Building A HP D30, What Parts & Brands?

Will be picking up a Hp D30 to build up for my future swap this winter when i go to install a lift. I plan to run 6-8" of lift and 35" boggers. Needs to be strong enough to operate in any terrain and I'm smart enough not to use a stupid amount of throttle when twisted up.

I know in general what parts need to be installed gears,alloy shafts, better u-joints, locker, etc.. Ive been researching but there are so many companies its hard to know who to go with. I'm looking for good parts but also at a good price. Good warranties and preferably American made.

I'm looking for users first hand experience on their parts and what they recommend. Will be using factory parts as trail spares so plan to stay at factory spline count.

I would say go wtih a ARB locker. You can run open if you want and know you can lock it in and get out a some trouble. I love mine, and love knowing I can be open till I need it.

And i would say just go with the factory shafts. Im running a D30 with 35's 4.56 gears and a ARB and wheel it hard and havent broke anything. Im light on the throttle and have yet to have problems

why blow the money on a D30 snag a D44 cut it down use stock shafts and an arb. alot less worries IMO using the bigger 44 and 35s especially locked and in a bind.

D44 cut down $150 in labor
ARB locker $850
gears $160-300
install kit $90-170
new ujoints $60


vs a D30

30 spline kit $1000 (new ujoints included)
ARB locker $850
gears $150-300
install kit $80-150

i know which i would pick....

Depending upon the terrain be prepared to gusset the inner C's and axle tubes on the D30.

jeepfreak1020 said:

I would say go wtih a ARB locker. You can run open if you want and know you can lock it in and get out a some trouble. I love mine, and love knowing I can be open till I need it.

And i would say just go with the factory shafts. Im running a D30 with 35's 4.56 gears and a ARB and wheel it hard and havent broke anything. Im light on the throttle and have yet to have problems

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Hmmmm ive read so many say the facotry shaft ears/ u-joints are the weak link in most situations. I ve seen the almost alloy kit by IRO to weld over the u-joint caps. I want to build it to hopefully spend more time wheeling than trail repairs. What kind of 35s are you running by the way?

cdawall said:

why blow the money on a D30 snag a D44 cut it down use stock shafts and an arb. alot less worries IMO using the bigger 44 and 35s especially locked and in a bind.

D44 cut down $150 in labor
ARB locker $850
gears $160-300
install kit $90-170
new ujoints $60


vs a D30

30 spline kit $1000 (new ujoints included)
ARB locker $850
gears $150-300
install kit $80-150

i know which i would pick....

Click to expand...

Cant find any shops to do axle work, even ring and pinion installs except for local dealer. You forgot the cost of brackets to install on the 44 plus having a welder install the brackets. From my research the 44s have same weakness as the 30 except just a bigger ring gear. BY the way just ho wmuch better is a 30 spline compared to a 27? Considering shaft size is the same or is it larger?

MuscleHead said:

Hmmmm ive read so many say the facotry shaft ears/ u-joints are the weak link in most situations. I ve seen the almost alloy kit by IRO to weld over the u-joint caps. I want to build it to hopefully spend more time wheeling than trail repairs. What kind of 35s are you running by the way?

Click to expand...

I personally wouldnt do more than a tack on each u joint cap. Fully welding them makes them brittle.

clean4drxj said:

Depending upon the terrain be prepared to gusset the inner C's and axle tubes on the D30.

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Got any links to some precut ready to weld in gusset kits? Only one ive seen is one from rusty's

http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merc...ROR&Product_Code=IR-SD30IASK&Category_Code=UP
http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merc...=IROR&Product_Code=IR-SD30CG&Category_Code=UP

clean4drxj said:

http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merc...ROR&Product_Code=IR-SD30IASK&Category_Code=UP
http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merc...=IROR&Product_Code=IR-SD30CG&Category_Code=UP

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The sleeve kit im guessing just slides in the tube and welded or what? The inner c kit looks stout but wouldnt it need something connecting the c to the axle tube?

cdawall said:

why blow the money on a D30 snag a D44 cut it down use stock shafts and an arb. alot less worries IMO using the bigger 44 and 35s especially locked and in a bind.

D44 cut down $150 in labor
ARB locker $850
gears $160-300
install kit $90-170
new ujoints $60


vs a D30

30 spline kit $1000 (new ujoints included)
ARB locker $850
gears $150-300
install kit $80-150

i know which i would pick....

Click to expand...

Hey home slice, don't forget bracketry, wheels all around because the rig was 5x4.5 and the 44 front is 5x5.5, six lug, or eight lug, oh yeah and a way to match that in the rear. Oh, new rear axle? More gears and lockers. That is assuming this isn't a total scratch build. And steering. And you'd still have old junkyard axleshafts and hubs and the same u-joints as my 30. I would run a polished 30 over a junk 44.

I would run Ten Factory 27 spline alloy shafts, Spicer 760 joints with full circle clips, and an automatic locker.

Then again, 35" Boggers are a big, heavy tire. If you must run those, I would say polished 44. Ten Factorys, drive flanges, CTM joints, automatic locker of your choice.

MuscleHead said:

Cant find any shops to do axle work, even ring and pinion installs except for local dealer. You forgot the cost of brackets to install on the 44 plus having a welder install the brackets. From my research the 44s have same weakness as the 30 except just a bigger ring gear. BY the way just ho wmuch better is a 30 spline compared to a 27? Considering shaft size is the same or is it larger?

Click to expand...

i have seen some local guys smoke the 27 spline chromo's however cool thing on them is you can throw in a junkyard 27 spline to get home. most people don't carry chromo 30 spline spares. they are not bigger by much if any from what i understood.

D44 offers a couple of other things thicker tubes especially on the F250 ones (3.00"x.5") they do carry the same 5-297x ujoints and 77 up offer a HP axle. the ring gear is 8.5" vs 7.2" the shafts are 1.31" vs 1.16" overall everything is stronger and the axle itself will not flex as much.

Phil said:

Hey home slice, don't forget bracketry, wheels all around because the rig was 5x4.5 and the 44 front is 5x5.5, six lug, or eight lug, oh yeah and a way to match that in the rear. Oh, new rear axle? More gears and lockers. That is assuming this isn't a total scratch build. And steering. And you'd still have old junkyard axleshafts and hubs and the same u-joints as my 30. I would run a polished 30 over a junk 44.

I would run Ten Factory 27 spline alloy shafts, Spicer 760 joints with full circle clips, and an automatic locker.

Then again, 35" Boggers are a big, heavy tire. If you must run those, I would say polished 44. Ten Factorys, drive flanges, CTM joints, automatic locker of your choice.

Click to expand...

i noticed i missed the brackets after i posted my mistake. local is quoting me $150 to build brackets for my D60 so i go off of that. I am also not saying get a junk 44 build it up some throw a spare set of EB shafts in the rig and 35s shouldn't break anything. It just doesn't seem worthwhile to me to build a D30 i have a partially built one myself CTM's, full circle clips etc. i still upgraded to 1 tons on my truck.

4.56's, ARB, RCV's, truss, timken unit bearings, ruff stuff cover

I've broken the R&P once, but only because a friend didn't do a good job setting up the gears.

I'm smart about wheeling, but not nervous to use the skinny pedal when needed. I've been told on numerous occasions that I must have a lot of trust in the RCV's because I'm hard on the gas while sawing the wheel back and forth lock to lock.

Evidence:

http://www.vimeo.com/27178403

Phil said:

Hey home slice, don't forget bracketry, wheels all around because the rig was 5x4.5 and the 44 front is 5x5.5, six lug, or eight lug, oh yeah and a way to match that in the rear. Oh, new rear axle? More gears and lockers. That is assuming this isn't a total scratch build. And steering. And you'd still have old junkyard axleshafts and hubs and the same u-joints as my 30. I would run a polished 30 over a junk 44.

I would run Ten Factory 27 spline alloy shafts, Spicer 760 joints with full circle clips, and an automatic locker.

Then again, 35" Boggers are a big, heavy tire. If you must run those, I would say polished 44. Ten Factorys, drive flanges, CTM joints, automatic locker of your choice.

Click to expand...

Well i already have the tires on Monster mod wheels 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. The jeep is dead stock now with a 30lp. Plan to use all the know good from my 30lp as spares for the hp. I will be doing a lot of muddy and rutted trails and figured a built 30hp would give me the upmost ground clearance. From my research i had thought about running alloy usa or superior shafts and a detroit. Seen people say full case lockers help make the axle stronger as oposed to a lunchbox locker.

And im not sure why everyone says boggers are so heavy. My 35" boggers on steel 15X10s is lighter than my buddys 35" cooper radials on aluminum wheels.

cdawall said:

i have seen some local guys smoke the 27 spline chromo's however cool thing on them is you can throw in a junkyard 27 spline to get home. most people don't carry chromo 30 spline spares. they are not bigger by much if any from what i understood.

D44 offers a couple of other things thicker tubes especially on the F250 ones (3.00"x.5") they do carry the same 5-297x ujoints and 77 up offer a HP axle. the ring gear is 8.5" vs 7.2" the shafts are 1.31" vs 1.16" overall everything is stronger and the axle itself will not flex as much.



i noticed i missed the brackets after i posted my mistake. local is quoting me $150 to build brackets for my D60 so i go off of that. I am also not saying get a junk 44 build it up some throw a spare set of EB shafts in the rig and 35s shouldn't break anything. It just doesn't seem worthwhile to me to build a D30 i have a partially built one myself CTM's, full circle clips etc. i still upgraded to 1 tons on my truck.

Click to expand...

Would a rubi 44 even be worth looking into? I cant remember if they have the bigger axle tubes or not. Remeber them using the same ball joint and such.

Full case locker, Nitro shafts, Yukon R&P, inner tube braces, outer truss, inner C gussets, boxed LCA mounts, aftermarket diff cover, OTA trac bar bracket, WJ knuckles, 1.5" .250 wall 3/4" heim steering and trac bar..

MuscleHead said:

Hmmmm ive read so many say the facotry shaft ears/ u-joints are the weak link in most situations. I ve seen the almost alloy kit by IRO to weld over the u-joint caps. I want to build it to hopefully spend more time wheeling than trail repairs. What kind of 35s are you running by the way?

Click to expand...

Well I havent broken anything yet. Im running shafts out a 01Xj. I wouldent weld the cap. Maybe a tack, but then the problem is if you break one on the trail, sometimes it can be hard to get that u-joint out because of the tack. I run spicer 760's and wheel it hard. I have 35 KM2's

twodoorXJ said:

I personally wouldnt do more than a tack on each u joint cap. Fully welding them makes them brittle.

Click to expand...

spot on

Phil said:

Hey home slice, don't forget bracketry, wheels all around because the rig was 5x4.5 and the 44 front is 5x5.5, six lug, or eight lug, oh yeah and a way to match that in the rear. Oh, new rear axle? More gears and lockers. That is assuming this isn't a total scratch build. And steering. And you'd still have old junkyard axleshafts and hubs and the same u-joints as my 30. I would run a polished 30 over a junk 44.

I would run Ten Factory 27 spline alloy shafts, Spicer 760 joints with full circle clips, and an automatic locker.

Then again, 35" Boggers are a big, heavy tire. If you must run those, I would say polished 44. Ten Factorys, drive flanges, CTM joints, automatic locker of your choice.

Click to expand...

Exactly! so now your looking close to 3k maybe 4k. for that price and time you could just build a 60 and be done with it. I have talked to a few guys who said dont waste time on a 44. Eather build the 30 or go straight to a 60.

I would much rather run stock shafts with spicer 760's, snap a shaft on the trail, throw another one it quick and keep on with your day. If you run alloy's of whatever, and snap one, well then what? Cool if you have the warranty but if not then what? your out $600 for those shafts. You know how many u-joints and junkyard shafts I can buy for $600??

I carry a full set of shafts for the front loaded with new u-joints incase I do blow one, do a quick 30min swap and your good to go.

MuscleHead said:

Would a rubi 44 even be worth looking into? I cant remember if they have the bigger axle tubes or not. Remeber them using the same ball joint and such.

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Not really. Ive heard its kinda a waste.

If you want almost look for a JK30. There stronger then Xj30's. Thats what the boys from T&T customs run, and hes on 37's with RCVs, and wheels the piss out of that rig.

my soon to be built 30:

Warn Hubs, Warn inner/outer chromos, CTM's, Aussie, 4.56, vanco 16" brakes, Truss, UCF DIY cover... spare chromo inner and outers assembled with 760's, 2 spare hubs fully assembled

I will probably go with inner C gussets, but am waiting till I get everything installed because I don't know what the clearances are like with the vanco brakes.

the hubs, shafts, and brakes are sitting in a buddy's axle, waiting for my next paycheck, the aussie is sitting in my garage waiting for install. truss needs to be built.

A huge amount of money and you are still planning on relying on the stock carrier?
When I built my highly polished 30 my first and formost concern was getting a full carrier locker. You won't be needing spare shafts you will be needed
a spare R&P. Sell off your spare chromolly axles and buy a real locker.

rockclimber said:

my soon to be built 30:

Warn Hubs, Warn inner/outer chromos, CTM's, Aussie, 4.56, vanco 16" brakes, Truss, UCF DIY cover... spare chromo inner and outers assembled with 760's, 2 spare hubs fully assembled

Click to expand...

Why all those crazy expensive parts, then skimp on the locker? If you don't want selectable, get a Detroit, but don't go with a lunchbox locker. I'd say ARB or E-locker for sure, especially for the front.