cj axle decision help

cj777

cj777

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Durham, NC
After Christmas is over, I really need to do something about my axles. I currently have dana 30 front and dana 44 rear, both narrow track. I'm currently running 33" tires, and don't plan on going any larger than that becasue I could no longer fit in my garage if I did. I want to install lockers and regear my axles (thinking ox lockers and 4.56), but am wondering if it would be better in the long run to upgrade them instead. This is my daily driver and needs to pass inspection, so full widths are probably out. I know scout or wagoneer 44's are an option, but would this really be worth it just to replace the front 30? So what do you guys think, upgrade what I have and maybe throw in some superior axles or swap?
 
IF you are not ever going to a larger tire than a 33", then I would keep what you have. I personally think the OX is overpriced. Daily driver and occasional trail use I'd go with the budget option of LocRites. JMO
 
Having had narrow tracks before, I would go with waggy or Scouts. I would do as John said and go lock rite's for both ends. Some Chrom-moly's would be a great upgrade.
 
I have to replace the carriers anyway to get lower gears, so that's why I wasn't really considering lockrights as a budget solution. I was considering detroits, but thought that a selectable such as the arb or ox may help with the street manners.
 
Selectables would help with street manners but lockers/carriers/gears = deep pockets :) Ballpark figure, $300 for a carrier and LocRite vs $500 for Detroit and for mostly street use the Detroit will wear the tires quicker and not be as friendly.
 
cj777 said:
After Christmas is over, I really need to do something about my axles. I currently have dana 30 front and dana 44 rear, both narrow track. I'm currently running 33" tires, and don't plan on going any larger than that becasue I could no longer fit in my garage if I did. I want to install lockers and regear my axles (thinking ox lockers and 4.56), but am wondering if it would be better in the long run to upgrade them instead. This is my daily driver and needs to pass inspection, so full widths are probably out. I know scout or wagoneer 44's are an option, but would this really be worth it just to replace the front 30? So what do you guys think, upgrade what I have and maybe throw in some superior axles or swap?
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What ratio do you have now?
 
CYJKrawler said:
Selectables would help with street manners but lockers/carriers/gears = deep pockets :) Ballpark figure, $300 for a carrier and LocRite vs $500 for Detroit and for mostly street use the Detroit will wear the tires quicker and not be as friendly.
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So the LocRite's are noticeably better than detroits on the street? My old rig had a detroit in the rear, and it wasn't too bad. It was an automatic though, I imagine that makes a bit of difference
 
Actually unnoticeably better :) I've run both in several diferent types of axles. Both have their pluses and minuses but for street I'd run LocRites and for trail the Detroit. Course you can get the best of both worlds with selectables but we've already been there :)
 
CYJKrawler said:
Actually unnoticeably better :) I've run both in several diferent types of axles. Both have their pluses and minuses but for street I'd run LocRites and for trail the Detroit. Course you can get the best of both worlds with selectables but we've already been there :)
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The Powertrax NoSlip is decent on the street, plus its a drop-in like the LockRite.
 
Why do you think you need to change out your axles? Is this a Need vs. want? if you WANT to swap them, then cool. But do you need to???
For a DD Trail rig, I'd leave it like it is persoanlly. that's what I did. then I got another DD and put wider axles under the CJ..... and now... (before Caver and Galen bring the wise cracks) there it sits :shaking:
 
Caver Dave said:
I'll follow along with Tony here... if you have 3.54s, leave them for street driving and regear the TC (3.15:1 = D20 or 4:1 = D300) for offroad... if you have the common 2.73s... I'd regear the axles...
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yeah got the 2.73s. They're terrible. that's what's making me so determined to upgrade
 
Just get them regeared and buy some lockrights. If you go the d44 route it will take a long time to get them installed and cost you a lot more money.

:beer:
 
I had a lockrite in the rear of my CJ and hated it. I eventually took it out and ran open diff until I could afford a Detroit TruTrac. A lockrite in the front isn't too bad because you unlock your hubs for the street anyway.
 
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