Pirate 4x4 banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Waggy 44s vs. HP30 and D44

Jump to Latest
41 - 57 of 57 Posts
#43 ·
dave_dj1 said:
the balljoint came apart.:laughing:
Click to expand...
Which balljoint came apart? If you are talking about the upper balljoint and it had the pin "fall" out, they're supposed to. The body stays in the inner C and the pin stays in the knuckle.

They newer balljoints are not like the older ones that fit the same inner C and knuckle. The older versions have that adjuster that fits in the lower part of the knuckle that you use to raise the knuckle up and down to get the tapered pins seated correctly. There has to be some adjustment because it's not economically feasible to try and figure out how to machine opposing tapers to match perfectly, plus you'd never be able to swap knuckles without having a new set matched.

They way they solve the problem is with some adjustment. Older with the screw adjuster that you sometimes see in with the lower balljoints that most of us don't use, and then the newer style.

A bit of genius in that as the upper pin just floats up and down in the balljoint body in a polymer race.

So, for a trail repair where you've blown the knuckle off, just line the upper pin back up with the hole in the balljoint body and push it back in unless the pin is bent horribly and I've never seen one that was.
 
#45 ·
Caterpiller said:
The axle ujoints on a rubi d44 are exactly the same as a later d30 right? So are the ball joint also I believe. So in reality the d44 would do the exact same thing as a d30 if the ujoint broke right?
Click to expand...
The u-joints and balljoints and knuckles and tubes and inner C's are the same on the Rubi 44, TJ LP 30, XJ HP 30 back until they had the 2 piece knuckle and the same for the MJ. All same same and the only difference in the Rubi 44 is the center section. Oh, and the SA HP 44 is the same as well.
 
#46 · (Edited)
Thanks to Mrblaine great info & advice and experience. I just built a dana 30 hp for my jeep with NEW:spartan locker, alloy axles,balljoints and unit bearings and zj otk tierod upgrade.Plans are homemade truss currie lower skids and gusseted inner c's. I want to get a currie hd draglink next. I am sure it will work perfect as I am not that extreme and know when to back off the skinny pedal. I am sure anybody could break a dana 60 also depending how they drive and whether or not how nuts they get with the skinny peddle.
 
#47 ·
FWIW if you decide to go with the Currie drag link and tie rod, you will have to purchase their TREs, because they are custom. ie Can't go down to NAPA or Auto-Zone and purchase TREs. For that reason, I chose Big Daddy's.

Wally
 
#48 ·
WallyP226 said:
FWIW if you decide to go with the Currie drag link and tie rod, you will have to purchase their TREs, because they are custom. ie Can't go down to NAPA or Auto-Zone and purchase TREs. For that reason, I chose Big Daddy's.

Wally
Click to expand...
Even if they weren't proprietary, they'd still be proprietary in that they have been built with more angle to them at the draglink so you don't run out of travel when you droop it out.

FWIW, that means if you did match up the threads, you run the risk of not having enough travel and ruining the TRE.

I also consider this one of the stupidest reasons there is not to buy something. There's lots of crap on our rigs we just can't run down to Autozone and buy a spare for.

Everything from field serviceable ends for my cylinder assist, to rod ends in my links. But, I'm also smart enough to get spares ahead of time and guess what? Currie has those for sale.

BTW- Does AZ sell a replacement tie rod equivalent to your BD?
 
#49 ·
I have seen couple of guys are running the hd currie draglink with the v8 zj tierod. I have seen the currie tie rod bend on other jeeps and know for a fact the zj tie rod is pretty stout 1" solid bar. I believe the tie rod ends are the same size also as the currie tierod also. I have seen one guy flip it oposite of a stock zj and all the bends seem perfect It is bent up higher on the draglink side and its bent out towards the front of the jeep a bit on the knuckle side for more clearence. I have this tierod with my stock draglink I will let you guys know how it works. I cant stand the wandering and hittting everything with my rugged ridge crossover steering so i am going back to the inverted y setup. Plus you can get a replacment at any auto parts store, not that your going to need it.
 
#50 · (Edited)
Caterpiller said:
I have seen couple of guys are running the hd currie draglink with the v8 zj tierod. I have seen the currie tie rod bend on other jeeps and know for a fact the zj tie rod is pretty stout 1" solid bar. I believe the tie rod ends are the same size also as the currie tierod also. I have seen one guy flip it oposite of a stock zj and all the bends seem perfect It is bent up higher on the draglink side and its bent out towards the front of the jeep a bit on the knuckle side for more clearence. I have this tierod with my stock draglink I will let you guys know how it works. I cant stand the wandering and hittting everything with my rugged ridge crossover steering so i am going back to the inverted y setup. Plus you can get a replacment at any auto parts store, not that your going to need it.
Click to expand...
The ZJ tie rod is a nice upgrade over stock, but you are still left with the weak draglink. Yes, the Currie bends, but it also bends right back when you put it in a shop press and given that it's 1.25" diameter solid heat treated chromemolly, it can do that many times before it fails.

Due to it's size, if it didn't bend when you abuse it, you run the risk of breaking something else that's not so easily fixed.

The nice thing to do with the Currie is how I tune them up. Flip the driver's side tie rod up on top and use my bracket to relocate the swaybar link mounts to clear.

Put the tie rod above the top of the axle tube.

Image
 
#51 ·
OTK was my plan with either setup. I definatly want a currie draglink but I am waiting for one to come along used or at a discount. The nice thing about the zj tierod is it has some factory bends so when you put it otk and flip it reverse of the way it was on the zj you get even more clearence up out of the way and out from the spring pearches. I still think the swaybar mounts need to be moved though when you do the otk way also. The fact it only cost me ~$20 at the local pnp was a win win also. I am not saying it not as strong as the currie tierod but its definatly stronger than the stock hollow one. Its up out of the way farther so maybe it doesnt have to be. Heres one on a xj http://www.soxja.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=292 apparently you dont have to move your swaybar tabs when its installed otk and fliped. But I can not see the pics good enough to tell. Its definatly is up and out of the way though.
 
#52 · (Edited)
Caterpiller said:
OTK was my plan with either setup. I definatly want a currie draglink but I am waiting for one to come along used or at a discount. The nice thing about the zj tierod is it has some factory bends so when you put it otk and flip it reverse of the way it was on the zj you get even more clearence up out of the way and out from the spring pearches.
Click to expand...
I'm well familiar with the V8 ZJ tie rod. I installed one on my 99 in 00 when I went to 35's.


I still think the swaybar mounts need to be moved though when you do the otk way also. The fact it only cost me ~$20 at the local pnp was a win win also. I am not saying it not as strong as the currie tierod but its definatly stronger than the stock hollow one. Its up out of the way farther so maybe it doesnt have to be. Heres one on a xj http://www.soxja.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=292 apparently you dont have to move your swaybar tabs when its installed otk and fliped. But I can not see the pics good enough to tell. Its definatly is up and out of the way though.
Click to expand...
I've never flipped the ZJ TR, but I have flipped many of the Currie TR's on TJ's and have yet to find a better way than with the bracket I showed.

Here is how much they interfere which made me design that bracket-

You have to grind more than halfway through the stock Swaybar link mount and then reinforce. Too much work and it looks like ass.

Image
 
#53 ·
Hopefully I dont have to move the swaybar bracket but well see. Where can I get a set of those brackets just incase. Also do you have any pics of a d30 homemade truss. I plan on making one and am trting to get some ideas. Search and only found a few among the expensive production ones.
 
#54 ·
Caterpiller said:
Hopefully I dont have to move the swaybar bracket but well see. Where can I get a set of those brackets just incase. Also do you have any pics of a d30 homemade truss. I plan on making one and am trting to get some ideas. Search and only found a few among the expensive production ones.
Click to expand...
I don't have the brackets in hand yet, those are prototypes to see if they are strong enough. I'll post back when I find out if they are. I know they work fine with an Anti-rock style offroad swaybar, but don't know if they are strong enough for the stock bar.

As far as the truss goes. I don't believe in trussing a throwaway housing in either high or low pinion and that's what the 30 is, a disposeable housing.

They are so common and easy to install, I just don't see the value in spending that much time and money on something that really doesn't bend that often and about the only time they fail is if you jump your rig. If you do jump your rig, you can't make the 30 strong enough without doing enough work to it that you could buy a bigger axle very easily.
 
#55 · (Edited)
I dont plan on jumping for sure. I have seen pics of d30 and d44 breaking on the long side tube around the housing and axle area. Though I dont remember the circumstances. I was thinking a simple truss on the long side tube to help strengthen and reinforce it a bit. Nothing like the tnt truss though. I was thinking a simple 1/4" plate about 3" tall x length of the tube with a 1/4"x2" strap on the top tied into the top of the pumkin and reinforce upper control arm mount. Kind like an Ibeam. I see where your coming from as far as readily availiable throw away axles but If I can reinforce it a bit more so it hopfully doesnt break I feel its worth it. Heres one that is pretty cool. http://www.nc4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82672 I plan doing something similer but with 1/4" strap instead of tube.
 
#56 ·
Caterpiller said:
I dont plan on jumping for sure. I have seen pics of d30 and d44 breaking on the long side tube around the housing and axle area. Though I dont remember the circumstances. I was thinking a simple truss on the long side tube to help strengthen and reinforce it a bit. Nothing like the tnt truss though. I was thinking a simple 1/4" plate about 3" tall x length of the tube with a 1/4"x2" strap on the top tied into the top of the pumkin and reinforce upper control arm mount. Kind like an Ibeam. I see where your coming from as far as readily availiable throw away axles but If I can reinforce it a bit more so it hopfully doesnt break I feel its worth it. Heres one that is pretty cool. http://www.nc4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82672 I plan doing something similer but with 1/4" strap instead of tube.
Click to expand...
The only 30 I've seen break like that was in a YJ and the owner trussed it from spring perch to spring perch. It broke outside the perche because that's the only place left for it to give.

If you run joints with very little give to them, you run the risk of cracking the tube in the HAZ of your control arm mounts. It's far better to let the whole tube twist and spread the load out over a longer area instead of concentrating it.
 
#57 ·
i run a hp30 with 4.56 gears been beating the piss out of it with 33 boggers and 35 bfg mt for over 5 years i have broke 2 ujoints. the last ujoint i broke took the yoke out on the shaft.. mt rig is a 89 xj with a '91 ho 4.0 that i stroked to 4.5 liters. just my .02$ i would keep the d30.. the high pinion dana 30 pretty strong..
 
41 - 57 of 57 Posts
About this Discussion
56 Replies
19 Participants
Last post:
blown xj
Pirate 4x4
posts
19M
members
378K
Since
2000
A forum community dedicated to custom off-road vehicle owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about trail reports, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, fabrication, drivetrain, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General 4x4 Discussions Toyota - Truck and 4Runner Vehicles & Trailers Classifieds Axles,Tires & Wheels Classifieds Jeep - Hardcore Tech