vacuum disco D30 upgrade

Do I have to get a complete new front axle...

Or can I just take all the vacuum crap off and the short and long shaft out and replace with a long chromo shaft in its place.

This may sounds completely nuts....

if I knew I wouldn't be asking?

You can just replace the disco. but you will need to put a seal in the diff housing the disco does not have one. Easy enough just alot of work. Why do you want rid of it? It is better than having a locker and no disco. If you having vacuum problems it is easy to rig up a pull cable. I have used the disco. axles for years with no breakage at that area. Hope this helps.

Since I've had the XJ, it has never been disconnected.

It's a queen, but when the 31" are worn out.... the 35" are going on. I do not feel good about the vacuum disco with 35's

I find that the disco housing is stronger due to all that extra metal where the vacuum motor sits.
The only way to get 297 shafts, however, is to use ones from a 95(?) YJ, as they had the 297 disco shafts.
Just cap that daddy off, or buy the HP30 non-disco housing that I am currently selling.

I've been running the disco'd Dana30 with 35's for some time. I have the 297 shafts and a cable control on the disco. In all my years of wheeling, I have never seen a D30 break at the disco. I've seen plenty of busted axles and done a few myself, but never seen a break at the disco. They tend to pop at the ujoint.

If you can lay hands on the 297 disco shafts, it is quick and easy and should be fine. The only problem is the shafts are a bit harder to find.

well to be honest with you all...
My plans are to wheel is until I break it.

But when I break it; I'll upgrade it.

How do you like the POSI Lock cable?

297 disco shafts are available, you just have to ask for em. some people like to keep the disco part of the front. but as it was pointed out, the swap to 297's is easy and the cheepest. converting to a one piece shaft will cost the same but it more time consuming since you need to pull the carrier to put a seal in.