Locker in D30?

[93gc40]

I'm posting this here to weed out the rabble.
I live in Visalia, for those up in the north, that 50 mi south of Fresno.
I am going to put an auto-locker in the rearend, I'm wondering if I should do the same for the front?
Rig is my DD and only see's dirt about every other weekend, sometimes more. Mostly trails in Sequoia, although I run up to Shaver area when I can.

 

[Jes]

What size tires? Are you running stock shafts? If so, which u-joints, the puny 260s or the less wimpy 297s?

 

[JoesXJ]

I say if you can afford it, go ARB. Its nice to be able to flick a switch and have the locker on, especially on tight turns in 4wd...being locked sure makes turning interesting. Plus, I like to drive on road in the snow (Tahoe baby!), being locked in the snow sucks and is dangerous.

(I know you can just put it in 2wd, but if you jeep is anything like mine, I need to go in reverse for a second to get it out of 4wd.)

If you can, I would go 30 spline locker and shafts.

 

[AJTorris]

man i am in the same situation... i already have an aussie in the rear and am rebuilding a d30 non disco to put a locker in it. I cant decide on selectable or an auto. I cant afford to buy a selectable. Im 21 and am married and have two kids so ya money is tight. Work is slow too.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

do it if youre even considering it at all
that means you want it if you think the wheeling you do requires it.

 

[93gc40]

What size tires? Are you running stock shafts? If so, which u-joints, the puny 260s or the less wimpy 297s?

At this point Shafts and Joints are stock, front D30 andrear 8.25. They will be upgraded when the time comes. Currently on 30" BFG AT, but next set will be 31", I'd go bigger but don't want to re-gear.

Guess the real question is, in what situations would a lunchbox locker in front be a problem?

 

[Letterman]

If you are not going to re-gear put in the Aussie, I beleave the Aussie locker in a dana 30 is the BEST $250 upgread you can do to any stock rig. I have had 3 dana 30 Aussie's in 3 different rigs, and it makes your front end climb and not push and really helps the rig climb.

On the street you will only hear a click'in sound from the front end, when in 2 wheel drive it will not change anything, and I kind of liked the sound.

I have snapped a few axles with the Aussie, and it is good to have spairs on trail runs. If you don't drive with your head up your a$$ like I did, and with 31's you should be ok. If you only have a front locker and you get crossed up and one back wheel is free, 90% of the power is going to the one front tire with traction, the stock u-joints will not hold and are the weak link.

 

[MaxxXJ]

im going to be in the same situation, i wanna do a locker in the rear of my 8.25 for sure, but im not sure on the front just yet, its a 100% daily driver, its my girls daily driver until i can pay off my car, then that will be her daily, i've just had way to many instances where i've been trying to drive thru a rut in my stock xj and the first chance it gets it freakin loses traction and makes me be stupid ( hit the same spot only harder to get past the part that made me lose traction) if i could climb everywhere slow and easy, i'd be one happy trail runner =) everyone says how weak the d30's are... can you do something big in the front like say a dana 44 in the front and keep the 8.25 in the rear? or maybe theres a way i can just upgrade the d30 to make it survive... i saw an article on how to make it survive, but it looked expensive lol, and i will only be running a max of 31's and a 3.5" lift at least for a little while...

 

[AJTorris]

well im in the situation too... im going to go with an aussie up front. I have one in the rear already. But i know the ujoints on the stock axles would be a weak point. So i am going with the bigger ones from the late 90s modle xjs or the Tj axles. Also i am getting rid of my vacume disco 30 for a non disco 30. I am having it hottanked, and then painting it and all new ball joints, seals, bearings, and probably 4.10 gears. until then i am running the disco 30 open for now

 

[Jimbo_1321]

to make the dana 30 stronger, upgrade the u joints and either tack weld the caps or run full circle clips on them
get a strong diff cover like ruffstuff and that should last you forever on 31's

 

[Boatwrench]

Good advice can be found here

 

[Letterman]

Good advice can be found here

Crash really is a smart guy!

 

[Jimbo_1321]

Crash really is a smart guy!

Last time I wheeled with you dave, weren't you running 37's on your locked Dana 30?

 

[Letterman]

Last time I wheeled with you dave, weren't you running 37's on your locked Dana 30?

Yeah, I ran 32's for a year, 33's for 3 or 4 years, 36's for a year, and then 37's on my Dana 30 for a few years.

I may have broke a few parts too, the wife of Crash once said to me after I snapped a short side "You mean that's not even a dana 35!" :eye:

I only had the Aussie with 33's and smaller, still think it is a great locker, easy install and is one of the best upgread's you can do to your Dana 30.

 

[MaxxXJ]

Yeah, I ran 32's for a year, 33's for 3 or 4 years, 36's for a year, and then 37's on my Dana 30 for a few years.

I may have broke a few parts too, the wife of Crash once said to me after I snapped a short side "You mean that's not even a dana 35!" :eye:

I only had the Aussie with 33's and smaller, still think it is a great locker, easy install and is one of the best upgread's you can do to your Dana 30.

when you have the locker in the front and ur in 2wd, the d30 acts like an open diff still correct?, i wanna have a locker in the front/rear for my stock xj cuz freak every nook and cranny i get into i do the little balancing act on 2 wheels and lose all traction lol if i had lockers id be able to do a 100X better and be more cocky when approaching stuff except rocks that is =D lol

 

[NoCoastFocus]

I love my Aussie front. The Jeep has gotten my through alot of tough trails and the locker helped me tremendously. I am on 32's and haven't had a problem, although I do have polished turd.