D30 durability

[Bacon]

i have a HPD30 out of a 98 cherokee (big u-joints) under the front of the manche. i'm toying with the idea of putting a locker in it. i currently run 35" Trxxus m/t's which have about 60-65% tread left. i don't know what my next set of tires will be. probably whatever is for sale cheap when i need them. who here has experience with the D30/35"tire/locker combo? what's the durability gonna be like? oh yeah, 4.0/ax-15/np231 running gear with the D30 up front and 8.8 rear. 4.56 gears.

[87manche]

it's a tossup, you're really at the limit of a D30 locked with 35s.

 

if you got alloys you'll move the weak point to the ring and pinion.

 

 

the result of 35's with alloys, trussed and locked.

 

I've seen one other D30 do about the same thing, only it was just half the ring gear.

[pingpong]

I ran Pong on 35 Bfg M/T's for a while.... I had the yukon alloy shafts and a lockright. I broke a lockright when I was on 33's... shattered the inner race on Guard Rail in Tellico :oops: Then when I was at PAP 2 yrs later broke of a inner short shaft in the splines :cry: on day one on the first trail of the day :oops:

 

Both time the vendors and the companies stood behind their products, and replaced them. Of course this doesn't help you when you are broke on the trail.. and having to put your crap back together.

 

Alloy USA axles are suppose to be stronger then the Yukon Alloys... any of the lunch box lockers are good, but I haven't heard of any of the local wheelers breaking an Aussie locker. I know I broke a lock right.. and I know a person who has had trouble with an EZ locker

 

 

My suggestions when it comes to the D30, is not to waste your money.. A D44 can be found and be built for around the same money.

 

That being said... if you insist on keeping it...

 

RE-weld all your mounts.. add LCA skids, and reinforce your upper mount on the passenger side.. plate the open end, and add gussets to the sides. It can't hurt if you gusset the upper side of the tubes either

[Renegade]

What type of terrain you wheel on? You can get by with less if your not on big rock. Common around my area to run hi-pinion D30's with 36's. Most guys swap them into TJ's.

BUT, we have mostly woods trails & mud. I personnally wheeled the stock lo-pinion D30 in my TJ with 4.88's, a lock-right, stock shafts, & 36" SX's for over a year without problem. I sold it to a guy with a similar setup & it's still going.

If you can afford it, get a 44, but if on a budget, stick a little money in the 30 & just remember what you have before you smash the throttle ;)

[DirtyComanche]

I broke mine on 35s with a LS.

[Oizarod115]

again, bout at its limit...

 

the XJ has been running 35s on a ARB locker/alloy USA shafts, and no gusseting for over a year no troubles. but its an auto tranny which tends to be easier on shock and stuff like that, and we're usually not the right pedal kind-a wheelers with a 4.0 and 4.88s you don't have to be