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Dana 30 Strength?

19K views 62 replies 23 participants last post by  stripperguy 
#1 ·
I am locking my Dana 44 this winter (Aussie Locker) and was thinking about doing the front Dana 30 as well but am not sure if it has the strength to handle a 360, 36x14.50 tires and a heavy foot. Does anyone have this setup? Do the axle shafts and ring and pinion hold up? Or will I be braking things left and right. Maybe with Chromemoly upgrade?
 
#3 ·
We wheel on the nastiest stuff we can find some weekends and sometimes it just some rocks and lots of mud all depending on who's with us and how stock their rigs are. I might just try the rear locker for now, I've heard that alone makes a world of difference. Yeah I'm keeping my eye out for a narrow track dana 44 front.
 
#11 ·
We wheel on the nastiest stuff we can find some weekends and sometimes it just some rocks and lots of mud all depending on who's with us and how stock their rigs are. I might just try the rear locker for now, I've heard that alone makes a world of difference. Yeah I'm keeping my eye out for a narrow track dana 44 front.
The Dana 30 ring is a toy. No matter what you do to a Dana 30 you still have that tiny ring in it. I have seen a lot of broken teeth on Dana 30 rings. I don't consider a Dana 30 up to 36" tires.
In the conditions you describe, foggybottombob is right. It won't last long. Something is going to break.

There weren't any CJ front Dana 44s in the US... some say that the foreign market had some. So you'll have to modify a 44 from some other vehicle like a FSJ, Chevy truck, or Scout.
 
#4 ·
I have friends with lunchboxes in their 30's with 35" tires. No problems yet. Except for the outer axle. Buddy broke one turning into camp the night before we even got to trail ride lol.
 
#5 ·
I prefer using a limited slip in the front, especially on a Dana 30. That way you never put 100% of the power through one axle shaft. Chromoly shafts are a good idea too.

But the first thing to go on the Dana 30 is probably your hub lockout.
 
#8 ·
Ah I understand now, and they are the 6 bolt as well. I have a set of spares as well so hopefully they would blow instead of the shaft. Hopefully if I do lock it the chromemoly will be strong enough... Anyone just have a rear locker? Hows it do in the trails? Huge difference?
 
#12 ·
I've heard the high pinion 30s with the super 30 kit is pretty strong but that could be just opinion.
 
#17 ·
It's true that a high pinion 30 would be stronger. What needs to be considered is that the high pinion 30's are all driver side differential drop and a CJ would be
passenger's side. It would be possible to custom make one to fit a CJ but the work and expense involved would be the same as setting up a 44.
 
#14 ·
If you wheel like you say you do, I wouldn't waste the time/effort/money on upgrading the 30. For what you spend on that, you can get a 44 in there, and a stock 44 will be far stronger than you could ever make the 30.
 
#16 ·
I run a stock dana 30 with and Aussie locker and 6 bolt warns. Mine is a dedicated wheeler. I just broke the balljoints a couple weeks ago. I was in a bind and probably would've toasted a 44 also. I run the stock axle shafts because I would prefer to break a shaft and be able to replace them on the trail instead of breaking the ring and pinion. I carry an extra set of shafts for the "just in case" situations. 2 hard years and I just broke my first shaft. If u are smart and a little light on the peddle you may be able tomake it live. I prefer crawling over bajaing though.
 
#18 ·
I've got a detroit true trak in the front with 33's and have broke a stock axle, I have cromo axles now but still carry spares, so far so good.
My buddy has a lunch box and 35's and broke his ring gear.
we both have V8's but light right feet.
From what you said about having a 360 and a heavy foot I'd look for a D44 and not put any money in the 30.
 
#19 ·
With the 360 and heavy foot, start looking for a upgrade to a front 44, see if you can find a early waggy 44. It will be the swap into my 79' this year.

I run the old 258 and while not heaving a super heavy right foot, I've broken axle u joints, and hubs, as well as some spider gears.
 
#24 ·
Next question, if I was to find a full size 44 and cut it down to the same width as my narrow track 30 will I be able to find shaft anywhere or am I going to have to get custom built shafts? Also has anyone done this? How expensive are the custom shafts?
 
#26 ·
With a 36x14.5 the balljoints are going to be your weak spot on that 30. even if you do the moly shafts. Even if they don't break you will be wearing them out constantly.

once upon a time I locked my 30. It chewed up the gear and spit it out (literally) My 80 cj7 now has a trutrac gear driven limited slip but it's on 33's. Not sure if they even work on 36's
 
#27 ·
Yeah, I'm just going to leave it open for now up front and find a 44 and cut it down myself. Just did some research and I can use my Dana 30 outer spindle on the 44 with Scout 2 44 end shafts. Hopefully a local machine shop can shorten the shafts? That's what my main question and worry is.
 
#28 ·
Alright, just scored a 44 out of a 75 waggy for $65! Gotta pick it up tomorrow. Hes not sure of the gearing tho. I can buy 3.73 R&P but did they ever come stock with that ratio? Also can a regular machine shop cut down axle shafts if they can do drive shafts?
 
#29 ·
To cut an axle shaft you have to re-spline it. I don't know if the dana 44 shaft has enough diameter in the shaft outboard from the inner spline to be able to respline one. If it were me, I would leave the axle width alone. The difference in width between a CJ axle and the Waggy axle is only 4 inches or so anyway.
 
#31 ·
Custom shafts would be required. The stock axleshafts neck down beyond the existing splines, so the minor diameter is too small.

Stick with the Waggie outers and convert it to five lug using Ford wheelbearing hubs and rotors. Your '75 axle has the correct spindles for this conversion (and there's a metric crap load of info on this conversion on the web). The Waggie internal lockout hub is stronger as is the outer axleshaft when comparing them to the Scout parts.
 
#32 ·
Unless you are keen to keep the NT look you would honestly be better off sourcing a matching width D44 rear or an 8.8 or somerthing and going that route... Waggy, Scout D44's would be good candidates as would the Wagoneer AMC20 rear. MUCH stronger than the CJ AMC20's
 
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