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The 260's are the smaller early model joints..pre 1995.
The 297's are the larger late model joints...which can also be found in late model trucks that had ABS brakes.
The 260's are the smaller early model joints..pre 1995.
The 297's are the larger late model joints...which can also be found in late model trucks that had ABS brakes.
Agreed with Cal:read: I believe the dana 30 is very under rated!! Of course my brothers jeep is an 89 with the disconnect model axle which has been converted to 1 piece shafts. I believe the disconnect housing is stronger due to the extra material the disconnect provides.-----------------------Kyle
Here is my brother's Jeep for reference. Pictures do the place no justice------------
This particular part is where most people broke stuff or didn't make it. As a matter of fact my brother didn't quite make it after he gave it pure hell!!! He literally bounced it off all 4's four feet in the air. Lots of skinny. A blazer buggy with nothing but tube and 42's and a stak, and a big v-8 didn't make it here. In that last pic is David Egger (2nd in the world in WeRock stock mod class)
I ran a d30 the entire life of the Jeep with 35's with not a single problem on the trail. I think that you just have to be careful with that axle. When treated properly, it will hold up, but if you're like Rich (Non-Stick) you can frag your ring and pinion in it with 33's and 4.56's pretty easily. It all depends on how you wheel and what you're willing to do to prevent breakage.
im running 37s on the dana 30 on stock shafts. You will break of course, but what rig doesnt break from time to time. I know this axle is weaker than what I should be running, but when money dictates, you wheel what you can.
This will be you! 37's is too much for the non hardened ears on stock shafts, by far. When they go and take out your balljoints, it's gonna be a very bad afternoon.
I ran my locked 30 on 4.88s with a lockrite and 36s and never had a problem. I didn't beat on it, but I ran the mild stuff at jv and I carried spares.
I say if your gonna wheel a 30 and your serious about it truss it up ala Scrappy and get a super 30 kit.
If your not gonna dump all that $$$ into it run spicers like I did. Cause they are everywhere just takin up space in the junkyard and $20 aint crap for a set of inner and outers.
People like you are exactly why i carry a set of balljoints on the trail now.
Those pictures above were on clawhammer, the guy had 32" MT's on stock shafts with 4.56's and a lockrite. He broke an ear on his outer shaft, the ujoint broke, the outer shaft contacted the inner shaft and seperated both balljoints. We worked on it a bit over 4 hours just to get it to where we could move the rig.
Personally, after seeing my friend's D30 after he hit a "pussy trail" here in town, I would never run the Dana30. It's utter crap. The 8.25 is decent though. I am very impressed with how it held up.
Personally, after seeing my friend's D30 after he hit a "pussy trail" here in town, I would never run the Dana30. It's utter crap. The 8.25 is decent though. I am very impressed with how it held up.
Well this piece of "utter crap" has worked quite well for a number of people and while there is widespread criticism of the 30, there are some strong supporters.
Backdoor at johnson valley may be a far cry from "pussy trail" as an 9 foot tall vertical rock ledge but its been done on d30s..........a few times recently I might add.
What do you run on your xj?
It find it comical how you call the d30 crap in one sentence then praise of all axles the 8.25..........
I'm giving it another chance, but only because I can't afford a 44 or 9in now. I can't understand the sudden swing of opinion on the turdy. IT WILL BREAK, THAT'S WHAT 30'S DO! It's as though everyone woke up one morning and said, " I know it has let me or someone I know of down more than once, but I KNOW it won't do that to me (again)."
I hate to sound like a party pooper but it just keeps breaking.
I have been crawling a total of 5 times and the 30 has let me down 3.
Inners twisting the splines (first time), then outers ripping off the ears (third time), then once all shafts were alloys, breaking teeth off of the ring gear (last time). I'm on 33's TT front and E-locker rear and I push it when I am in a bind. Most of the time it gets me through, but on 3 occasions I have heard "pop" and I hate driving home early.
The D30 is a better axle then many give it credit for, much better then the D35 many of us have in the rear, but I think there marginal at best on a 35, and your just asking for trouble if you go with 36-37". Personally I'm running 33" with my D30, and may consider running 35” but only if I put alloys in the D30. However when I go to 36" IROKs I will build something supper beefy to go along with the new tires.
I just don't understand the "I'd better get pulled out because I am almost stuck" mentality. If you ever have to pull me out it is because I am stuck or broken. First break was in an off camber situation, the tire rubbed the fender and the axleshaft broke from engine torque, no wheelspin no bouncing. If the axle cannot handle the torque the engine puts out then it is not good enough for the vehicle. I should not have to worry that if I hold the brake too hard and gas it the axles or ring gear or housings or u-joints will explode. It's my piece of crap and I have to live with it, but don't try to tell me my turd is made of gold and that I just don't know how to poop.
