Dana 30 locker advice

G

Gitzen

New member
I know it's been asked a million times but I couldn't find any newer threads on it but what is everyone's input on putting a locker on a dana 30. Axle is stock with 3.73 gears and I have c gussets I have to weld on. Currently I'm running 35s and can't see myself going to 37s in the future. If I could find a set of rubi d44s I'd buy them or even just the front. I just don't want to lock the d30 if it's going to be a waste of money compared to buying a rubi d44. Thanks.
 
save your money and don't lock that 30. If you haven't locker the rear I would spend it there, I have a locked rear and open 30 you can do a lot more with that combo.
 
Keep the front D-30 open........burn in the gussets and wheel it till it breaks or until you save up for a better replacement (Rubi 44 or Dynatrac 44)......You can lock the back, regear, and install some CM axles but I'd wait till you get the front differential and do it all at once.........I ran with 35"s for three years on 3.73s before I made the change to bigger axles.......with the automatic the 3.73s and 35"s weren't too bad wheeling around flat South Florida

~Woodrow~
 
Gitzen said:
I know it's been asked a million times but I couldn't find any newer threads on it but what is everyone's input on putting a locker on a dana 30. Axle is stock with 3.73 gears and I have c gussets I have to weld on. Currently I'm running 35s and can't see myself going to 37s in the future. If I could find a set of rubi d44s I'd buy them or even just the front. I just don't want to lock the d30 if it's going to be a waste of money compared to buying a rubi d44. Thanks.
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What is your end goal? What size tire do you want?

If 40s, save for Dana60s. If 37s see below

I recommend you don't waste your money on locking the front. Save for a true 44 replacement vice a Rubicon 44. While the pumpkin and shafts are larger than the 30, the tubes, knuckles etc are the same size as the 30.

As for your rear, it is already a true 44 so don't replace it, regear, lock it and get one spare shaft for a trail repair.

Edit: Re-read your post and saw that I missed that you don't plan on going bigger than 35s. I still recommend the above.
 
Thanks for all the info. What are some lockers you recommend for the rear. I'd like the pr44 but didn't know the rubi d44 was virtually the same as the d30 besides a few minor things.
 
I think you really need to consider how difficult of wheeling you will be doing and how soon will you be doing difficult wheeling.

I have 33" size tires and my front and rear have Detroit Tru Trac lockers. I haven't had any issues yet. Now, I don't go out wheeling to test my vehicle and find it's breaking point. I have done some challenging stuff, but I try to find the easiest lines and will use the bailouts if one is provided. And I need to be as easy as I can on the pedal.

So, with the above being said a locked 30 can do a job, but that job is limited and needs to be babied. So you know I bought the jeep with the lockers and I probably wouldn't spend my money on a front locker for a 30, but since it came that way, I am going to run until it breaks or I find a deal on a front 44.

And if you are going to spend the money on a 44 I wouldn't get the stock save up for beefier aftermarket 44, like the Pro Rock.

That's my opinion.
 
So I ran into the same dilemma.
I have A 2012 Sport and found myself wheelin with guys that were highly modified.
I already had 35's and a 2.5 lift.
So here's what I did to solve my "immediate" problem.
I trussed, sleeved and gusseted the D30 and added chromoly shafts, front/rear.
I did ARB front and rear with on-board twin compressor as well.
Overkill for a D30, perhaps, but I don't get stuck or take bypasses either.
My only limit is the 2.5 lift, which will soon be 4".
If I were to do anything over again it would be buying a Rubi instead of a Sport.
Hindsights a real pain in the wallet.....
 
Looking back now I wish I would've bought a rubi. I had a tj and really never did any serious upgrades or wheeling with it, then I bought a jacked up diesel truck and sold it for my jk which is more of a family friendly vehicle ha. If I would've realized how much I wanted to do to it then I would've bought a rubi.
 
Also most of the trails I do are blue with a decent amount of rocks. I always try to be easy on the skinny pedal. I'd add a rear locker now but I just see it as a waste because if I get a d44 I'll be getting the rear geared differently. Although the 3.73s are no means horrible, they aren't the perfect gearing for 35s.
 
shadowpaige64507 said:
Can't tell if you being serious or joking.
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Being serious mostly. First Jeep is a learning curve. I tell anyone who asks me about buying a Jeep and they want to "some" off-roading that they should buy a Rubi. Best overall value.
For me it was about immediate gratification and having the finances to do it.
 
Gitzen said:
Looking back now I wish I would've bought a rubi. I had a tj and really never did any serious upgrades or wheeling with it, then I bought a jacked up diesel truck and sold it for my jk which is more of a family friendly vehicle ha. If I would've realized how much I wanted to do to it then I would've bought a rubi.
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I don't understand why people want to buy a Rubi. Once they get it, they want to upgrade it. The stock Rubi 44 is weak. Not as weak as the 30, but it isn't that much better, if you are going to wheel.

The value of a Rubi is based on a front 44, lockers, suspension, nicer tires, not much else in my opinion.

So you want 35's on bigger tires, why'd you buy a Rubi?

So you are putting on a lift and changing out the suspension, why'd you buy a Rubi?

So the bigger tires you put on are causing you to re gear, you now need to change the lockers, why'd you buy a Rubi?

Oh and you are going to do some tough wheeling, I need to upgrade my front axel, why'd you buy a Rubi?

IMO, If your plan is to do some serious wheeling, buy a jeep with the amenity level you want and Just Empty Every Pocket in upgrading it to what you want, because your going to mod it anyhow.
 
Gitzen said:
I know it's been asked a million times but I couldn't find any newer threads on it but what is everyone's input on putting a locker on a dana 30. Axle is stock with 3.73 gears and I have c gussets I have to weld on. Currently I'm running 35s and can't see myself going to 37s in the future. If I could find a set of rubi d44s I'd buy them or even just the front. I just don't want to lock the d30 if it's going to be a waste of money compared to buying a rubi d44. Thanks.
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I ran a lunch box locker for 4 years in my 09 two door with 35s. Did a few jeep jamborees, Moab, and solo runs with no problems. Easy to install and they work well. IMOA.
 
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For me the Rubi is more than the D44. The transfer case is a big bonus that is pretty pricey and difficult to upgrade or replace. I do enough crawling that it's a nice feature. I guess it all depends on what you're building the rig for.
 
The d30 has such a small ring and pinion, if you locked it you would be blowing your r and p a lot if you wheeled very hard at all.
 
Eddie's last two JKU have been Rubicon's. He doesn't strike me as the type of guy to waste money on something that is not needed. He buys them for a reason. For me I wanted some of the features you could only get in a Rubicon. Like the sway bar disconnect, Auto lights (when leaving a bar and forgetting to turn on the lights), among other features. I don't regret it a bit. Yes I will upgrade the front axle at some point. I like that I didn't have to do anything right away to go have fun. My front locker has saved my butt on a muddy day a few weeks back. Otherwise I would of been winching a lot more. Just my .02
 
Mtb275 said:
I don't understand why people want to buy a Rubi. Once they get it, they want to upgrade it. The stock Rubi 44 is weak. Not as weak as the 30, but it isn't that much better, if you are going to wheel.

The value of a Rubi is based on a front 44, lockers, suspension, nicer tires, not much else in my opinion.

So you want 35's on bigger tires, why'd you buy a Rubi?

So you are putting on a lift and changing out the suspension, why'd you buy a Rubi?

So the bigger tires you put on are causing you to re gear, you now need to change the lockers, why'd you buy a Rubi?

Oh and you are going to do some tough wheeling, I need to upgrade my front axel, why'd you buy a Rubi?

IMO, If your plan is to do some serious wheeling, buy a jeep with the amenity level you want and Just Empty Every Pocket in upgrading it to what you want, because your going to mod it anyhow.
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I disagree. While the only difference between the housings (D44/30) is the pumpkin size, the internals are in fact bigger. Many members have been running 37s on their Rubicon 44s with stock internals for a while now. Rubicat is the best example - the housing bent and was replaced with a PR44 housing that accepts the stock Rubicon 44 internals. The internals are still going strong a few years later.

You also do NOT need to change lockers when you regear.

The argument isn't Rubicon vs other JK trim levels. The argument is weather or not to lock a front D30 or put a front Rubicon 44 into a Sport/Sahara etc. That, IMO is a waste because you are only getting bigger internals for a few hundred less than getting a true front 44. Rubicon 44s brand new are upwards of $4K (used range from $2K to $4K) while a properly built PR44 can be had for a few hundred more.
 
MR.Ty said:
I disagree. While the only difference between the housings (D44/30) is the pumpkin size, the internals are in fact bigger. Many members have been running 37s on their Rubicon 44s with stock internals for a while now. Rubicat is the best example - the housing bent and was replaced with a PR44 housing that accepts the stock Rubicon 44 internals. The internals are still going strong a few years later.

You also do NOT need to change lockers when you regear.

The argument isn't Rubicon vs other JK trim levels. The argument is weather or not to lock a front D30 or put a front Rubicon 44 into a Sport/Sahara etc. That, IMO is a waste because you are only getting bigger internals for a few hundred less than getting a true front 44. Rubicon 44s brand new are upwards of $4K (used range from $2K to $4K) while a properly built PR44 can be had for a few hundred more.
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Could not have said it better myself! The only thing you didn't mention was EVOlander. The Jeep has been on multiple JKX events and pre-running the KOH with Mel driving and it still has stock Rubi 44s with 5.38 gears and 37's.

I know when I get my next one, I will be going with a Rubicon for the front 44, transfer case, and the sway bar.

But for the OP, wheel your 30 and save for a PR44. Just my opinion.
 
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