Axle Shafts- replace front or rear first??

Clarkjeepin96

Clarkjeepin96

New member
Looking to upgrade my axle shafts as preventative maintenance. I have a Sahara jku with d30 front, sleeved and gusseted with arb air lockers and d44 rear with arb air lockers as well. Running 4.56s on Patagonia 37s. Yes i know it’s stupid running 37s on d30 blah blah. I’m planning to go pr44 in a couple years but am doing this to get by for now. Would you guys recommend replacing front or rear axle shafts first for strength and reliability?? Cant afford both right now. I wheel on mostly moderate trails and i am very easy on skinny pedal. I RARELY use the lockers. Would rather crawl than bump... any advice appreciated!!


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Personally, I'd recommend you just keep what you have and replace what you need as needed. Just keep an eye on your front axle u-joints at the yokes. If you seen the bearing caps start to rotate, it's time to replace them. The rears will most likely just bend at the flange and you'll know when it's time to replace them.
 
wayoflife said:
Personally, I'd recommend you just keep what you have and replace what you need as needed. Just keep an eye on your front axle u-joints at the yokes. If you seen the bearing caps start to rotate, it's time to replace them. The rears will most likely just bend at the flange and you'll know when it's time to replace them.
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I appreciate the response. Always been a huge fan of your forum and YouTube channel! I do have a set of trail spares for the front from my old 2 door jk so i will more than likely go that route and hope for no carnage lol then i can put the $1400 stimulus in my PR44 fund. Cheers!!


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Clarkjeepin96 said:
I appreciate the response. Always been a huge fan of your forum and YouTube channel! I do have a set of trail spares for the front from my old 2 door jk so i will more than likely go that route and hope for no carnage lol then i can put the $1400 stimulus in my PR44 fund. Cheers!!


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Hell you are half way there with stimulus for the housing. Buy the housing and swap all your internals over to the PR44 and sell the D30 it. You may be able to do it for just a few hundred out of pocket.
 
Clarkjeepin96 said:
I appreciate the response. Always been a huge fan of your forum and YouTube channel! I do have a set of trail spares for the front from my old 2 door jk so i will more than likely go that route and hope for no carnage lol then i can put the $1400 stimulus in my PR44 fund. Cheers!!
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Being that you've already got plans for a PR44, I really see no point in throwing any more money into what you have than is absolutely needed :yup:
 
wayoflife said:
Personally, I'd recommend you just keep what you have and replace what you need as needed. Just keep an eye on your front axle u-joints at the yokes. If you seen the bearing caps start to rotate, it's time to replace them. The rears will most likely just bend at the flange and you'll know when it's time to replace them.
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This ^

Last year I was in the same boat as you OP. I was on borrowed time with my D30 so before I grenaded it I bought a Prorock housing and have been slowly building it up. This way I will have a complete d30 to sell instead of scrap steel.
 
MericaMade said:
Hell you are half way there with stimulus for the housing. Buy the housing and swap all your internals over to the PR44 and sell the D30 it. You may be able to do it for just a few hundred out of pocket.
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Solid idea, except for the Dana 30 he has means he has no Dana 44 internals to put in a bare PR44.

Putting money into the Dana 30, you might as well throw money in the fireplace and light it.
 
jdofmemi said:
Solid idea, except for the Dana 30 he has means he has no Dana 44 internals to put in a bare PR44.

Putting money into the Dana 30, you might as well throw money in the fireplace and light it.
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That’s what i was thinking as well. I think it’s worth cost to have DYNATRAC install gears before sending.

I’m going to roll with keeping my trail spares with me and stock axle shafts up front. I went ahead and bought Nitro chromo rears because i got a killer deal. I’ll run this until it’s time for PR44 in a year or so


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jdofmemi said:
Solid idea, except for the Dana 30 he has means he has no Dana 44 internals to put in a bare PR44.

Putting money into the Dana 30, you might as well throw money in the fireplace and light it.
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Good catch Jerry.
Clarkjeepin96 said:
That’s what i was thinking as well. I think it’s worth cost to have DYNATRAC install gears before sending.

I’m going to roll with keeping my trail spares with me and stock axle shafts up front. I went ahead and bought Nitro chromo rears because i got a killer deal. I’ll run this until it’s time for PR44 in a year or so


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Well at the rate Dynatrac is going if you order now you will need to put half down. Plan on 24 to 30 weeks for them to build a PR44. By the time the axles is ready you will have the cash saved up to pay it off LOL.



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I tried to buy a PR44 housing last May and Dynatrac was at 8-10+ weeks lead time and couldn’t guarantee that. Since I wanted it by July, they told me to call Northridge. So, Northridge had a housing in stock and did a little shop work to it also. Got me ready for Moab!

I just checked and they have one PR44 housing in stock.

I know, I know.... fuck Northridge right?




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bmkrinne said:
I tried to buy a PR44 housing last May and Dynatrac was at 8-10+ weeks lead time and couldn’t guarantee that. Since I wanted it by July, they told me to call Northridge. So, Northridge had a housing in stock and did a little shop work to it also. Got me ready for Moab!

I just checked and they have one PR44 housing in stock.

I know, I know.... fuck Northridge right?




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IF NR or any vendor had DT in stock I would do the same.
 
What Eddie said- My rear flanges bent shortly after going 37's and doing some hard wheeling. The brakes would squeak over bumps, that's how I found out. I put in Revolution shafts (made in USA) and the bearings were already installed.

Fronts- ehh.... I have a D44 and put in revolutions just because I had to change a leaking seal anyway. I'm sure they're stronger, but man are they expensive and the stockers were just fine. At least I have them for spares. I wouldn't waste money on a D30.
 
zimm said:
What Eddie said- My rear flanges bent shortly after going 37's and doing some hard wheeling. The brakes would squeak over bumps, that's how I found out. I put in Revolution shafts (made in USA) and the bearings were already installed.

Fronts- ehh.... I have a D44 and put in revolutions just because I had to change a leaking seal anyway. I'm sure they're stronger, but man are they expensive and the stockers were just fine. At least I have them for spares. I wouldn't waste money on a D30.
Click to expand...

I was definitely more worried about the rears running 37s even though they are super light 37s (Patagonia’s). My nitro chromo rears should be here today so that will add some extra reassurance and then I’ll carry my extra stock fronts with me when off-road just in case! I checked them yesterday and all clips are there and no spinning of caps either so I’m hoping they will last until i upgrade my axle. Thanks for the advice!!


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Sorry about highjacking the thread but any of you guys have experience with Dana axle shafts SAE 4340 part number 10044422 I believe (FAD delete)
Has any JL guys upgraded their shafts especially on the Rubicons.
Thanks



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Andy5160 said:
Sorry about highjacking the thread but any of you guys have experience with Dana axle shafts SAE 4340 part number 10044422 I believe (FAD delete)
Has any JL guys upgraded their shafts especially on the Rubicons.
Thanks



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The part number you give is for a left front CroMo axle shaft for a JL or JT rubicon with factory locker.

The JL front set (both sides) for the rubicon widetrack axle with FAD delete would be 10044474

I have been eyeing these as well and may get them if I break a stock shaft or u joint

If I remember correctly Jegs.com had the best deal on them when I was shopping around
 
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CalSgt said:
The part number you give is for a left front CroMo axle shaft for a JT rubicon with factory locker.

The JL front set (both sides) for the rubicon widetrack axle with FAD delete would be 10044474

I have been eyeing these as well and may get them if I break a stock shaft or u joint

If I remember correctly Jegs.com had the best deal on them when I was shopping around
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info .


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