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axle swap, full width?

XJ_Vikings

XJ_Vikings

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Simsbury, CT
i will preface this with:

97 xj
8.25 read d30 front 5spd manual

im going from 4" to 6.5 and 35's with most likely 4.56 gearing

i dont think (correct me if im wrong) i can run 4.56 and 35's on my hp d30 so the solution is:

get a hp d44 and 9.25 geared to 4.56 with yukon shafts from a friends dodge ram, approx 1998

1) do i need to swap the d30 in the first place
2) if i do, should i take advantage of a good price from a friend and get the 9.25 as well
3) would this be "full width" and if so, can someone explain exactly what that means
4) how difficult would it be to swap the axles?

keep in mind its a daily driver

thanks
 
XJ_Vikings said:
i will preface this with:

97 xj
8.25 read d30 front 5spd manual

im going from 4" to 6.5 and 35's with most likely 4.56 gearing

i dont think (correct me if im wrong) i can run 4.56 and 35's on my hp d30 so the solution is:

get a hp d44 and 9.25 geared to 4.56 with yukon shafts from a friends dodge ram, approx 1998

1) do i need to swap the d30 in the first place
2) if i do, should i take advantage of a good price from a friend and get the 9.25 as well
3) would this be "full width" and if so, can someone explain exactly what that means
4) how difficult would it be to swap the axles?

keep in mind its a daily driver

thanks
Click to expand...

Manual transmission with 35's? Since you're talking swapping axles, unless you have 4:1 get 4.88's at least (5.13's do sound nice though for that setup).
 
that seems counterintuitive, considering autos come with 3.55 and manuals come with 3.07 stock, im sure im looking at this wrong but explain??
 
Remi likes deep gears.. as do i actually. but i just opted for 4.56s with my 33s and AX-15, it's a bit higher in the RPM range than 31s with 3.55s but i'm liking it. i prefer the feel of "power" myself. i would have done 4.88s except i'm driving to Moab in 2 months and 3000 RPM is too much to ask of my 245K mile 4.0L for 5000 miles.

why do you think you cant do 4.56s in your D30?
 
it may have just been one person telling me that a while back but i guess it just stuck

however, i may be able to get both these axles for ~650-700$ and from what i see gears are around 400

would it be worth it to get the axles, already geared to what i need? while i may think 35's are good now, i cant speak for my future plans and i woudl like to have full width and stronger axles if the opportunity presents itself
 
XJ_Vikings said:
that seems counterintuitive, considering autos come with 3.55 and manuals come with 3.07 stock, im sure im looking at this wrong but explain??
Click to expand...
IMHO (and a few others) Jeeps came from the factory undergeared. I had 3.07's with 235's and I was suffering (heck climbing out of the LA basin with stock tires wasn't fun either). Then I had 4.11's with 235's and not only my fuel economy got better, but I regained and even got extra power. Then I got 4.88's to prepare for 33's and they' rocked with 31's. Granted going over 60~65 was tough due to high rpm's but then when I got 33's all got restored to normal. They are perfect for the freeway although on the trail they sometimes could be a little bit deeper. So now that I'm thinking of 35's I'm dreaming of 4:1 or different axles with deeper gears.

If you search on this topic it's been discussed very often.
 
XJ_Vikings said:
however, i may be able to get both these axles for ~650-700$ and from what i see gears are around 400
Click to expand...

dont think like that -

I bought $350 worth of axles and spend 225 on the rear and 1000 on putting the front end in to the heep...

keep in mind the following -
you will need new steering
you will need new wheels
you will need new driveshafts
you will need brackets / conversion kits
you will need all the little nickle and dimes - except its not nickels and dimes - its $20's and $100's

and check the info on thoes axles before you go getting jumpy - ive not heard the greatest things about the late model dodge front axles...
 
the dana 30 can take 4.56 hell i think they can go up to 4.88.i can tell you this i wouldn't drop below 4.88 with 35's or 4 high will be useless unless you are on a flat parking lot.also judging by your questions you don't have a clue and this is going to cost you more then you think
 
1) do i need to swap the d30 in the first place Not really
2) if i do, should i take advantage of a good price from a friend and get the 9.25 as well Maybe, but get a Ford 8.8 or 9" instead
3) would this be "full width" and if so, can someone explain exactly what that means. anything wider than stock XJ, Taken in fact that full width is the same width of the axle that came off the rig you got it from
4) how difficult would it be to swap the axles? If your not experienced, it can get very spendy


If you don't wheel too hard, your better off going with the D30, chromo axles, 297/760 ujoints, Detroit locker, and Trussed. Get a Ford 8.8 for the rear, Buy the MORE kit, add gears and call it good.
 
Last edited:
XJ_Vikings said:
im not overly concearned about the gearing, moreso about the axles
Click to expand...
:confused: you mean you're not worried as to what the final gearing will be before you choose the axles or you don't care about the gearing as much altogether? Look at it this way: you're planning to put all the money into the axles might as well plan everything all the way through.
 
Wil Badger said:
the dana 30 can take 4.56 hell i think they can go up to 4.88.i can tell you this i wouldn't drop below 4.88 with 35's or 4 high will be useless unless you are on a flat parking lot.also judging by your questions you don't have a clue and this is going to cost you more then you think
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have 4.56's, and 35" BFG's, and I don't use 4-hi at all. Pretty useless. Yet I wouldn't run 4.88's on a Dana 30.
 
Matt98XJ said:
Yeah, I have 4.56's, and 35" BFG's, and I don't use 4-hi at all. Pretty useless. Yet I wouldn't run 4.88's on a Dana 30.
Click to expand...


did you upgrade the 30 at all??
for that matter has anyone else and should i?

conversly im starting to think that i am indeed over my head going to 35's and swapping axles etc. Although if i can get 4.88 front and rear with only slight modification to the axles and gow ith 35's i probably will. Perhaps ill go with 33's, regear the axles i have now and probably go with less then 6.5" of lift, possibly 5.5-6 to get 33's comfortably.

ideas, suggestions?
 
your axles would be fine up to 35's as long as you are not hard on the pedal.if you truely beat this jep then 33's on stock axles with gearing
 
I would never mess with the crappy Dodge version of the D-44. Useless in all respects.
 
CRASH said:
I would never mess with the crappy Dodge version of the D-44. Useless in all respects.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the non locking hubs like the dana 30 in your Jeep already kind of sucks. Go after a waggy dana 44 or hp44, or a early bronco dana 44. If you get the Bronco dana 44, then replace the axle shafts with 297 Spicer units and do the F-150/Chevy disc brake conversion. A dana HP44/9" combo is much better than your planned Dodge dana 44/9.25 combo.
 
I am kinda in the same boat but I have the option to get an early (71-73)Bronco 44, but I haven't seen it so I don't know if it's HP or LP. Right now I am running 32's on a stock D30 front, and a "Super 35" with detroit rear and 4.10's. I would like to eventually go to 35's and am wondering if I should upgrade the D30 with a "Super Kit" and ARB, or get the D44 from the Bronco and set it up. Also, I am assuming the D35 rear should hold up with 35's? I have been looking for the details to put the 44 in the front, but now I can't find the thread I was looking at the other day.... Thanks in advance for any input!
 
The bronco 44 is a low pinion, so the ring and pinion are no stronger than the ones in your HP 30. It should have the same 297 ujoints as your 30 (depending on year, but they are very easy to swap in to older 30's). The only 2 benifets from going with the 44 are a stronger housing, and locking hubs.
 
85cherokeechief said:
The bronco 44 is a low pinion, so the ring and pinion are no stronger than the ones in your HP 30. It should have the same 297 ujoints as your 30 (depending on year, but they are very easy to swap in to older 30's). The only 2 benifets from going with the 44 are a stronger housing, and locking hubs.
Click to expand...

I think all the ford dana 44 fronts are hp.
 
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