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Best way to bombproof on 30" tires?

Y

yossarian19

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Grass Valley, CA
I'm currently running 235s but my next set of tires may be 30".
I want better brakes and would like to rest assured that my junk will never, ever break. So I'm thinking either after market shafts + WJ swap on my Dana 30 + shafts in my 29 spline 8.25 OR go with Wagoneer 44's.
I figure if they're 44s running a 30" tire, I don't need to spend any money building them - just gotta get them under the XJ.
Ten factory shafts = about $600 w/ shipping, add another $300 to finish my WJ swap parts collection, about $350 for 8.25 shafts shipped. I could invest 1250 pretty quick in the current axles.
Am I crazy to think I can put bone stock 44's under the XJ for a similar price, and have a stronger / better setup when I'm done?
 
I don't know why you think that you need to build up for just 30" tires, the 8.25 will be plenty for that tire. Probably wouldn't even need aftermarket shafts.
 
I'm thinking peace of mind without carrying spares. That's the goal. I am just about certain I could run 30s on exactly the junk I have now & never have a problem but I've been thinking about the Rubicon Trail all day. I'd hate to give up space in the XJ to a ton of spare parts but I'd also hate to need them and not have them.
Good info on the U-joints being the same, though.
 
C8.25 has the same length shafts, so in theory could carry one spare shaft and be fine. I DD and beat my heep out on the dunes and when I wheel elsewhere. 29-spline 8.25 is solid. I have 31's MTR-k's.
I really want to upgrade my D30 shafts/brakes, but does just fine for meow.
 
The only breakage I had on my Dana 30 with 35s was a lunchbox locker in a stock carrier. Actually, same thing twice.

My opinion:

Full case locker of your choice - Detroit or air leaker.

Good gears.

Alloy shafts, Spicer universal joints, full circle clips, unit bearings.

Currie steering on Vanco knuckles and brakes.

U-bolt pinion yoke.

Gusset or plate axle brackets, as applicable.

Dana 44 or 29 spline 8.25 rear. I would prefer Dana 44.

Full case locker.

Alloy shafts.

U-bolt pinion yoke.



By staying with the Dana 30 and unit bearings, I don't think you would need to, but you could beg spares off of anyone else with a Dana 30 - and on most runs, that would be far more likely than finding someone with the same Dana 44 shafts and spares. Same rationale for preferring a 44 rear over the Chrysler. More people have your spare.

I'm not convinced of the necessity of a 3/8" plate diff cover but good covers cannot hurt, and you need to protect the cover anyway.

Stay with the Currie steering, and you can swap in stock, begged from someone else spare steering. Stock steering knuckles have higher low steer than WJ, and I think 0-2" lift is too low for high steer.

I would not carry spare shafts for the above setup with 30s to 32s. Probably not on 33s to 35s unless I was going to be stupid, or nobody else had matching axles.

A ballet might do the Reid Dana 30 high steer knuckles, and get true high steer and half ton brakes, but then you get 19 spline stubs and manual hubs which I think are a strength downgrade. And you lose the 5x4.5 lug pattern so you potentially lose spare tire interchange, and you have to swap the rear lug pattern.
 
There are situations where anything will break, and sometimes it's unavoidable. In 99% of situations, unlocked stock axles (not a d35) 30s won't be busting parts.

Spicer ujoints, good diff covers, properly maintained stock parts, and a good head on your shoulders is all you need. I never broke spicer 260s on 33s open in my old 30, never broke a 27 spline 8.25 locked on 33s. Didn't baby it, but knew when to and how much go pedal I could use. Bigger brakes? Just do a WJ swap... Cheaper than vanco and gets you crossover steering. Use good DOM tube for that and you won't need to worry.
 
Phil said:
The only breakage I had on my Dana 30 with 35s was a lunchbox locker in a stock carrier. Actually, same thing twice.

My opinion:

Full case locker of your choice - Detroit or air leaker.

Good gears.

Alloy shafts, Spicer universal joints, full circle clips, unit bearings.

Currie steering on Vanco knuckles and brakes.

U-bolt pinion yoke.

Gusset or plate axle brackets, as applicable.

Dana 44 or 29 spline 8.25 rear. I would prefer Dana 44.

Full case locker.

Alloy shafts.

U-bolt pinion yoke.



By staying with the Dana 30 and unit bearings, I don't think you would need to, but you could beg spares off of anyone else with a Dana 30 - and on most runs, that would be far more likely than finding someone with the same Dana 44 shafts and spares. Same rationale for preferring a 44 rear over the Chrysler. More people have your spare.

I'm not convinced of the necessity of a 3/8" plate diff cover but good covers cannot hurt, and you need to protect the cover anyway.

Stay with the Currie steering, and you can swap in stock, begged from someone else spare steering. Stock steering knuckles have higher low steer than WJ, and I think 0-2" lift is too low for high steer.

I would not carry spare shafts for the above setup with 30s to 32s. Probably not on 33s to 35s unless I was going to be stupid, or nobody else had matching axles.

A ballet might do the Reid Dana 30 high steer knuckles, and get true high steer and half ton brakes, but then you get 19 spline stubs and manual hubs which I think are a strength downgrade. And you lose the 5x4.5 lug pattern so you potentially lose spare tire interchange, and you have to swap the rear lug pattern.
Click to expand...

I don't think I've ever agreed more with someone.
 
Not to argue, but is that setup cheaper / better than just going 44s with a locker & a CTM joint?
 
Why the hell would you want put 44s/lockers/chromos/CTMs in a rig with 30" tires when the 30 with some ABS shafts will probabaly never ever break and the 8.25 will be fine as well on 30s? even with lockers?

Here is what you do:
lock the front and find a 8.8 with LSD since itll be cheaper than locking the rear and stronger, just weld the tubes and get a HD cover .
swap in ABS shafts up front with new spicer 760 U joints and use some full circle clips.
call it done.

please dont build an XJ on waggy 44s/chromos/ctms/ lockers just to run 30" A/T tires. I think it would offend many people.
 
if you want full case strength and dont want a true locker, have a look at the detroit true track. i have nothing but good things to say about them. it all depends on what you do with your jeep though.
 
I hated my true trac. Ran it over two different time periods, ran one for 2 year, and then a few years later for 6 months in between fixing front ends. Doesnt lock up when you need it(in the rocks with a tire in the air, on a ledge with a tire in the air) and gives you traction when you already have it. I hated it from that perspective. Its not great in the big rocks when you always have at least one front tire off the ground. Id say full locker or dont bother.
 
blondejoncherokee said:
I hated my true trac. Ran it over two different time periods, ran one for 2 year, and then a few years later for 6 months in between fixing front ends. Doesnt lock up when you need it(in the rocks with a tire in the air, on a ledge with a tire in the air) and gives you traction when you already have it. I hated it from that perspective. Its not great in the big rocks when you always have at least one front tire off the ground. Id say full locker or dont bother.
Click to expand...

I have to second that. But if you have a 242 and live in a snowy area and want to retain use of full time on the stree than a truetrac would be good. But if you are adding one and expect better performance in rocks, you'll be disappointed. I had the same experience as blondejoncherokee and went with a grizzly locker.
 
i have a TT in the front and agree w/you guys. i live in CO though, and during winter, the TT does great. this is my third TT, and i've found out to tap/hold the brake when im climbing/have a tire in the air, and sometimes, i will get both tires to grab.
 
Are we seriously asking this on 30s?

8.25 and Aussies will be fine.
 
Luke95 said:
Are we seriously asking this on 30s?

8.25 and Aussies will be fine.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's more or less what I started out thinking. I'm going to aussie the rear & finish my WJ swap some day, put together a recovery kit & call it a day. That'll be more than enough for what I plan to do. Maybe catch up on some of the basic maintenance in the mean time.
 
Sell your WJ stuff an buy the Currie steering. By far the best setup I've ever ran, and like has been said before, if you did manage to break it odds are someone would have a stock setup for you.
 
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