Dana 44 FRONT swap

[XJ_ranger]

you my firend are spitting more BS than you even know

If you want to scrap the 5 link and switch to leaf springs you can do it for a grand.

Here are my costs, and I know they aren't that unheard of;
-spring pad perches $20
-Leaf springs from 4" YJ Free
-2 inch YJ Confer Shackles Free
-I have a steel aftermarket front bumper that I welded to, you can make a cross-member and use the stock front bumper too.
-Dana 44 from '86 grand Wag d-side drop junk yard $66
-5:13 gears about $150
-Lock-rite about $250
-Warn Hubs $75
-E-350 Master Cylinder $12 from Junk yard
-Steering is waggy and ZJ mixed parts with a bent waggy Drag link (yes it sucks with bump steer, but you could drive with it till you got the high steer)

Total for me= about $550

what about the case for the higher gears?
did you do new brake components?
what about u-joints in the shafts?
what about driveshaft length?
what about Axle seals?
wheel bearings?

Misc hardware that you didnt keep track of?

come on - you know you spent at least 800 on it once you add all the nickle and dimes togehter...

 

[LittleAnthony88]

keep the 30 if all you are going to run is 33's

keep stock gears if they are working for you

buy some new control arms and get the steering box re-enforcement, but skip the HD steering components for a little while (till you break or bend the stock stuff)

dont spend a grand because you have a grand...

try looking in your local chapter and in online classifieds for used short arms - people are going to LA's all the time

if anything id be looking at getting rid of the d35 for a stronger axle (think Chry 8.25)

and www.car-part.com is your friend - if your d30 is toast...

With my budget and a new found 4X4 connection who builds these rigs for a living out in pennsylvania,(Aron), we are gonna leave the stock 30 and leave the gears alone because just like you said XJ_Ranger! They held up very well on some tough trails as it is anyway. Its the LCA that didnt last.

Heres the new plan for now, taking off the drop LCA brackets and putting in fixed lifetime warrantied arms for cheaper then ive ever seen; then the upper control arms will be adjustable so that we can change the pinion angle of the axle to where it rides/works the best! After an alighnment hes gonna replace the bent up stock tie rods with the toughest he can put in under my budget and, anything he puts in is LIFETIME warranited,"no questions asked"! I believe him because i rode behind him and saw his rig take a pounding and it was the nicest and best built there!
I got hung up twice because of my LCA drop brackets and ofcourse there coming off so if anyone wants to buy a pair of RE drop brackets in great condition, give me your best offer and there yours!

I wanna thank everyone who replied to this thread with there knowlege and help!!! This is why i love this board!!