Prorock 44 pinion strength

BigBoy

BigBoy

New member
I did a search but couldn't find a definitive answer. I'll preface this with I have a sport and I'm wanting to upgrade to larger tires. I've read MANY TIMES that the ring and pinion is the weak link on a D30 and that the D44 is essentially built the same but with a stronger ring and pinion. That being said, does the prorock 44 have the same ring and pinion as a rubicon D44? I wheel mostly sand dunes so the axle strength of a rubicon D44 may be enough if the pinion strength is the same. Purely thinking about not if, but when the D30 may fail on larger tires. Not sure I would need beefier tubes and such for dunes. Thoughts?
 
Most likely just 35's. I love the look of a JK on 37's but this is my daily driver and I really have no "need" for going that big in the near future. Maybe when the 35's wear out. 😄I live in the PNW so we do have some trail areas but I've never really been into that. We make it to the dunes more often than anywhere else. Up to the mountains for camping and fishing trips, but that is usually on a logging road of some sort.
 
Here is what little I know. D30 and D44 are the same housing. More splines on the D44 shafts. If I were going to only run 35's, I would not waste my money on a D44 out of a Rubi, save up for the PR44 and be done. It should be the last one you'll need.
 
Aspenkid said:
Here is what little I know. D30 and D44 are the same housing. More splines on the D44 shafts. If I were going to only run 35's, I would not waste my money on a D44 out of a Rubi, save up for the PR44 and be done. It should be the last one you'll need.
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Kind of my thought too. But if the ring and pinion are the same, then what real benefit would I be gaining if that is the weak point most likely to fail? Unless it's stronger in some way?
 
BigBoy said:
Kind of my thought too. But if the ring and pinion are the same, then what real benefit would I be gaining if that is the weak point most likely to fail? Unless it's stronger in some way?
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The PR housing is much stronger!!! The C's are bigger and stronger too! Well worth the peace of mind for me
 
BigBoy said:
I did a search but couldn't find a definitive answer. I'll preface this with I have a sport and I'm wanting to upgrade to larger tires. I've read MANY TIMES that the ring and pinion is the weak link on a D30 and that the D44 is essentially built the same but with a stronger ring and pinion. That being said, does the prorock 44 have the same ring and pinion as a rubicon D44? I wheel mostly sand dunes so the axle strength of a rubicon D44 may be enough if the pinion strength is the same. Purely thinking about not if, but when the D30 may fail on larger tires. Not sure I would need beefier tubes and such for dunes. Thoughts?
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I think you need to understand that the pinion really only becomes the weak point on any axle when you're running a gear ratio that is too high for it. When you do this, the pinion gets to be very small. On a Dana 30, I personally wouldn't recommend running anything higher than a 4.88 and on a Dana 44, I wouldn't recommend running anything more than a 5.13. But, that's just me.
 
The main difference between the d30 and d44 is the R&P size. The tubes and c's are the same. The PR is much beefier all the way around. Your R&P will be different between the 30 and 44. However the R&P will be the same on the D44 and PR44. Eddie is correct on the axle ratios for each axle.

ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1440943904.695624.jpg
 
I'm running a d30 with 35s and 4.88 gears. I like to thrash mine around on the rocks and have not had any issues yet. But that being said I know it's a time bomb waiting to go. I would just run your 30 as long as you can.
 
If you are just running around the dunes and gravel roads and don't jump it or plan to go bigger than 35's, just run your D30, if you do break it, then depending on what you break when you break it would determine whether you need a PR44 or just a Rubi 44, if its just the gears then you would probably be fine with a Rubi 44, if it bends a tube or a C then go to a PR44, depends more on your driving style and future plans more than anything.
 
wayoflife said:
I think you need to understand that the pinion really only becomes the weak point on any axle when you're running a gear ratio that is too high for it. When you do this, the pinion gets to be very small. On a Dana 30, I personally wouldn't recommend running anything higher than a 4.88 and on a Dana 44, I wouldn't recommend running anything more than a 5.13. But, that's just me.
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Yes that is how I understood it from my research. Regearing to 4.88 was my plan for running 35's. That and adding gussets.


dwmgcs said:
If you are just running around the dunes and gravel roads and don't jump it or plan to go bigger than 35's, just run your D30, if you do break it, then depending on what you break when you break it would determine whether you need a PR44 or just a Rubi 44, if its just the gears then you would probably be fine with a Rubi 44, if it bends a tube or a C then go to a PR44, depends more on your driving style and future plans more than anything.
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Good to know. So it sounds like yes the PR44 and the Rubi 44 have the same Dana 44 ring and pinion as I suspected. I was confused about why so many choose to upgrade to one from a Rubi, but now I see its for the strength in the rest if the axle, housing, C's and such.

Thanks guys.
 
In my experience, Dune play usually results in some kind of jumping, or at least blasting through some rollers. Both will be the quick death of and stock JK housing.

I've seen some D30s take an amazing amount of abuse, especially when left unlocked. Yet others (what happened to us) was total axle carnage while playing somewhat easy. (Easy to us.) I will the run it until it breaks is a flawed idea. Axle failure is a bitch to deal with on the trail and likely a day stopper for you and your whole group.

As for strength, I think you have this figured out... But I will add that the JK D44 is the "next gen" D44 which has larger bearings and pinion strength than most D44s before it. Dynatrac uses "next gen" components in their much stronger housing and the result is the strongest D44 you could ever hope for.
 
jnabird333 said:
In my experience, Dune play usually results in some kind of jumping, or at least blasting through some rollers. Both will be the quick death of and stock JK housing.

I've seen some D30s take an amazing amount of abuse, especially when left unlocked. Yet others (what happened to us) was total axle carnage while playing somewhat easy. (Easy to us.) I will the run it until it breaks is a flawed idea. Axle failure is a bitch to deal with on the trail and likely a day stopper for you and your whole group.

As for strength, I think you have this figured out... But I will add that the JK D44 is the "next gen" D44 which has larger bearings and pinion strength than most D44s before it. Dynatrac uses "next gen" components in their much stronger housing and the result is the strongest D44 you could ever hope for.
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To add onto what you said about the PR, when speaking with Dynatrac, I was told they have only heard of one ring/pinion failure in a front 44 housing.
 
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