EB Dana 30 in a 89 Ranger?

[crackhead93]

I am getting a 2WD 89 Ranger from my dad for free to use as a DD.. I want to do a bacic 4WD on it. I am getting a free Dana 30 out of an EB for it. I dont want to spend the cash on a 44 and the thing will never be wheeled. Would this axle work? Thanks.
Brian..

[Robb]

A Jeep D30 would be a better choice. HP and same bolt pattern, unlike the EB D30. Also about the same width. YJ and XJ D30s are cheap and easy to come by.

[MXPAZ]

It will work if you dont plan on wheeln it. They are not very strong. You know you can pick up a EB dana 44 for around 100-150 bucks? But if you want to do it really cheap, go for it.

[Oatmeal]

I too, would use the Jeep D30 over the EB D30. High pinion (stronger) bigger u-joints (on the later ones) ball joints instead of king pins and disc brakes with the same wheel pattern as your Ranger. Also, if you plan on running leaf springs up front, no bracketry to cut off :eek: and there's thousands of them in the bone yards......Hans

[4x4junkie]

Well, if the axle is free, and its never gonna be wheeled, I don't see why it wouldn't work, as no wheeling means no breakage worries... but whats the point? Why 4WD if its not gonna be used? Why not just do a 2WD liftkit on it? Rangers have tons & tons of 2WD lift apps available due to their popularity with desert people. It'll "look" the same... :rolleyes:

[Robb]

He is in Colorado. Basic 4wd might come in handy in his part of the world.

[bobbywalter]

front drums are gay for daily driving on snowy roads...


later jeep axle...then again...if he can hook ya up with a d44 eb axle for 150 bux......

[FordFascist]

Leave it, get the Jeep one. You will be spending another $300+ putting disc brakes on the thing. The Jeep axles are easy to come by, have disc brakes, use the 5 on 4.5" circle and could possibly have the same axle ratio (most are either 3.55 or 3.07 in Cherokees I've found). You can pick one of those up for about $100-$150 complete.

[Hillbilly]

yes, it'll work, but if I was you I'd sell the eb 30 for whatever I could get out of it and use that money toward buying a yj/xj dana 30. you'll be ahead in the long run. more than likel you'll find a useable 30 that might just need freshing up. Where as your eb 30 is proabaly worn out, and will more than likely need a complete going through.

[crackhead93]

will i run in to the whole vaccum diconnect issue with the jeep 30? i need it to be 4wd in the winter. it snows every now and again around here and it would be nice to have another wheel turnin.

Brian.

[Hillbilly]

there's ways around the vacucum issues. you can covert it to a manual setup for a samll cost. you could search the jeep section. there was a post that told every piece of material needed even part numbers where they bought them.

[crackhead93]

well the guy just called me and told me that it is a D44, not a 30. it had 3.55's and a LS.. he asked me if i still wanted it.. haha.. looks like it will work like a champ...

Brian..

[Robb]

For just creating a basic 4wd truck (not a trail rig), I would still look into the Jeep D30 over that D44.

-a LP D44 isn't much (if any) stronger than a HP D30
-the 30 will have disc brakes, the EB 44 will probably be drum
-the D30 bolt pattern will match your rear axle, unlike the 44

But the 44 is free, so that is it's big advantage! Whatever you choose, good luck with the project!! :)

[wuzabronco]

Here's a page full of solid axle Rangers. Sift through it, you might find some usefull info. The EB axles seem popular.

http://www.therangerstation.com/SolidRangers/

[bremen242]

if it was me, I'd just grab the TTB setup and use it.

disc, and a bolt on (i know the f-150 is, the ranger probably is too). It isn't for trail use, so why not?? TTB is great for mall crawlin'.

[crackhead93]

got it today.. looks pretty good.. how available are eb rad arms??

[Hillbilly]

rarius arms from all 79 and older 4wd's will work. this includes F-series trucks and fullsize broncos (78-79). hunt up a set from a 1/2 ton 4wd pickup. alot of people around here think that their EB radius arms are worth more than truck ones. :shaking:

[1TonCJ-7]

If you get a D30 out of a cherokee with full time/part time case (select trac??) it will not have the vaccum on it. Just has a one piece shaft on the pass side. Plus disc and same wheel stud pattern as your ranger. If you go with the EB axle, you will need new rims for the front as well as two spare tires (one for the front-5x5.5, and one for the back-5x4.5)

[4x4junkie]

if it was me, I'd just grab the TTB setup and use it.


The frame crossmember is different on a 2WD Ranger vs.a 4WD, so swapping the TTB axle in is not practical. The brackets won't fit.

I would use the Bronco axle over a Jeep axle. Much of the coilspring hardware is already there, just a trackbar mount needs to be fabbed up, and some radius arm brackets put on. The Jeep axle will need all that bracketry "cleaned" off it, plus C-wedges put on, etc. The Bronco axle will be quite a bit stronger than the Jeep axle with just an axleshaft swapout, too.
Matching the rear bolt pattern is just a matter of redrilling the stock axle flanges (the pattern will just fit, barely :eek: ), although you might also think about swiping the 9" from that Bronco also, to match (if the ABS is a concern, a 8.8" from an Explorer will work, but will also need the bolt pattern changed as above).

[bremen242]

The frame crossmember is different on a 2WD Ranger vs.a 4WD, so swapping the TTB axle in is not practical. The brackets won't fit.


sorry- I assumed it would be like the f-150 TTB

[bobbywalter]

on a 28 spline ranger axle you cant redrill for the 5.5 pattern and run press ins...they need to be screw ins. the flange is just too small. on the explorer axle you can drill for press ins. some rangers...fx4 have 31 spline axles...those can be drilled for press ins as they are the same flange as sploders.


also with the jeep if you use a tj axle you could use the "long arms" from a long arm kit from a cherokee to mount it with minor bracketry fabbing..but your gonna need some lift...and also have the abs signal if applicable.


the reason the eb axles are popular is that they are from a ford and percieved as a bolt in...cause they are. still a low pinion turd.

[4x4junkie]

Yes, (sorry I left that out) you must use screw-in studs if you redrill the flange.

BTW the Explorer & Ranger flanges are the same. Spline doesn't matter.

[moab_b2]

So on a HP dana 44 could you redrill for the 5 on 4 pattern and use the press-in studs? If not why? Just curious. I dont want to have 2 different wheel patterns on my B2.

[crackhead93]

i havent meaasured yet, but are the knuckles and everything the same between a 78/79 fuullsize D44 and the 7?ish B2 D44??
Brian...

[wilber]

jp, there is a dodge unit bearing that you can put on and keep the 44 5 on 4.5 but for what your doing i would just run wheel adaptors in the rear for now. talk to taxman on rrorc, he has a nice set in his sploder

[4x4junkie]

So on a HP dana 44 could you redrill for the 5 on 4 pattern and use the press-in studs? If not why? Just curious. I dont want to have 2 different wheel patterns on my B2.
You can't do this. A wheel with 5x4.5" would never fit over the D44 hub.

[American]

Go with an eb d44/9". Patterns will match, and it will be a better rear then that twinky... not htat the 9" is the strongest thing in the world...

Disk conversions are the easiest thing on a d44 front... the drum issue shouldn't even be an issue...

[GONRACIN]

I've got a friend with a EB D44 and 9" setup on an 90 BII, and I plan on doing an SAS to my BII with a Jeep D30 axle...

the axle will be upgraded some, as I will use it for wheeling (not anything really hardcore) and winter, as canada sucks....

an yes, I've seen both an EB30 swap and Jeep D30....the Jeep one just seems to be cheaper...