D30 axle variations?

[marty79]

my 94 ZJ Dana30 short shaft..I've never seen this kind..but what's really interesting is the actual shaft size is 1/8" bigger overall compared to a TJ D30 spare I just put in..
Anyone seen these and know anything about these being much bigger. (6months of abuse on 37s I finally broke the joint which broke the ears obviously)

 

[ghost]

Was that a HP or LP front? Did it have the AWD T- case originally?

 

[marty79]

Was that a HP or LP front? Did it have the AWD T- case originally?

Low pinion, not sure on original but it had a 231 which I'm almost positive it's the original

 

[ghost]

That is an odd one. Never seen that. I thought the ZJ had HP. I know TJ had LP which came out in 97 and XJ's had HP up until 99. I've seen CV axle shafts in ZJ and even XJ's. Never that. I'd be trying to find part numbers on the yoke and shaft.

 

[Jody Treadway]

That's just an OEM D30 shaft, nothing special aside from the OD of the inner prior to the neck down.
You can use any TJ, ZJ,XJ, MJ short side as a replacement. The older XJ/MJ will have 260 series joints and the rest will be OEM 297 series.

 

[mbalbritton]

I don’t recall the specifics, but I found two different U-joint version axle shafts for ZJs. I had an issue and swapped shafts only to find that the replacement was different at the hub and it bound up my brakes when I tightened up the hub mounting bolts. Wish I could recall what I found was the issue. Seems like it was an ABS vs non ABS maybe. It’s been too many years to recall though.

 

[ghost]

That's just an OEM D30 shaft, nothing special aside from the OD of the inner prior to the neck down.
You can use any TJ, ZJ,XJ, MJ short side as a replacement. The older XJ/MJ will have 260 series joints and the rest will be OEM 297 series.

All the shaft's I have seen were one piece. That looks like a yoke on splines on the shaft. I have seen the Dana20 ones like that for a rear but not the front.

 

[marty79]

nothing special aside from the OD of the inner prior to the neck down.

So that was a thing for them to make em bigger? I guess strength isn't really better since the weak spot would still be the neck down or the ears

 

[Jody Treadway]

I don’t recall the specifics, but I found two different U-joint version axle shafts for ZJs. I had an issue and swapped shafts only to find that the replacement was different at the hub and it bound up my brakes when I tightened up the hub mounting bolts. Wish I could recall what I found was the issue. Seems like it was an ABS vs non ABS maybe. It’s been too many years to recall though.

All ZJs had ABS. The issue you are referring to also applied to XJs. There are 2 different hubs and rotors between model years, cast and composite rotors to be exact. Cast only work with it's hub assy and the composite works with either (has a larger diameter hat area).
Early (1993 IIRC) ZJ used a different diameter shaft. But the length and joint size was the same.

 

[Jody Treadway]

All the shaft's I have seen were one piece. That looks like a yoke on splines on the shaft. I have seen the Dana20 ones like that for a rear but not the front.

You mean AMC 20. D20 is a transfer case (since you're picking apart my reply, too )
You'll see double splined inners across some OEM applications. Not any stronger really. More of a production thing (materials being the same and all).

 

[ghost]

You mean AMC 20. D20 is a transfer case (since you're picking apart my reply, too )
You'll see double splined inners across some OEM applications. Not any stronger really. More of a production thing (materials being the same and all).

Yes my mistake. AMC20. I haven’t come across double splined front ever.

 

[marty79]

Yes my mistake. AMC20. I haven’t come across double splined front ever.

Over the years I've seen these on older D30s but this is first time I thought to ask about them