The weakest link

RESURECTIONJK

RESURECTIONJK

Hooked
Hey all, looking for some direction. I've just started my first JKU build. Currently running 35's with a TF 2.5 coil lift. Its a 2014 JKU sport, and I know down the road I want to run 37's and run lockers front and rear. I come from Toyota land where I was running a sprung over FJ60 with ARB's. My concerns are, being that its now my daily driver...okay, my only driver, and I put my two kids in it nearly every day. Building something strong and reliable is super important. I've been down the road of blown out ring and pinions and broken u-joints, snapped axle shafts and broken steering parts, but I never gave it much concern because at the time, my cruiser wasn't my only vehicle. But the JK is and Im not sure where to begin. I know I want to eventually swap axles, but until we've made a few more payments, that has to take a back seat.
Most if not all of my wheeling is done in nearby Moab as well as the local forest roads and west desert. Any help pointing me in a direction would be helpful.

Thanks to all.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Are you planning on sticking with 35's or going bigger someday? Also, is it safe to assume you are running a Dana 30 front axle?
 
RESURECTIONJK

RESURECTIONJK

Hooked
wayoflife said:
Are you planning on sticking with 35's or going bigger someday? Also, is it safe to assume you are running a Dana 30 front axle?
Click to expand...

Exactly right, I am currently running the dana 30 and I do want to go to 37's down the road. I know the front dana 30 isn't going to last long, and re-gearing is a must. Id rather save for a while and to it all together rather than throw a bunch of cash into the 30 when it will probably just make it last longer but not really last. Ideally I want the weakest link in the system to be parts that are easy to get, relatively cheap and fairly straightforward to swap out on the trail. Things like drive line u-joints and tie rods come to mind. I live in fear of blowing a ring and pinion or destroying an axle when I've got the kids along for the ride.
 
WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
You're probably going to want to go with 5.13 gears, so start saving for a prorock 44 with chromoly shafts. You can get a built one from Dynatrac as custom as you want. But for now, being this is your DD, I wouldn't put any money into the front oem axle.
 
cozdude

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
WJCO said:
You're probably going to want to go with 5.13 gears, so start saving for a prorock 44 with chromoly shafts. You can get a built one from Dynatrac as custom as you want. But for now, being this is your DD, I wouldn't put any money into the front oem axle.
Click to expand...

The only thing I would add to this is that the only money I would throw at the front axle is C gussets


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Coop

Coop

Caught the Bug
cozdude said:
The only thing I would add to this is that the only money I would throw at the front axle is C gussets


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Click to expand...

I agree with this. Also 35s are pretty capable off road. If th OPs gearing is 3.21, this will kind of be anemic, if he has a 3.73 it's more tolerable. With a 3.21 you may want to regear. Short of that maybe an oil pan shield and some frame mounted rock sliders. All depends on what type of off road is planned.


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RESURECTIONJK

RESURECTIONJK

Hooked
Thanks for all the info guys. I went sniffing around on here and found a post about Dynatrac vs G2 and came away with some eye opening knowledge. Knowing that Im not going to be doing 70 on a desert road and 90% of my jeeps life will be pavement, Im thinking a PR44 with 5.13's and an ARB and my stock rear 44 with some upgraded shafts and gears and locker to match the front. Maybe upgrade the driveshafts with 1310 ujoints and call it a day. Any thoughts?

Also, while the idea of a V8 swap would be a lot of fun, its just not in my future. My 3.6 does what I want it to and 40's aren't likely in my future either. Seems to be a lot of work to make a setup like that really work the way it should.
 
TrainWreck618

TrainWreck618

Caught the Bug
RESURECTIONJK said:
Thanks for all the info guys. I went sniffing around on here and found a post about Dynatrac vs G2 and came away with some eye opening knowledge. Knowing that Im not going to be doing 70 on a desert road and 90% of my jeeps life will be pavement, Im thinking a PR44 with 5.13's and an ARB and my stock rear 44 with some upgraded shafts and gears and locker to match the front. Maybe upgrade the driveshafts with 1310 ujoints and call it a day. Any thoughts?

Also, while the idea of a V8 swap would be a lot of fun, its just not in my future. My 3.6 does what I want it to and 40's aren't likely in my future either. Seems to be a lot of work to make a setup like that really work the way it should.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a solid plan
 
RESURECTIONJK

RESURECTIONJK

Hooked
Coop said:
I agree with this. Also 35s are pretty capable off road. If th OPs gearing is 3.21, this will kind of be anemic, if he has a 3.73 it's more tolerable. With a 3.21 you may want to regear. Short of that maybe an oil pan shield and some frame mounted rock sliders. All depends on what type of off road is planned.


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Click to expand...

luckily I do have the 3.73's and for now, I swapped on some factory Rubicon rails until I can pick up the LOD sliders that I really want.
 
ScoobyCarolanNC

ScoobyCarolanNC

Active Member
If you hunt hard you can find Dana 44 rubicon fronts that people take off. It sounds like you know your way around a rig, so that'd likely get you pretty far. The prorock is super nice, but with all the other work you want to do I would think about it. I'm rolling stock though so my advice is what it is. Eddie & the other guys who run prorocks can tell you what you'd be able to take out of a built d44 and reuse later.


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Coop

Coop

Caught the Bug
RESURECTIONJK said:
luckily I do have the 3.73's and for now, I swapped on some factory Rubicon rails until I can pick up the LOD sliders that I really want.
Click to expand...

Well that gearing should work for the time being but it's very subjective. Putting a locker in your d44 will improve your off road capability as you probably know. One thing I did for more confidence was replace the trans cross over support with a beefy 5000 lb rating unit for those high center moments.


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tippedover

tippedover

Member
RESURECTIONJK said:
Thanks for all the info guys. I went sniffing around on here and found a post about Dynatrac vs G2 and came away with some eye opening knowledge. Knowing that Im not going to be doing 70 on a desert road and 90% of my jeeps life will be pavement, Im thinking a PR44 with 5.13's and an ARB and my stock rear 44 with some upgraded shafts and gears and locker to match the front. Maybe upgrade the driveshafts with 1310 ujoints and call it a day. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I am doing; install next week! I am putting the PR44 up front, rcvs, and new knuckles, regeared to 5.13 and 1350 drive shafts. Did a 3.5 inch lift but same idea. I already did a engine skid for the peace of mind, rock rails, and bumpers! I am in the same boat as you in that it's my dd for the family as well


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Trail Jeeps

Trail Jeeps

-
The front Dana 30 will take a surprising amount of abuse when kept to a 35 inch tire and some smart mods.

Keep the 35s, go with 4.88, maybe 4.56 gears to keep the pinion a little bigger and stronger, throw a tuner on there. Don't do axle shafts on the D30. Keep the stock axle shafts as a fuse, the real weak spot on the axle is the differential, it's best to let the axles break before the diff. Throw a good solid limited slip in the front, full locker (ARB is best!) in the rear, c gussets, and go. Don't bother with sleeves or trussing a 30 since eventually it'll be swapped, just leave it. Save for a Dynatrac!

Stock driveshafts will get you far as long as your droop is under control, but driveshafts are always a worthwhile upgrade.

Try to keep the Jeep as light as possible, add sliders and a belly skid.

After all that, drive it! Go wheeling! Enjoy it, and stop worrying about it. Fact is this setup I described above will get you pretty much anywhere you'll ever want to go with good driving, it'll hold up well. Don't let the forums make you scared of your Jeep! It doesn't take much to make a very capable, daily drivable rig out of a JK!
 
Last edited:
Mountainjk10

Mountainjk10

Caught the Bug
Trail Jeeps said:
The front Dana 30 will take a surprising amount of abuse when kept to a 35 inch tire and some smart mods.

Keep the 35s, go with 4.88, maybe 4.56 gears to keep the pinion a little bigger and stronger, throw a tuner on there. Don't do axle shafts on the D30. Keep the stock axle shafts as a fuse, the real weak spot on the axle is the differential, it's best to let the axles break before the diff. Throw a good solid limited slip in the front, full locker (ARB is best!) in the rear, c gussets, and go. Don't bother with sleeves or trussing a 30 since eventually it'll be swapped, just leave it. Save for a Dynatrac!

Stock driveshafts will get you far as long as your droop is under control, but driveshafts are always a worthwhile upgrade.

Try to keep the Jeep as light as possible, add sliders and a belly skid.

After all that, drive it! Go wheeling! Enjoy it, and stop worrying about it. Fact is this setup I described above will get you pretty much anywhere you'll ever want to go with good driving, it'll hold up well. Don't let the forums make you scared of your Jeep! It doesn't take much to make a very capable, daily drivable rig out of a JK!
Click to expand...

What's your recommendation for a good solid limited slip for the D30?


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