Found this in the bottom of my Dana 30

While changing the differential oil I found these broken ground up bolts At the bottom of the diferential.

Does anyone recognize what they go to?

It is a 97 XJ with front Dana 30 , 4:10 gears and ARB air locker

3 pics
http://www.use.com/supersize.pl?set=eefc92f7e0ea39de9d1b&p=1


after I took the pictures I found another bolt head. So there is 2 bolt heads.

Locker and differential was working fine. Just doing routine maintenance gear oil change.
Any help would be appreciated thanks

Looks like the bolts that keep the ARB case halves together have backed out.

You can get replacements and the locks from ARB USA. Call them Monday morning and they'll fix you up.

I wouldn't drive the jeep in the meantime and you should be able to replace them with the carrier in the housing with the right tools/technique unless the bolts are sheared off in the holes.

Good luck!

thanks!
I will try that

You can see the missing bolts go in the other pics you have.

Looks to me like they came from the circled area.

I found this at another site - post #5

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/locker-gear-swap-question-506961/

I bought the jeep used 3 years ago with the locker already in it.
I am wondering if it is the right locker or the one for the 3.55 gears?(I have 4.10 gears)
Or is it common for the RETAINING PINS to come out?
Is my ARB an older style locker?
Is there a way to ID which ARB locker I have?

The bolts backing out is not totally uncommon with ARB lockers. IIRC it was enough of an issue for ARB to have "kits" of new bolts/locks available for easy mail out. This is old data (10+ years) so I don't know if that is valid any more.

I really doubt the issue you are seeing is due to having the wrong thin/thick gear set or carrier in place. You'd be having bigger issues.

Install the new bolts and locks and move on I say and don't let internet lore/bullsh!t freak you out.

If you are really concerned, do a pattern test but I think that is being overly anal.

I can't remember if there is a model number stamped on the carrier somewhere - been a many moons since I've had mine apart.

2¢

ARB redesigned their locker because of that very reason. There is no stopping them from breaking and the only way I "fixed" mine from doing that yearly was by spot welding the case halves together.
I finally junked it and bought the new design.

XJ97Eric said:

I found this at another site - post #5

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/locker-gear-swap-question-506961/

I bought the jeep used 3 years ago with the locker already in it.
I am wondering if it is the right locker or the one for the 3.55 gears?(I have 4.10 gears)
Or is it common for the RETAINING PINS to come out?
Is my ARB an older style locker?
Is there a way to ID which ARB locker I have?

Click to expand...

Yes its a 'old' style. the seal housing is on the other side in the newer model.

Update on my Dana 30 ARB locker

It is the older style RD30 ARB locker. This is a common problem with the older style RD30 ARB locker.

All 6 CYLINDER CAP RETAINING BOLT - 200207 are missing.

a CROSS SHAFT RETAINING PIN - 120401 was also in the bottom of the differential.

One of the LONG CROSS SHAFT 060104 or SHORT CROSS SHAFT 060306 (not sure which one) is also banged up. (the ring and pinon still look good)


according to ARB Tech Support.--

"It looks like probably the long cross shaft came out or broke. Whether the the retaining pin came out first due to bolts backing out is kind of a "which came first" scenario. The bolts backing out or breaking is a pre-load issue. The bolts aren't meant to hold things together, that should be from carrier bearing preload. Without sufficient pre-load, the bolts can stretch and either break or back out. I'd say it is fixable except for the fact the cross shaft hole in the case appears egg shaped now from the cross shaft hitting the pinion. That part is no longer available as the RD30 was discontinued back in about 2002.


Thanks
ARB Tech Support."

Apparently the cross shafts are no longer available and ARB is no longer supporting the rd30.

Does anyone know where I could get the LONG CROSS SHAFT 060104 and the CROSS SHAFT RETAINING PIN - 120401?

or do you think it is possible to weld the CROSS SHAFTs in place? since the cross shafts are no longer available and ARB is no longer supporting

Call ARB in Washington, ship them back your old locker and they will fix it.

FWIW, you can buy the parts separately to upgrade from one model number to another. I did that with the Dana 44 in the back of my Jeep when I upgraded it. I forget the total parts list but I remember it included two new case halves for a different model number Dana 44 and the bolts and locks.

Was still expensive but cheaper than buying new. Again, this was a long time ago.

The bolts backing out or breaking is a pre-load issue. The bolts aren't meant to hold things together, that should be from carrier bearing preload.

Click to expand...

Preload shmeeload. It's BS. Mine was set F'n tight. I had to use a deadblow even with the case spreader installed to get the carrier in the last time I set it up. It was too tight IMPO and yet those bolts still broke. Just a poor design.

Common problem or not, I'd shit kittens if I found ground up bolts in my diff. :wierd::

Glad its easily fixable.