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What the best year stock front XJ axle, swapping a low pinion for a high pinion?

P

pajeepman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
East Norriton, PA
I think my front axle has several issues and I was thinking about swapping in a high pinion axle, mine is a 2000 with the low pinion. What is generally considered the best factory front axle that was put in an XJ. Mine doesn't have ABS. Would a new driveshaft be needed when swapping from a LP30 to a HP30, I don't have a lift but plan on a 2" BB lift. I hitting a yard tomorrow that has lots of XJ's to choose from. ANy other issues that need to be addressed when swapping to a HP30? TIA
 
High pinion D30's were used up to 1999, so get as new a pratically possible. In 2000, there was a redesign of the exhaust manifold, hence the need for the low pinion axle, for exhaust clearance. I would recommend putting your lift on first, or at least at the same time you swap axles, so that you have clearance for the front driveshaft.
 
aren't there 2 different styles of u joints that came in the dana 30's? and one style is stronger than the other? what years came with the stronger u joints in the axle shafts??
 
$700later said:
aren't there 2 different styles of u joints that came in the dana 30's? and one style is stronger than the other? what years came with the stronger u joints in the axle shafts??
Click to expand...

pretty sure pre-96 have the smaller 5-260x shafts, unless it had ABS in which case all ABS equipped axles have the 5-297x shafts.

and ALL dana 30's after 96 have the 260/760 shafts
 
are you saying the 96 and up hp 30's have stronger axle shafts too? not just stronger u joints?

just to lay it all out here....if i were to go to the junk yard, what year xj would i look for to get the strongest d30 out of??

mine is a '94 and has a bad hub bearing, so its a good chance for me to upgrade while i have it apart.
 
Look for a D30 out of a 97-99.5, they changed the hub and I think brake set-up after 99.5 I'm not sure all the 96's had the 297 joints but with the new body style came the stronger 8.25's and 30's. The shafts are the same, it's the joints that are different. Also you can just swap the shafts and hubs into yours. Mine is also a 94 and I have shafts out of a 99 in mine, and if the hub is a pre 99.5 you can grab those at the jyard too instead of swapping in a mystery axle.
 
Last edited:
rweaver138 said:
pretty sure pre-96 have the smaller 5-260x shafts, unless it had ABS in which case all ABS equipped axles have the 5-297x shafts.

and ALL dana 30's after 96 have the 260/760 shafts
Click to expand...
whoops, what mini=man said not shafts, u-joints
mini=man said:
Look for a D30 out of a 97-99.5, they changed the hub and I think brake set-up after 99.5 I'm not sure all the 96's had the 297 joints but with the new body style came the stronger 8.25's and 30's. The shafts are the same, it's the joints that are different. Also you can just swap the shafts and hubs into yours. Mine is also a 94 and I have shafts out of a 99 in mine, and if the hub is a pre 99.5 you can grab those at the jyard too instead of swapping in a mystery axle.
Click to expand...

x2 on this, your 94 is an HP which is the same housing as the later models. Just find shafts/hub/brakes off a newer cherokee and swap them in your housing.

like mentioned though 99.5 down use a different brake and hub setup than the 99.5 + so make sure you stay consistent
 
Last edited:
Ivan said:
In 2000, there was a redesign of the exhaust manifold, hence the need for the low pinion axle, for exhaust clearance. I would recommend putting your lift on first, or at least at the same time you swap axles, so that you have clearance for the front driveshaft.
Click to expand...

x2 this,driveshafts are the same for both HP/LP axles.
 
The shaft/ujoint info above is correct except that the introduction of 297/760 size joints was in 95 iirc, not 96.

If you have a vac disco and want to keep it but switch to the larger size joints, you want the outer long side shaft out of a 95 YJ. Good luck finding enough in the yards to carry a spare, my suggestion would be to eliminate the disco.
 
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