Okay...I've already spent way too much $$$ on my 76 Jeep Dana30:
4:56 gears
ARB
New balljoints, etc
New u-joints
New disk brakes (from an 84 CJ7)

Here's the problem (other than I should've got the the 44-like I now advise other's to do), the vehicle is not 'under power' as of yet. When I put the axles in (about 10 years ago-it's been a long build) I 'think' I forgot to put the inner seals, thrust washers, etc on the stub that goes into the spindle.

I'm gonna have to strip it down again (another long story), so....

What does everyone think about upgrades for axles? Superior? Warn?

I've got new MileMarker (5 bolt) locking hubs on it right now, MAW go for the Warn internal conversion?

Or should I just leave the stock axles in it and put the seals/thrust stuff in?

I currently have 32x11.50 tires, and may jump to 34x9.50 in the near future. No 'hardcore' stuff, mostly logging trails, etc.

Fire department standing by.....

I have Warn axles and internal hub conversion in my D30. Good stuff in my opinion. I have heard they no longer sell them however. I run S.S. TSL 32x9.50's. I've also heard TSL 34's roll off the rims easily when aired down.

everyone and their mother has wheeled a dana 30 with 33's or 35's and come out clean, while it is possible to break the axleshafts, you say you dont wheel too hardcore, leave the stock shafts. run to the junkyard, and grab some spares, but i wouldnt worry about breaking them, just run em...

i gott a second that. i have a yj with front dana 30. stock shafts open diff. 4.11 gears, 33" MT/R's. ive been rockcrawling with this front end and have yet to break anything. ive beaten it pretty good. get some spares and use the arb when you're driving staright ahead. turn hard and you'll prob just bust a u-joint. step-up to a dana 44 when you're ready for 35" tires or harder wheeling.

It took me 6 years to break the stock D30 ujoint/shaft/ring and pinion (all at the same time), and that only happened while beating the poop out of it on a rocky hillclimb, locked with 34x10.50's and a tad too much oomph from the 360. Upgrade the shafts only if you want to.

i'v been running my d30 4:56 gears open diff with 35in. tires for 4 years now on the con and have had no problems. my d35 now thats been a big problem shaft after shaft after shaft :barf:

Not to hijack but I heard that its not even worth upgrading axles are far as swapping them out up front unless you are going to a 9" or a 60. Just wanted to see what you guys thought about that. Basically seeing if upgrading to a 44 front is worth it or not or if I should just go straight to the 60 or 609 front. Thanks for your help!

I went with the what i think they called the super 30 kit in my 80 cj5. Sorry its been a couple years since i bought it! It had better axles, new hubs, and new spindles. Im runnin 35s with 4.88s locked and never have had a problem. I do not wheel lightly either! I also have a "strong" 350 in it also! I have abused it pretty hard with no worries. Im building a new rig now just because i want a longer wheelbase and something a little easier for my 6'3" frame to get in and out of!!

Thanks to all the responded. I think I'll just save the $$$ on the axles and hubs. I'm going to have to fix the seal/thrust washer thing as soon as the garage gets warm.

I built a similar D30 that you have. I waxed the ring gear before the stock shafts gave up. The axle was in a CJ5 on 35's, 90:1 ratio with a mild 350. The last season I wheeled on the axle I replaced the 260 ujionts 4 times.

The axle gave me 3 good years. I have since built a custom passenger drop HP 44.

The last season I wheeled on the axle I replaced the 260 u-joints 4 times.

Yeah...That's what I'm really worried about. My setup is 90:1 in Low/Low also. I'm running a Mustang 5.0 crate motor rated at 345hp. I figure the hubs or the u-joints will grenade first. Although it's not difficult to repair/replace...It's just another pain in the arse that I hadn't planned on doing right now.

I see many responses that prove that the 30 works pretty well but my experiences are a bit different.
Being old school, I changed out my CJ Dana 30 in 1991 (for a custom width 44). I had already changed 1 R&P due to R&P interference. In my Jeep club, we had 8 guys that at some time had to change the R&P. We all had some kind of posi as lockers weren' t really available for the 30 at the time. In every case, these failures weren't found on the trail as a catastrophic failure, but in the garage while doing routine gear oil changes. You'd pull the cover and find a ring gear tooth laying in the bottom of the case. It seems that the center section tends to flex and cause the interference.
I've since found that Dana was having real problems with the CJ Dana 30center section and re-cast it for YJ's and TJ's.
In the shop we rarely see YJ or TJ Dana 30 R&P failures unless they're 4.88 gears. But almost every other Dana 30 R&P failure we see is on a CJ.

All good information...Unfortunately I'm stuck with my Dana 30. Before I knew it, I'd spent way too much money on it. Had I spent the $$$$ ten years ago for the 44/60 combo from Dynatrac everything would be a mute point.

Pretty much why I've recommended on this forum (and on others) that if any upgrades are planned for the 30, you are better off looking for a 44(for moderate-hard wheeling) or going with a 60 (for the hard to extreme wheeling). And if it's not a street vehicle...Go full width. Just my .02. My next build would be different.

All good information...Unfortunately I'm stuck with my Dana 30. Before I knew it, I'd spent way too much money on it. Had I spent the $$$$ ten years ago for the 44/60 combo from Dynatrac everything would be a mute point.

Pretty much why I've recommended on this forum (and on others) that if any upgrades are planned for the 30, you are better off looking for a 44(for moderate-hard wheeling) or going with a 60 (for the hard to extreme wheeling). And if it's not a street vehicle...Go full width. Just my .02. My next build would be different.

I use my 60/60 full width as a daily driver and full width is about the best mod I've done.

I use my 60/60 full width as a daily driver and full width is about the best mod I've done.

How do you cover the tires so the cops don't write you endless stacks of tickets? (which is my concern with running full width on a DD) Perhaps they are more understanding in CO.