Dana 30 axle gear swap

[jcComanche86lb]

The po swapped out the original axles on my 86 2.5 manche to some out of a cherokee. I was lucky enough to get the original axles back for free. The original axles have 4.10 gears, my question is will the ring, pinion and carrier swap over to my current dana 30 (original has bent shaft). I haven't found a definite answer on the net any help will be appreciated.

[mnkyboy]

It should all interchange,do you know how to set up gears?

[jcComanche86lb]

No I'm gonna have a friend do that part for me. From what I did fine it looks like most dana 30 axles interchange but would there be a chance that the axle shafts may have different spline counts? I don't know a whole lot about axles.

[Pete M]

all that stuff should be the same. be prepared that used gears can be a real pain to set up right and in the end may never run quiet. gears don't like changes to their operating conditions.

 

what was it that was wrong with the 4.10 axle? I didn't quite understand that part.

[jcComanche86lb]

The kid that owned it two owners before me jumped the jeep and bent the front axle that's why the previous owner changed them out. By the time I got it it had the xj axles and crappy gears. The previous owner still had the original axles laying around and let me take em. Now I'm five to ten miles an hour faster than what my speedo says.

So even if Swap both ring and pinion they may never work right?

[Automan2164]

What rear axle was in it, and what rear axle is in it now? If the gears are different than stock now, how do you plan on changing the front and not the rear?

 

What gears are in it now?

Rob L.

[mnkyboy]

What gears are in it now?

[jcComanche86lb]

The rear axle in it now is a dana 35 and i'm guessing 3.54 gears, I can double check tomorrow. The one going back in(the original) is also a dana 35 with 4.10 gears.

[Automan2164]

Ok. That helps a bit. Should be good to go as long as you have some one who is a savant at setting gears up... Because if they aren't, bad things will result.

 

Rob L.

[jcComanche86lb]

Cool, that gives me a good starting point.

[mnkyboy]

Weird the PO would swap out 4.10s for 3.55s,have you verified that the old axles are 4.10s?

[jcComanche86lb]

Yeah the front still has the tag and I counted the turns on the rear. They wanted to put matching axles. The axles came out of a 4.0 xj.

 

So if I'm changing the gears and carrier should I get rid of the half shaft. Where would be a good place to find one?

[Eagle]

So if I'm changing the gears and carrier should I get rid of the half shaft. Where would be a good place to find one?

Why get rid of it?

 

The answer depends on what size tires you plan to run, what kind of driving you'll be doing, and how hard you beat on it. Considering that the disconnect axles mostly stand up to hard off-roading with 31", 32" and even 33" tires and the 4.0L engine, it's unlikely that you're going to break one with a 2.5L 4-popper unless you have a very heavy foot and drive it like you stole it. Just move the sleeve over and lock the disconnect shift motor in the connected position, and forget it's even there.

[mnkyboy]

The problem isn't so much the shafts,its the 260 u joints. You have to change the shafts too get the better joints,you can either get one piece axles that use 297 joints or track down some 95 YJ CAD axles with 297 joints.

 

97+ XJs should have the 297s and any XJ with ABS should have them.

[jcComanche86lb]

Alright I don't know a whole he'll of alot about axles but I have another question. Would it be possible to cut the weld on passenger side of the pumpkin and swap axle tubes? I could make a jig to keep everything aligned.

[mnkyboy]

You could do it and there are shops that specialize in stuff like that but I can't see how it would be worth it on a D30. I would buy another 4.10 d30 before considering repairing yours.

[Pete M]

car-part.com might be of help finding a front 4.10 dana 30. be sure to look for various years since the site organizes things by part number, not interchange possibility.

 

or you can snatch up a busted 2.5L XJ and part it out.

[Automan2164]

or you can snatch up a busted 2.5L XJ and part it out.

 

Tis what I did. Picked up a whole '96 cherokee 2.5 for $400.

 

Ran great. Took what I wanted, and horse traded it to another member for some MJ stuff I wanted.

 

Rob L.

[freegdr]

Yeah the front still has the tag and I counted the turns on the rear. They wanted to put matching axles. The axles came out of a 4.0 xj.

 

So if I'm changing the gears and carrier should I get rid of the half shaft. Where would be a good place to find one?

4.0 xjs did not come with 410 gears

[freegdr]

Yeah the front still has the tag and I counted the turns on the rear. They wanted to put matching axles. The axles came out of a 4.0 xj.

 

So if I'm changing the gears and carrier should I get rid of the half shaft. Where would be a good place to find one?

pull the ring and pinion carrier bearings and all shims from thre donor housing and install in you mj all should fit

[Automan2164]

Yeah the front still has the tag and I counted the turns on the rear. They wanted to put matching axles. The axles came out of a 4.0 xj.

 

So if I'm changing the gears and carrier should I get rid of the half shaft. Where would be a good place to find one?

pull the ring and pinion carrier bearings and all shims from thre donor housing and install in you mj all should fit

 

And what says that the gears will be properly set up?

 

Rob

[Exxon Valdez Jeep]

eveything will swap from one dana 30 to the other. just use all the brakes from one axle (doesnt matter which one, just use all the same brakes and unit bearings from one axle). Used gears, try it. I did. Its not like you are losing abunch of $$$ doing it. You'll know relatively quick whether it will work or fail, just keep an eye out for shavings in the fluid and bad bad noises. I would dump the CAD, one less thing to fail. Search around one here, somebody posred up a part # for the seal you will need.