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What's more important, front chromolies or rear?

Nimrod

Degenerate Jeeper
NAXJA Member
Location
Duck River
OK. This question is somewhat hypothetical and it quite likely discloses a profound level of ignorance on my part. But I'm asking anyway.

I've got a '99 Limited with a 4.0 and 242, and I like to play on rocks. I'm running 33" tires but am about to go to 35s. Up front I'm running an HP D30 non-disco, trussed and gusseted, with an Ox locker. In back I've got an 8.25, 29-spline, with a Detroit Eaton locker. Assuming, hypothetically, that I've saved enough pennies in my piggy bank to buy either front chromoly shafts or rear chromoly shafts but not both at once, which shafts should be upgraded first? Front or rear?

As always, thanks in advance for any thoughtful insight and sage advice.
 
I would do the fronts first. The 8.25 is stronger than the D30 anyway, with the u-joints being the weak link!
 
The Chry 8.25 is almost Dana 44 strength, buy front axle shafts.
 
Another vote for front.
 
I'd probably do the 8.25 shafts first. They're cheaper, most of the weight transfers to the rear when you're climbing anyways, and the 8.25 shaft is a lot harder trail fix than a Dana 30 shaft.

I've had very good luck with stock Dana 30 shafts running 35's and lockers with 4.88 gears. I also like knowing that the shaft will fail before the ring and pinion, because that would suck to deal with on the trail. I just keep complete spare assemblies (bearing and shaft) for both sides in the Jeep.
 
A lot of us have been wheeling for a long time and some of us do nothing but rocks. I personally live near the Tahoe National Forest and have been through the Rubicon, Fordyce and Barret Lake trails along with several other shorter trails. I have never broken a shaft nock on wood and have beet the crap out of my rig. I have however destroyed an 8.25 pinion bearing and stripped the gears. It takes a lot to break shafts the best thing to do is make a fuse. For the front Dana 30 put lock out hubs in that way you blow a hub before anything else. For the rear disc breaks that way if you break a shaft the axle won’t part ways from the housing.
 
Rear ZJ discs are on my short term to-do list. I'll have 'em before Moab in October for sure. Thanks for the advice to all who responded.
 
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