Dana 30 Disconnect Question

[ukdkbr]

I'm having a hell of a time for the vacuum disconnect on my Dana 30 to operate properly. I started by getting new longer vacuum lines to accommodate the lift and at the same time I had the whole assembly out of the axle. and with the jeep running and the jeep in 4wd I attached the new vacuum lines and watch the shift fork move over, so that should be ok. I can't seem to make it "disconnect" though. But that's not my main concern. The main problem is that when I put the whole assembly back on the axle it seems that the collar that gets pushed back and forth over the 2 axle pieces actually gets pushed to far to the drivers side and is essentially disconnected, just in the opposite direction. I can move it with my fingers back to the connected position and when I put the jeep into 4wd it moves it too far to the drivers side. I originally thought that it may be a bent fork but I swapped it with another assembly and it does the same thing, anyone have any ideas.

[Ghost]

Could it be on backward or maybe you have the fork in the wrong position on the shift motor?

[ukdkbr]

Could it be on backward or maybe you have the fork in the wrong position on the shift motor?

I know it's on the correct way, I think the fork can only go on one way, can't it? I mean it only shifts maybe 1-2mm too far to the drivers side, just far enought so the short shaft spins free.

[90xjDave]

There is a shaft that the fork slides on. The bushings in the fork get worn out and there is too much play/slop for the fork to operate properly. I took my disco apart and took the shaft to a machine shop and had them 'raise' the section of the shaft that the fork is supposed to ride on. They cut tiny grooves in the shaft to raise it. Sorry no pics! I slapped it back together and has worked perfectly for the last 6/7 years.

[markw]

The other fix is to goto a non-disco passenger axle gut the shift motor, plug the vacuum lines and throw a blockoff plate over it. :) Just my 2 cents, but I hear of more issues with the disco axles. Factory dumped them around 93 or so.

[XJING]

Easiest, permanant, inexpensive fix is cable disconnect. Ihave been running this for a few years now, it works great. here the write up I followed. Good Luck.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~stevenschreiber/cabledis.htm

[Ghost]

The easyest cheapest fix is to put the fork on the connect side of the e clips and reinstall it locked. It acts just like the non-disco axle and cost time to do the conversion. I ran mine like that on and off the road for a while too.

[Weasel]

The easyest cheapest fix is to put the fork on the connect side of the e clips and reinstall it locked. It acts just like the non-disco axle and cost time to do the conversion. I ran mine like that on and off the road for a while too.

or use 7-8 washer to lock the fork in place. Mines been like that for quite a few years, need to repalce it with a one piece axle though.