When to get chromos in a D30?

BigClay

BigClay

Knower of useless ZJ things
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Location
Winston-Salem
I am looking for opinions on when you should go to chromo axles in a D30. I know the first answer is always "when you snap a stock shaft", but I am looking for people that have stock shafts in a D30 with 33" tires, good idea to get chromos or will stock shafts survive on 33" tires?
 
Depends on when you want to start breaking r and p?
 
Do you have a locker?
 
I snapped a stock one on 32" BFG AT's with an ARB locked front. Granted I was being dumb and bored trying to get up a flat face rock ledge I shouldn't have while waiting for some people that were stuck on the trail. Replaced them with a set of chromos for ECGS, but also I try not to do dumb things like that again!
 
I run 33s with 4.88s and a spartan locker in the front,ive broken 2 shorty shafts. the first one resulted in shearing my ring and pinion and i broke the second one doing a three point turn . I'd highly recommend chromos
 
I broke a lot of stuff ECORS racing, but I always had a Dana 30 with the stock shafts in it, and never broke a shaft. I was usually unlocked, only ran one race with a lunchbox locker, then a handful with ARB. Always had 33" tires.
 
I have a lunch box locker in the D30.
 
RenegadeT said:
I broke a lot of stuff ECORS racing, but I always had a Dana 30 with the stock shafts in it, and never broke a shaft. I was usually unlocked, only ran one race with a lunchbox locker, then a handful with ARB. Always had 33" tires.
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But typically ran in high range, so you were only putting 37% of the stress you could have been applying if in low range.
 
I agree with snappy!!! Don't put chromos into a 30. I ran them and had no problems with shafts, but my ring and pinion was my weak point. That's what i broke in Moab. In my opinion, leave the 30 open with stock shafts. I made the mistake of trying to beef up a dana 30 and all it got me was money wasted! Just my 2 cents from a dum grunt!!
 
And just to be fair.... I feel that a combo of great traction in Moab, the weight of a jk unlimited, and that I was running a detroit up front all played a roll in my failure. But I would have rather broken a shaft than a ring and pinion!!
 
Chromos are a waste of money. RCV is the way to go. I have broken an rcv as well but I was doing something really stupid.
 
Nakoma said:
And just to be fair.... I feel that a combo of great traction in Moab, the weight of a jk unlimited, and that I was running a detroit up front all played a roll in my failure. But I would have rather broken a shaft than a ring and pinion!!
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This is my logic also... I ran a 30 open with 35" boggers and only broke on shaft( stock shaft and orig joint with 230k). The wifes jeep has an arb with stock shafts and spicer joints. I have a spare set with unit bearings i carry when we go. With my little tool bag, jack and lug wrench i can swap it out in about 20 mins. I cannot set up gears so i use the pj mallory school of thought, make the weak spot something easy to fix!!!
 
I ran 36" Iroks (nearly 37" tall) with a D30LP, 4.56 gears, and ARB with no issues for a year or two.
 
Pick up some spare stock shafts and swap them as you break them. I always took a spare set with unit bearings on them when I went wheeling. Always broke the u-joint but that always beat up the ears on the shafts when they let go. Think I broke 4 u-joints in the 2.5 years I had my d30 locked on 33x13.50 TSL's and I wasn't easy on it. Always ran Spicer u-joints with the caps tack-welded on. Never ran the clips when I installed new u-joints.

I've got 3-4 extra short side shafts I'll sell you cheap. I don't have any running XJ's anymore. Might have unit bearings on a couple too. I always broke the long sides so I'm out of those.
 
snappy said:
Because the cap does spin just the needles inside do.
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And by "does", snappy means "does not". However, its possible that you've only seen ones where the cap spins because its pretty common.
 
Clay I did URE and some more places a few times on 34ltbs on small ujoint dana30 aussie locked. Never had any problems. Still don't have problems now with 33 ATs. I carry extra shafts though because I have gotten a lot more comfortable with its capacity after many successful trips. If they do break I plan on buying the caps that you can weld over the unjoints so they do not flex inside the ears of the shafts.

While RCVs are very strong and have seen people flog them with out breaking they do find weak links in the driveline i.e. ring and pinion or driveshaft
 
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