i can't get the search engine to work so try not to bash me too hard boys :)

i have the 35 rear and 30 front.

am going to do the 9" rear with detroit and keep the 30 for awhile. i will do a powerlok in the 30 and do the axle/297 ujoints.

this is all the cash i can spend right now.

and run 35" tires.

question is how well does the 30 hold up with this formula?

i am not a basher but do the rock thing a LOT

I ran a 30 open with 35's for 2 seasons with no problems, but be light on the go pedal. I have buddies that ran 30s with ARBs and 38.5 TSLs...but I wouldn't recommend it. The axels and u-joints are the best thing you can do for it with limited funds.
Good Luck :rasta:

i going to give you one bit of advise, if you aint moving, dont force it. I've seen a few of my buddies spin their front tires then catch traction and BAM:nuke: There goes a piece of ujoint. You should do fine, but be light on the gas. I'm going to be pushing 37s on my spooled 9" and an open 30 (for a month or so) until the Dana fairy comes to see me.

Hub fuses? I think they withstand 44,000 pounds whereas the axle withstands 55,000. Premium hubs 80,000 to 90,000? Not sure of the numbers. But, what good is strengthening the outside and not the inside? Get some hub fuses for $20 and then you'll most likely have a 5 minute trail fix instead of replacing axles.

Also........the powerlock shouldn't be too harsh on it. It's strong but, it does give. I ran one for years with 33's.

Get some hub fuses for $20 and then you'll most likely have a 5 minute trail fix instead of replacing axles.

From the sounds of it, he has a "newer" D30 w/out locking hubs. So the hub fuses are out of the question UNLESS he has a hub conversion or I am wrong on the type of axle he has. 35s should handle it just fine for "moderate" wheeling. Just realize what you are asking to do and don't put yourself in a position to test the strength of the axle. I will be running 36s on my D30 until this fall, when I can get either my D44 under the Cherokee or preferably the D60, and am just going to take it slow.

10-4 on the hubs

don't have any and don't want any

gots the vacuum connect axle and 260 u-joints

being reverse cut gives it some additional strength but just not sure how much abuse it can take. i don't like arb's so figure the powerlok will let the front turn on pvmt and still be satisfactory when wheelin.

I've actually broken more axle joints in my Dana 44 than I even did in my stock Dana 30, they are tougher than people give them credit for. What 9" are you going to run in the rear? I'm running an Early Bronco 9" and it's a little too narrow (58" vs 60.5" stock) and my tires are rubbing the frame under articulation, I'm cutting down a fullsize housing and welding my own end housings on to make it a full floater around 62" wide (wms to wms) screw the detroit and get a spool for the rear, in such a light, short wheelbase the Detroit will be banging you around a lot, the spool is only noticeable in parking lot situations. When you replace your front axle, look for an '81 & up Wagoneer Dana 44, it's almost a bolt in.

i am having the 9" built- new style rehabbed housing with new tubes cut to the 60" width. the axles will be 35 spline built by strange. i'll try the detroit and see how i like it. H8(jeff) calls the 9" a PLOW cause of how low the pinion is. i can't afford the HP member and it would be weaker with RC. i was thinking of getting the 8.8 but don't want c-clips.

the 9" should be enough for me at the rear and will handle 38's if and when that day comes. the 30 will have to go by then i am keeping my eye out fot the waggy 44.

this is all for fun wheelin- no competition.

I opinion......leave the 30 open. You will learn to wheel better anyway and save yourself a lot of heart ache on broken shit :beer:

Originally posted by ROKWALKER
Hub fuses? I think they withstand 44,000 pounds whereas the axle withstands 55,000. Premium hubs 80,000 to 90,000? Not sure of the numbers. But, what good is strengthening the outside and not the inside? Get some hub fuses for $20 and then you'll most likely have a 5 minute trail fix instead of replacing axles.

Also........the powerlock shouldn't be too harsh on it. It's strong but, it does give. I ran one for years with 33's.

I know you don't have a detriot in your D30. BUT, if you put one in Hub fuses are a really BAD idea.

Other than that, Hub fuses suck IMO, I know a guy that was running them, they go so far before the axle goes its not funny. Yeah... its a 5 min fix, one that you may do every few hours depending on the wheeling you are doing.

Originally posted by sas87yj

being reverse cut gives it some additional strength but just not sure how much abuse it can take.

The reverse cut only gives more strenght in the R&P. With 35s, your weak points are your u-joints, shafts and housing and probably not your R&P.

If you plan on keeping the 30 and not worrying about it; truss it, and put some warn shafts with a larger u-joint in it.

Like others said, look for a 81 and up Waggy front in the mean time. JMHO

If he's got a rr30 front, and upgrades axles and joints, exactly what about a waggy 44 is an "upgrade? bigger ring gear, but driving on the coast side, same axles, joints. Sounds like a waste of time. get an arb, alloy shafts, and ctm's and run till ya break-which if you are a competent driver will be a long while.

I ran 36" sx's on my 30 with an ARB(i rarely used it) until my axle munched itself 3 times...luckily my dad paid for a 44, but be gentle with that 30

H8(jeff) calls the 9" a PLOW cause of how low the pinion is.


If you run any kind of lift at all and point the pinion at the transfer case it's not a problem. I've run a 9" with a SOA for a couple years now and never hit the pinion.

I ran the 30 with 35's for years and had no problems until I started getting on the brakes to lock up the LS and then I started to break stuff. First the ring and pinion and then the LS blewup.

Originally posted by Herzog


The reverse cut only gives more strenght in the R&P. With 35s, your weak points are your u-joints, shafts and housing and probably not your R&P.

If you plan on keeping the 30 and not worrying about it; truss it, and put some warn shafts with a larger u-joint in it.

Like others said, look for a 81 and up Waggy front in the mean time. JMHO Who in your opinion makes a strong shaft besides Warn(Superior, Yukon) or are thay just glorified Spicers