Dana 30 Selection any years better?

[skidoo_j]

I'm looking to regear a dana 30. I'm wanting to do it on a spare out of truck axle. So...

 

What year would be the best. I know post 95 they used 297 u joints, but are any years better than others. I already have spare shafts for my current 30 when i converted it to a single piece passenger side(cad eliminated), so I don't know that I want the larger 297 unless i can get a second set at same time, plus that's a fast and quick upgrade. I was thinking the 91 was probably a better axle to start with, but then I"ve not seen a pre 93 non - vacuum.

 

What I plan to do: Eaton Elocker, 4.10/4.11 gears, tube sleeves, maybe gussets on outers. I only run 31" tires.

 

My local j/y has a 91 cherokee with a all-wheel drive version, a 93 , a 95, and a 96.

[Eagle]

Don't forget the hubs/brakes compatibility issue.

[Blue XJ]

If he gets the whole axle, there wouldn't be any compatibility issues.  I would get one with the larger ujoints, unless you never plan to go offroad with it.   Even with the larger ujoints, you can use the spare shafts that you have, they would fit fine, just have a smaller set of ujoints.   I think mine is from a 95, but as long as you stay with a high pinion one, you should be good.

[Incommando]

Late 95-1999 XJ for the 297 joints & high pinion. 2000-2001 were low pinion and measurably weaker. As these thing are all getting pretty old I would measure the u-joint caps before buying an axle. Someone could have done some swapping.

[mvusse]

After ripping the passenger upper control arm off a D30 I prefer the disconnect housings. They are usually regarded as a weaker axle due to the multipart construction of the passenger side tube, but I have never had any issues with that in my first three D30s. One of them still lives on under my daughter's Cherokee.

 

Axle shafts are a minor point. After a passenger side single shaft conversion, any non disconnect axle shaft will fit and interchange, regardless of u joint size (5-260x versus 5-297x/5-760x) or even CV shafts from a V8 Grand Cherokee.

 

Stay away from TJ (97-06 Wrangler), ZJ (93-98 Grand Cherokee) and 00-01 XJ (Cherokee) housings as they are all low pinion. Obviously you don't want a YJ (87-95 Wrangler) either as they were leaf sprung. Large u joints could be found from the factory in 94 and up I believe Cherokees, any Cherokee with ABS regardless of year, any year TJ, and any year ZJ unless it has CV shafts. But with axle shafts breaking and being replaced, nothing in the junk yard is sure unless you take a tape measure with you. Small ones measure 1 and 1/16" across the cap, large ones are 1 and 3/16".

 

I like the newer brakes calipers, the ones that don't use a separate bracket that uses the inverse torx bolts, but bolt directly to the knuckle. These caliper go with a like year knuckles as the newer calipers will not work on an older knuckle. They also use regular bolts for the caliper slides as opposed to that stupid pin that uses a difficult to find 7mm allen key. Another problem I kept having with the old ones was the factory installed heli coils coming out. The different year knuckles swap onto any year D30 housing whether old style or new style.

 

Other difference in brakes is the rotors. The older ones used a thicker mounting surface. The newer ones with a thinner mounting surface mount deeper because of that; the newer unit bearings make up the difference. Old unit bearing with new rotor will cause the rotor to rub on the steering knuckle. Older rotors work with any year unit bearing, newer unit bearing will work with any year rotor. No, I do not know off the top of my head what year was the changeover.

 

I do not know much about the WJ (99 and newer Grand Cherokee up until it became IFS (WK?)), except they came from the factory with 16" and larger rims to fit larger rotors and I think they use over the knuckle steering instead of under. They also use different unit bearings and have a different bolt pattern for the wheels.

[Eagle]

If he gets the whole axle, there wouldn't be any compatibility issues.

 

Unless he gets an axle that doesn't include calipers, and then tries to use his existing calipers.

[skidoo_j]

So the consensus is it doesn't really matter as long as I have matching calipers/ uni hubs/ rotors/ knuckles...

 

 

Does anyone know if the 91 axle that is non-cad will it be a solid passenger side upper mount or like the 93+ ?

 

Are the new style calipers better than the old brake wise?

 

 

What year did the unit hub change? I though that it wasn't until 97+?

[xjrev10]

Late 95-1999 XJ for the 297 joints & high pinion. 2000-2001 were low pinion and measurably weaker. As these thing are all getting pretty old I would measure the u-joint caps before buying an axle. Someone could have done some swapping.

But remember every TJ/LJ had a LP stock. The difference in strength is marginal.

[Rockfrog]

There were only two styles of caliper used from 84-01 ... AMC and Chrysler.

There were only two base styles of knuckle AMC and Chrysler (although the ABS knuckles differed slightly they only added a mounting hole for the sensor).

There were three styles of rotor that matched the three styles of hub bearings ...

It's not the confusing mess everyone seems to make it out to be.

There were only two basic shaft types, CAD and Non CAD.

The shafts came in earlier 260 series joints, 297 series joints and CV style.

Any limited with ABS will get you ... Non CAD housing, and 297 series shafts.

I had a post saved that laid out all this info broken down by years.

Just wanted to point out, how less than complicated it really is. I'll post it up when I find it again.