Brakes and Lockers, good times

[sinat01]

ok, thank you guys

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

i wouldnt spend any extra money on 30 spline stuff for a D30, especially with your described use. stock shafts are plentiful... chromos would be a good investment, but break a 30 spline shaft and your going to be hard pressed to find another unless you have already bought a second set of shafts. ive seen very few D30 shaft failures at the splines anyway, the U joint and ears of the shaft are usually the culprit.

i also run the AX15 with 5.13s and 35s. after being a poor college student for years and running 3.55s with 33s and 35s, ill take over geared ANY DAY. 5.13s may be excessive (and is unavailable for your axles) but i wouldnt hesitate to run 4.56s and 33s with a manual. youll appreciate it offroad as well.

 

[Brassmonkey]

OX. Expensive but will last forever. And it is fun to have a top secret lever (if you go manually actuated).

 

[sinat01]

Id like to do chromo axles, but my line of thought on those is id rather have an axle snap on the trail then have hardened axles and a stock D30 carrier. If I get a full case locker of some sort, ill upgrade my axles, not sure where the weak spot would be at then. And ive really been eyeballing the OX locker, and would go with the lever/cable setup because its less to fool with after its set up.

 

[sinat01]

Ive also hear of people using CV grand Cherokee axles in the D30, few people swear by em, just dunno how well theyd hold up

 

[Jeep Driver]

Ive also hear of people using CV grand Cherokee axles in the D30, few people swear by em, just dunno how well theyd hold up

I do, and I swear by them.

 

[sinat01]

Do they just swap right in? my luck ill go to toss em in and tear my new axles seals lol

 

[trippled]

I do, and I swear by them.

I've wondered about that. Poor man's rcvs? Ever broke one? You can buy new precision brand ones for $65 each. Keep the old shafts for trail spares. And lifetime warranty.

 

[sinat01]

Those shaft bind less while turning in 4wd don't they?

 

[Jeep Driver]

Those shaft bind less while turning in 4wd don't they?

You don't even know they are there.

 

[sinat01]

nice

 

[lazyxj]

You don't even know they are there.

Until one breaks, binding the shafts and popping the ball joints, usually happens about 25 miles from the nearest paved road.

Might be fine for near stock diameter tires but not for large tires and harder wheeling.
The exception are RCV axles, which cost a bundle.
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/CVJ30-XJ.html?gclid=CJfKo_yGkdECFUpNfgods7oI-A

 

[sinat01]

don't U-joint axles usually take out the ball joints to?

 

[lazyxj]

don't U-joint axles usually take out the ball joints to?

Yes, they can, usually the yokes distort or the clips fall out, allowing the caps to slip.
That's why you see built Jeeps dumping the stock u-joint shafts and replacing them with alloy shafts, full circle snap rings and the best u-joints, Splicer 5760Xs or better.
If the ZJ's CVs joint were dependable, you would see a lot of them used on built Jeeps, no one appreciate the jerking, felt in the steering wheel, when making hard turns.
Breaking a shaft is bad, popping the ball joints is a disaster that many times requires a ball joint press to repair.

 

[sinat01]

ok, Thank ya for the explanation, What is a good brand of shafts to go with that wont break the bank?

 

[Jeep Driver]

Until one breaks, binding the shafts and popping the ball joints, usually happens about 25 miles from the nearest paved road.

Might be fine for near stock diameter tires but not for large tires and harder wheeling.
The exception are RCV axles, which cost a bundle.
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/CVJ30-XJ.html?gclid=CJfKo_yGkdECFUpNfgods7oI-A

Anything and everything can and will eventually break. For those of us who use or Jeeps for practical purposes, the CVs are fine.

 

[uglystick]

With 33's and a 5 speed I'd start with 4.10's as well..

I ran 33,s with 4:10,s for years in mid Ohio. I regeared to 4:88,s. Same gas mileage and more smiles. I can now use 5th gear somewhere else than interstate. Kinda wishing I'd geared somewhat lower.

 

[denverd1]

on 33s....
I've been running a lokka in the rear for about 2 years. Not a lot of road miles, but it does its job and the noise doesn't bother me. recently bought the front to match. not long after that, aussie came back on the scene. seems they're no longer as involved as they were.

long story short, but American for quicker shipping and support. haven't had problems with mine, but dread the day I do. they do have an international 3 year warranty, but seem pretty picky about what they will cover and what they won't. no experience with this, just my opinion.

 

[denverd1]

have only installed lokka, but it was a breeze to put in

 

[sidriptide]

dont waste your time looking for "stock" performance in a modified vehicle.. the goal should be IMPROVEMENT.
4.56s on 33s and a 5 spd is going to be a much happier combination that you can imagine. dont be afraid to let that 4.0L wind out on the highway and breathe a little. if your engine is running correctly you could even see an increase in your fuel economy.
let it wind out on the highway at 3200 rpm and run 70+ mph...... deeper gears let you rev faster with less grunting by the engine.
my last trip from the east cost to Moab i got up on the highway in 5th gear and literally never had to down-shift just to pull a hill until we hit Colorado. not even thru Pa. and this was on a 250K mile Renix 4.0L.
4.10s would be just fine, but why take a 1/2 step when a full step has the same cost, better performance daily driving and off-road, and unless you plan to run 90mph will have no real-world detriment.

as far as the CV shafts go, i used to carry new ones as trail spares. cheap, clean, easy repair, and if you broke one it's warranteed. excellent choice for a daily driver that lives on pavement..
as far as everything else, upgrade as much as possible with the budget.
do a full case locker when you gear it, just like Ron Popeil says, set it and forget it! upgrading shafts later is an easy driveway job.
i'm a fan of Detroit rear and selectable front, however i did love the billet spool i had in my D44...