Dana 30 Disco to Non-Disco

Ive been searching and looking at info, but I have some q's that have yet to be answered.


I have a Disconnect front end right now.

I am planning on swapping to 4.10 gears, Non-Disconnect snap-ringed 760 shafts (297), and a locker of some type.


Which would be the best option and why? This is all assuming I dont find a Non-Disco front end.


Get the 4.10 front end, and use Randy's Disco delete, and use the 297x shafts.

Get the 4.10 front end, and swap the R&P and carrier over to a Non-Disco front end, then just plop the 297x shafts in.

The reason for this q, is because I have a Non-Disco axle, and if I can save the headache/$$ for the Disco delete, I might as well.

Also, I am under the impression that when you remove a carrier, as long as you dont take the R&P off, you dont have to re-set it up. Am I horribly off? And if that is correct, it would also seem like you would have to set up the R&P if you swap the gears and carrier to a new housing?

???




Also, what has to be done to the Vacuum hoses/wires that come from the tcase to complete this swap?

One last q, what all needs to be done to snap ring the 760s? Im 99.9% sure you can just plop 760s in place of 297s, but I want them snapringed for extra strength/assurance.

Thanks in Advance! :guitar: :cheers:

You're right, if you move the R&P and carrier to a new housing, you WILL have to set up the gears again. The gear installation (or cost for installation) would be the deciding factor for me if I were in your shoes. I'd do the cheaper path, be it disco-delete or gear install. Shouldn't be too much diffence in the strength of the housings.

Jared

DeadEyeJ said:

You're right, if you move the R&P and carrier to a new housing, you WILL have to set up the gears again. The gear installation (or cost for installation) would be the deciding factor for me if I were in your shoes. I'd do the cheaper path, be it disco-delete or gear install. Shouldn't be too much diffence in the strength of the housings.

Jared

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Thanks for the info/help!

Anyone else?

hjeepxj said:

Ive been searching and looking at info, but I have some q's that have yet to be answered. I have a Disconnect front end right now.

I am planning on swapping to 4.10 gears, Non-Disconnect snap-ringed 760 shafts (297), and a locker of some type. Which would be the best option and why? This is all assuming I dont find a Non-Disco front end.

Get the 4.10 front end, and use Randy's Disco delete, and use the 297x shafts.

Get the 4.10 front end, and swap the R&P and carrier over to a Non-Disco front end, then just plop the 297x shafts in.

The reason for this q, is because I have a Non-Disco axle, and if I can save the headache/$$ for the Disco delete, I might as well.

Also, I am under the impression that when you remove a carrier, as long as you dont take the R&P off, you dont have to re-set it up. Am I horribly off? And if that is correct, it would also seem like you would have to set up the R&P if you swap the gears and carrier to a new housing?

???

Also, what has to be done to the Vacuum hoses/wires that come from the tcase to complete this swap?

One last q, what all needs to be done to snap ring the 760s? Im 99.9% sure you can just plop 760s in place of 297s, but I want them snapringed for extra strength/assurance.

Thanks in Advance! :guitar: :cheers:

Click to expand...

There is no advantage between having a disco or non-disco axle, so overall it would be easier to just do the disco delete if you're going to have the carrier out to change the gears. The disco delete uses a new seal next to the carrier, so the carrier needs to come out. You don't have to set up the gears if you just remove the carrier, you do need to set up the gears if you move them to another housing.

Throw the vacuum lines to the housing away.

The Spicer axles have a ridge on the inside of the yokes that keeps the c-clip from rotating and coming off. This ridge needs to be ground away in the center to allow room for the snap rings.....it can be done any number of ways. Use a Dremel, a grinder (carefully), a band saw to cut it back, or take it to a machine shop.

Goatman said:

There is no advantage between having a disco or non-disco axle, so overall it would be easier to just do the disco delete if you're going to have the carrier out to change the gears. The disco delete uses a new seal next to the carrier, so the carrier needs to come out. You don't have to set up the gears if you just remove the carrier, you do need to set up the gears if you move them to another housing.

Throw the vacuum lines to the housing away.

The Spicer axles have a ridge on the inside of the yokes that keeps the c-clip from rotating and coming off. This ridge needs to be ground away in the center to allow room for the snap rings.....it can be done any number of ways. Use a Dremel, a grinder (carefully), a band saw to cut it back, or take it to a machine shop.

Click to expand...

Cool! Thanks Richard!


But there would have been an advantage to using the non-disco housing, saving the $$ from the disco delete. (since I have a non-disco axle in my possesion)

*but, since I would have to pay $$$ to get the gears setup (when transferring to another "non disco" housing), then I wont be going that route.


Also, I wont be "changing" the gears, I'll be pulling a 4.10 front end from the junkyard.

disco axles are really nice if you know how to use them. The shafts do break sometimes but it gives you a lot more versatility.

Yes they do, IF you upgrade to the posi-lock (or whatever the cable disconnect thing is called). If I recall correctly, they are kind of pricey, like the $150 range. The vacuum setup is garbage right from the factory, so I'd throw it away ASAP.

Jared

DeadEyeJ said:

Yes they do, IF you upgrade to the posi-lock (or whatever the cable disconnect thing is called). If I recall correctly, they are kind of pricey, like the $150 range. The vacuum setup is garbage right from the factory, so I'd throw it away ASAP.

Jared

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I use the vacuum and it is pretty reliable I engage and disengage it easilly a 100 times a year, probably 15 or so times on each trail, I even do it while I am moving, basically I let off the gas and hit the switch and it goes in or out. Also my 4x4 light works and is my indicator for where the fork is located. With the flick of a switch I also get 2wd low range, to 3 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive, I have dual arbs. Also I run alot of caster and never have to worry about front driveline angles or "death wobble". I have $50 in it using fuel tank selector valves, you can also use a vacuum switch from a waggy or a cj7 with quadradrive, those are even cheaper I was just impatient.

The vac disco axle gets a bad rap from all the cheesy cracked plastic lines and the vac drop since it has to go all the way to the tcase and back, thats a lot of places for leaks. Also when you begin to lift the jeep the lines become a little short so the connector likes to pull off the diaphram, a simple zip tie fixes this. I bent my hard (steel) lines down a little and it works fine with my long arms and 6-7 inches of lift.

Its does have its faults, the intermediate shaft though thicker than normal dana 30 shafts still necks down to 27 splines (like all dana 30 shafts do) and will break there, often the U-joints or yokes go first though.

Vauum Disco=Too complicated for me.

BTT

I need to know the seal # to go over to non disco on a disco housing. Does anyone have it? Or should I just call Randys Ring and Pinion and have them set me up with one...???

Easy swap, all you ahve to do is change axle shafts. Get the solid shafts, and there is a seal to put in on the long side, it's been done numorous times by people on here.

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Update on the seal part number!

The CR 11800 is a bit too big, you could probably make it work but you will have to grind out the inner tube a little.

This seal should just tap right it, 11771/40576S CR SEAL

Also, the 91' disco axles may be machined for the standard carrier seal. We found this out talking to a 4WD shop, who at first sold me the wrong seal. Then I found out that its a 60's CJ5 has a front axle seal.

ChuckD said:

Update on the seal part number!

The CR 11800 is a bit too big, you could probably make it work but you will have to grind out the inner tube a little.

This seal should just tap right it, 11771/40576S CR SEAL

Also, the 91' disco axles may be machined for the standard carrier seal. We found this out talking to a 4WD shop, who at first sold me the wrong seal. Then I found out that its a 60's CJ5 has a front axle seal.

Click to expand...

Nice!!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!

Now, where does the seal go? By the carrier? Or at the end?

Passenger side of the carrier.

ChuckD said:

Passenger side of the carrier.

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Fawking sweet dude, you are a life saver.


So thats the only seal I will need?


So at that point, I will have to make a peice of steel to seal over the hole where the disco was?

Thats it and Im good to go?

Or just plug up the vacuum motor with RTV or JB Weld and call it good.

ChuckD said:

Or just plug up the vacuum motor with RTV or JB Weld and call it good.

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hmm, interesting approach.

So either would work then eh?









Thanks for the help bro.

If you don't already have the 4.10's there is a D30 non-disco w/4.10's at Western Auto Salvage in Denver. Someone has pulled one of the axles already, but they were 260's anyway. The axle tag is gone, but I'm 99% sure it is 4.10.
It is in a '94 that had a 4cyl. Dark green, 4door, sitting in one of the first couple rows on the left as you go in.
Good luck!
Chris

tysonxj said:

If you don't already have the 4.10's there is a D30 non-disco w/4.10's at Western Auto Salvage in Denver. Someone has pulled one of the axles already, but they were 260's anyway. The axle tag is gone, but I'm 99% sure it is 4.10.
It is in a '94 that had a 4cyl. Dark green, 4door, sitting in one of the first couple rows on the left as you go in.
Good luck!
Chris

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hmm, thanks for the look out!


If my one in Greeley falls through, ill hit em up, all though stuff goes quick there...

ChuckD said:

Update on the seal part number!

The CR 11800 is a bit too big, you could probably make it work but you will have to grind out the inner tube a little.

This seal should just tap right it, 11771/40576S CR SEAL

Also, the 91' disco axles may be machined for the standard carrier seal. We found this out talking to a 4WD shop, who at first sold me the wrong seal. Then I found out that its a 60's CJ5 has a front axle seal.

Click to expand...

so that seal will replace the seal in my 87 housing as well? not to familiar with the differences dana 30's

Looking at throwing a disco delete in mine. But need it before the weekend, stupid little aluminum shift fork blew up... wonder how long I have been running in 2wd.. :wow:

HodgePodge said:

so that seal will replace the seal in my 87 housing as well? not to familiar with the differences dana 30's

Looking at throwing a disco delete in mine. But need it before the weekend, stupid little aluminum shift fork blew up... wonder how long I have been running in 2wd.. :wow:

Click to expand...

The seal should work, get some good calipers. Measure the ID of the tube and the OD of the seal. If they are not close then don't try to install the seal. Take it back and then we'll try to find the right one.

This info comes from the CR catalog and from the 4WD shop in Tulare. I have not actually purchased the seal from Kragen. You know how it is sometimes, you don't always get the right part form the store.