more and finding out my housing is slightly tweaked, alignment is slightly out by about on degree. Im leaning towards just gears and maybe shafts and keep running the Spartan. That extra money for a new locker would be a good start to a fund for a ProRock 44 for the front in a year or two. Anyone want to share their thoughts?

Thanks
 
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replace the housing with someone's straight Dana 30 take-off, regear and add some revolution chromos with the big joint
 
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replace the housing with someone's straight Dana 30 take-off, regear and add some revolution chromos with the big joint

I cant find one locally, and I would like to see paperwork from an alignment showing its straight. You cant see that mine isnt until its on the alignment rack. The local shop off road shop said they could probably straighten it and then sleeve it. So that is an option.
 
How about a junkyard Dana 30? XJ came with a high pinion. which everything you have will bolt right up to it.
That’s what I’d have done if I hadn’t bought a HP 44.

Just have to decide if you want to throw money at a 30 when it costs the same to throw it at a 44. Meaning I think the RCV’s, ARB and gears cost say $2500. Do you want to put $2500 into a $300 axle or a $2000 axle.

To me it was like buying a $200 safe to store a $2500 rifle vs buying a $2000 safe to store my $2500 rifle.

Either way it’s better than nothing just depends on how hard you want to push your budget.
 
I cant find one locally, and I would like to see paperwork from an alignment showing its straight. You cant see that mine isnt until its on the alignment rack. The local shop off road shop said they could probably straighten it and then sleeve it. So that is an option.
Once it is straight, or if you replace the axle with one that is straight, the best thing you can do to strengthen it is to just replace the axle shafts with alloy replacements. 27 spline is fine, no need for 30 spline axle shafts up front. Internal sleeving is a waste of $$$, it has been shown mathematically to not strengthen it. External sleeving helps but not internal. But not even external sleeving is any benefit on the Dana 30 running 35" tires. Just gear it appropriately, replace the shafts with 4340 27 spline alloy shafts with the Spicer 5-760x u-joint and life will be good. Ricky at www.4lowparts.com can give you a good deal on Revolution Gear's axle shafts.
 
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You can get a truss for the top of it pretty affordably, of if you're handy you can make your own.

I wouldn't worry about a degree off if it isn't your daily driver. It's definitely not worth the expense of a 44 housing if that's your only problem. You don't need RCV shafts, alloys are plenty. The Spartan locker should also be plenty, though a full locker will add strength.
 
You can get a truss for the top of it pretty affordably, of if you're handy you can make your own.
A truss has been proven to be a waste of $$$ on a Dana 30. The main weak point of a Dana 30 are its ball joints and there's no ball joint available that is any better or stronger than what you can get from Spicer.
 
My last two d30s held up to regular rock crawling here in CO. I got a decent deal on a pair of high pinion d30s and built one of them up. With 3/16" brackets and chromoly shafts, its the last thing on my mind when wheeling. The 44 shares all the same parts as the Dana 30, it just carries the "44" name that people like. Save your money, build a 30 (or straighten out your current one) and go have fun
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A truss has been proven to be a waste of $$$ on a Dana 30. The main weak point of a Dana 30 are its ball joints and there's no ball joint available that is any better or stronger than what you can get from Spicer.
Another main weak point is possibly taco'ing the axle while hitting a rut or something going fast. I can see a truss not having much benefit when rock crawling at slow speed but that's not what everyone does.
 
Everybody go truss your axles because you might hit a rut or something.
If you aren't worried about it that's great for you. Don't truss your axle.

There's no reason to tell people that "A truss has been proven to be a waste of $$$ on a Dana 30" when theres no way that it can be proven. If someone is worried about breaking their axle because they know that they're going to use their jeep hard, then a truss is certainly a good upgrade to the Dana 30. It will protect the axle and is a lot cheaper than going to a heavier duty axle and starting from scratch.
 
That’s what I’d have done if I hadn’t bought a HP 44.

Just have to decide if you want to throw money at a 30 when it costs the same to throw it at a 44. Meaning I think the RCV’s, ARB and gears cost say $2500. Do you want to put $2500 into a $300 axle or a $2000 axle.

To me it was like buying a $200 safe to store a $2500 rifle vs buying a $2000 safe to store my $2500 rifle.

Either way it’s better than nothing just depends on how hard you want to push your budget.

Is Dana 44's housing stronger in any way than Dana 30's housing?

I thought they were the same. Strength wise.
 
Is Dana 44's housing stronger in any way than Dana 30's housing?

I thought they were the same. Strength wise.
The problem is the outer C's are the same. I have a Currie which has larger axle tubes and also benefits from the high pinion and I think it has larger gears. Mines not the same as a rubi 44.
 
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The problem is the outer C's are the same. I have a Currie which has larger axle tubes and also benefits from the high pinion and I think it has larger gears. Mines not the same as a rubi 44.
Does the Currie housing use the same Spicer 706944x ball joint as the Dana 44 and 30?

 
The problem is the outer C's are the same. I have a Currie which has larger axle tubes and also benefits from the high pinion and I think it has larger gears. Mines not the same as a rubi 44.
cool! I didn't know you had Currie 44. That's a whole different conversation! haha. Way above my budget