D-30 Axle Shafts? (pics)

Cujo · Aug 20, 2004

'94 XJ, D-30 front, 4.56 gears, Lock-Rite. I read somewhere that around 96-97 Jeep "upgraded" the axle shafts in the D-30 to use the larger u-joints, 297 or 760. I picked up a pair of D-30 axle shafts out of a 97 TJ to swap into my 94 D-30. Except when I pulled them out, my stock shafts were bigger than the TJ shafts. The splines look to be the same size, but the shafts are much thicker, and the ears seem to be larger also. What gives?
The upper one is the stock '94 XJ shaft, the lower one is out of a 97 TJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~odellkevin/Pic_011.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~odellkevin/Pic_012.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~odellkevin/Pic_013.jpg

XJoachim · Aug 20, 2004

I wouldn't care about that and swap the TJ shafts in. The critical areas for breakage are the splines and the ears.

Rawbrown · Aug 20, 2004

is the driver side the same way?
whats critical is the diameter of the u-joint caps, measure those and youll see the difference. its hard to see in the pics. TJ's use 297x joints. 760's are a forged upgrade without grease journals.

Cujo said:
'94 XJ, D-30 front, 4.56 gears, Lock-Rite. I read somewhere that around 96-97 Jeep "upgraded" the axle shafts in the D-30 to use the larger u-joints, 297 or 760. I picked up a pair of D-30 axle shafts out of a 97 TJ to swap into my 94 D-30. Except when I pulled them out, my stock shafts were bigger than the TJ shafts. The splines look to be the same size, but the shafts are much thicker, and the ears seem to be larger also. What gives?
The upper one is the stock '94 XJ shaft, the lower one is out of a 97 TJ.
http://home.comcast.net/~odellkevin/Pic_011.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~odellkevin/Pic_012.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~odellkevin/Pic_013.jpg

JeepTherapy · Aug 20, 2004

Is there a way to bore things out on the older shafts so that 297 or 760 U joints can be used?

Kevin

Rawbrown · Aug 20, 2004

no, not enough metal. try holding the two yokes side by side and see...

JeepTherapy said:
Is there a way to bore things out on the older shafts so that 297 or 760 U joints can be used?

Kevin

DaffyXJ · Aug 20, 2004

Look at the taper on Pic 11. The XJ shaft isn't going to be any stronger than the thinnist part (At the carrier).
And if the Tj shaft has the 297 u-joints, all the better.

Cujo · Aug 20, 2004

I understand what you mean about the taper at the carrier end being the weakest link, the thing that was "impressing" me was all the bulk at the u-joint end of the inner shaft, between the plastic dust shield and the u-joint, that's alot of meat. And considering how the ears are also a weak link, I thought the stock ones might be better in that aspect. But I did what Rawbrown said, and measured the caps, the XJ caps measure 1 1/16", and the TJ caps measure 1 3/16". I suppose that means they are 297's? So would the strengths of the 297's outweigh any strengths I may gain from those big inner ears?

Rawbrown · Aug 21, 2004

absolutly. its not so much the strength in the ears or metal content. yoke ears are damaged as a result of something else usually. in this case its usually the 2/3 clips retaining the bearing caps. first those pop out then the cap can work its way out. once that happens then its done and you hear the telltail bang.

one fix is to machine the yoke ears to accept full circle clips. others will put a small tack weld on the bearing cap to the yoke.

Cujo said:
I understand what you mean about the taper at the carrier end being the weakest link, the thing that was "impressing" me was all the bulk at the u-joint end of the inner shaft, between the plastic dust shield and the u-joint, that's alot of meat. And considering how the ears are also a weak link, I thought the stock ones might be better in that aspect. But I did what Rawbrown said, and measured the caps, the XJ caps measure 1 1/16", and the TJ caps measure 1 3/16". I suppose that means they are 297's? So would the strengths of the 297's outweigh any strengths I may gain from those big inner ears?

D-30 Axle Shafts? (pics)

Cujo

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XJoachim

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Rawbrown

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JeepTherapy

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Rawbrown

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DaffyXJ

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Cujo

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Rawbrown

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