Another dana30 topic

Hollowpoint515

Hollowpoint515

New member
So I've already asked for opinions about "building" a dana30 or swapping it for a 44 almost everyone said go for the 44 but I have been doing some research and for my level of experience and what trails I have available to me I'm really considering getting 30 spine RCV's, EVO sleeves, C Gussets, ARB or EATON locker, most likely arb so I can get on board air... and since at this point the weak point would be the R&P 5.13 or 5.38... This is going to be with 35's for now but I will eventually move up the food chain and get 37's

Here is where Im getting kinda iffy!

Now hear me out and let me know if it makes sense to do or not buuuuut there is a company called cryo science that "cryogenically" treats metals basically it douses them in liquid nitrogen and it strengthens your product and the price is around 50$ to have it done to the R&P has anyone done this?

I heard about it after reading an article online from four wheeler network called making stock Dana 30 axles survive

Even after all of this I am aware that this dana30 will some day meet its match and inevitably die I think if I do this I can make it last a lot longer and maybe if it survives slap it on my wife's jk when she gets hers in 2016 when the diesel is released or sell it

If you go to my photo album you can see what I wheel its mostly texas hill country lots of rocks and some loose gravel here an there


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Last edited:
OverlanderJK said:
Don't do it. It's a waste. Gusset your 30 and run it til it breaks.
Click to expand...

Ya see I've been debating this ALOT my wife is getting tired of me going back and forth i want to lock it up but my axle shafts will most likely not last too long after that.... Thus the upgraded 30 spline axel shafts. But the only bad part of this is now my weak point is my r&p but if I treat it I think I can make it survive... I'm not one of those "when I'd doubt throttle out" kinda guys

And if I end up going this route I can lock my rear and chromoly shafts back there too


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
I have 35's and I'm not a hardcore wheeler and don't see big rock action, but a DANA 30 is a DANA 30. You already know its gonna be your weakest link so you do all the lil tricks to make it "last" and after all that money, time and effort it's still a DANA 30. I understand where your coming from, you have new or new to you jeep, your making payments, and you are wheeling it but don't want it to break while all this goes on. Ive been there but sometimes over preventive maintenance actually causes you more trouble. Why not just wheel it like it is? If it lasts that's money in the bank you saved for a future axle swap. If not well your still money ahead cause it came with the jeep and you just got all your moneys worth outa that axle and didn't waste tons of cash on parts that have no proven track record to actually make anything stronger or last longer. That's the big picture I see is even with better axles, bigger ujoints, cryo gears, trusses, and sleeves out there not one of them has proven or offered up some for of guarantee to make a 30 last any longer than it did stock. They claim their parts are stronger but the people who broke the housing, axle or gears would have most likely done it even with all these so called better parts. I would rather buy another junk yard 30 till i had the cash for a truly better axle then waste money on snake oil parts, at least then you will have some spare parts that can be used in the next axle thus getting full use of all the parts you can. I say Don't buy into the hype of magazines, wheel it and enjoy the time you have with it while saving for parts that actually will make your rig stronger. Just my 2 cents but I truly feel the whole lets make a 30 last/stronger is just a clear case of over thinking and a way for small companies to get rich selling you parts you may never need. 30's are stronger than they credit for not saying they are a great/best axle but they will do the job as a starter axle until you need/can move up. Good luck with whatever you decide to do as this all is just my OP!
 
OJK12 said:
I have 35's and I'm not a hardcore wheeler and don't see big rock action, but a DANA 30 is a DANA 30. You already know its gonna be your weakest link so you do all the lil tricks to make it "last" and after all that money, time and effort it's still a DANA 30. I understand where your coming from, you have new or new to you jeep, your making payments, and you are wheeling it but don't want it to break while all this goes on. Ive been there but sometimes over preventive maintenance actually causes you more trouble. Why not just wheel it like it is? If it lasts that's money in the bank you saved for a future axle swap. If not well your still money ahead cause it came with the jeep and you just got all your moneys worth outa that axle and didn't waste tons of cash on parts that have no proven track record to actually make anything stronger or last longer. That's the big picture I see is even with better axles, bigger ujoints, cryo gears, trusses, and sleeves out there not one of them has proven or offered up some for of guarantee to make a 30 last any longer than it did stock. They claim their parts are stronger but the people who broke the housing, axle or gears would have most likely done it even with all these so called better parts. I would rather buy another junk yard 30 till i had the cash for a truly better axle then waste money on snake oil parts, at least then you will have some spare parts that can be used in the next axle thus getting full use of all the parts you can. I say Don't buy into the hype of magazines, wheel it and enjoy the time you have with it while saving for parts that actually will make your rig stronger. Just my 2 cents but I truly feel the whole lets make a 30 last/stronger is just a clear case of over thinking and a way for small companies to get rich selling you parts you may never need. 30's are stronger than they credit for not saying they are a great/best axle but they will do the job as a starter axle until you need/can move up. Good luck with whatever you decide to do as this all is just my OP!
Click to expand...

Agreed I'm not planning on fixing something that isn't broken so to speak but like you said a dana30 is a dana30 no matter how you polish that turd it's still a turd and from personal experience I do believe its underestimated but when the time comes because we all know that sooner or later im gona snap an axel shaft, housing or u joint it might be tomorrow or next year but the question is once this time comes there are so many options should I go with the budget friendly 30 build up just go directly for a 44 when it happens


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Hollowpoint515 said:
Is anyone on this forum running RCV'S and a locker in a Dana 30?


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

A buddy of mine in our local club is running 5.13's, auto locker, and RCV's in his D30 without any issues. He is on 35's.
 
Atch said:
A buddy of mine in our local club is running 5.13's, auto locker, and RCV's in his D30 without any issues. He is on 35's.
Click to expand...

I found another fellow wayalife member that is running the same set up just without having his R&P treated and I sent him a PM he said he's got bead locked 37's running it pretty hard with no problems at all!
The more and more I hear about people doing this the more confident I become in the built Dana 30
Although I do not doubt the dana44 at all in any way shape or form but I just think the 30 is just simply underrated


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
I'd say it depends on whether you can do all the work yourself or not. The cost of labor would be prohibitive. IMHO.
 
I was going to go the built D30 route too, but after looking at the price I would spend on everything, and then comparing that to the price for a PR44, I decided to wait it out until I get to the mainland to get a PR44. That will let me save the money to actually get the PR44, and do whatever else I want to it. In the end, I would have went up to a PR44 anyways. So for the time being, I'm just gusseting my D30 and regearing it.
 
Its just rolling the dice. You'll get storys of people running 37s, 5:13s wheeling it to hell and loving it. And you'll hear horror storys of people stripping a dana 30 r&p on stock tires and a big rock. Its a dana 30. No matter what. And you might get lucky. And you might not. Gusset it and run it till it dies. And get a pr44.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jbaskin28 said:
I was going to go the built D30 route too, but after looking at the price I would spend on everything, and then comparing that to the price for a PR44, I decided to wait it out until I get to the mainland to get a PR44. That will let me save the money to actually get the PR44, and do whatever else I want to it. In the end, I would have went up to a PR44 anyways. So for the time being, I'm just gusseting my D30 and regearing it.
Click to expand...

Understandable but my logic is having an overhauled locked front axle and get new shafts and lock my rear or spend all that on just my front axle


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Once you price that 30 build you will be halfway to a PR44, and way over halfway to a built used 44.
 
I can tell you that just having my LCA skids and .44 MAGs installed cost me more than what I am asking for my 30, not to mention gears and the ARB diff cover...
 
also think about the upgrades, anything you install in a 30 will likely not be able to move to a 44.
Here's what I've concluded from reading and researching the D30 fail issues are usually RP to small especially with 5.13 and on, the axle tubes (even on a 44) are a point of failure hence the truss, inner axle shafts on the 30 are smaller. So by the time you spend money no trying to beef it up, you will be in the hole in trying to sell it as its resale value is pretty low.
do the minimum to extend its life and wheeling around Tx not too bad unless you get into that clay mud guck from hell :beer:
 
OverlanderJK said:
How much will it cost to do all that to your 30? Have you priced it? I'm curious at this point.
Click to expand...

With this option I get both Axles Locked and upgraded shafts and with the arb locker I also get on board air

Front Axle
30 Spline RCV axle shafts - 1,285.00
dana 30 30 Spline ARB Locker - 1,095.65
G2 5.13 R&P - 196.99
G2 Master Install Kit front Dana30 - 136.99
Offroad Evolution Sealed Axle Sleeves & C2 Gussets - 219.99


Rear Axle
35 Spline RCV Axle Shafts - 1,499.00
Dana 44 35 Spline ARB Locker - 1,040.99
G2 5.13 R&P - 208.99
G2 Master Install Kit Rear Dana44 - 209.99

Cryo Treatment Both R&P - 50.00
ARB on Board Twin Air Compressor - 517.99
Air Locker Manifold Kit for ARB Twin Compressor - 67.99

Total $6,530

This is just the price of the ProRock44 built with no air compressor or tank and leaves your rear axle still in need of gears a master install kit axle shafts locker ending up somewhere over $8,000

Dynatrac ProRock44 - 5249.95
-Arb Locker
-Dynatrac Ball Joints
-5.13 Gears
-Factory OEM Yoke
-RCV Shafts
-Reuse Knuckels
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom