BrowniesJK

This is very true. Skinny peddle and line make all the difference in the world. That being said its all a matter of time. Do it wheel it smart and keep saving. When it goes you should have a good chunk of change sitting there to ease your pain.

Chuck-The-Ripper

It sounds kind of stupid but I think knowing you're walking on egg shells (aka beating on a 30) kinda adds to the fun. It's sorta like drinking underage was better. It's more of a risk knowing you could grenade a set of gears at almost any moment. lol.

Joe_B

Run what you have & enjoy it. Everyone is too worried about shit they don't need.

Kept it simple & drive it like you're sponsored. When it breaks then upgrade. If you can't afford to break then don't run 37s on a D30 & expect it to hold up like a 60.

jeepfan30

Best post I have read today, I love simple common sense. This applies to all mods, not just 37's on a D30.

Blakspire

The D30 is fine. Its a gamble either way, is a 44 stronger? Absolutely. That doesn't mean a 30 is garbage. Mount those tires up and run it. If you have a problem, go from there.

mds22

Tubes and Cs are exactly the same on a 30 and 44. Leave it open, don't throw money away trying to make it stronger (besides some C gussets) and run it until it breaks.

Jonathan_JK

Yep I like this analogy. 37's and a Dirty 30, It's like Drinking while under-age. You know your not supposed to be doing it but it's dam fun. or its like like sneaking a girl into your room to spend the night when your in high school

Wheel, Break, Fix, Repeat.... welcome to "Just Empty Every Pocket".

kyle521

Ive broken a d30 axle shaft, and now busted the carrier, all while on 35s. You may get by, but dont expect it to last very long

jtphoto JK

I've broke 2 axle shafts within 5 minutes of each other on a D44. Chromoly will solve that prob.

Fusion 4x4

Most logic was covered here. If you have the money for an aftermarket D44, run what you have until it breaks. A 44 is not magic. It has all the same weak parts as a 30, just a larger ring gear. With 37s, you can also break a D44 ring gear. We've done it as have plenty of people.

What you don't want to do is spend a bunch of money on a 30. If it fails, you have an expensive piece of scrap metal.

In addition, it is worth understanding what makes an axle weaker. Re-gear a D30 and you are significantly increasing the risk of failure. As you go higher numerically in gear ratio, you have less teeth on the ring gear and less tooth contact. That means far more stress on the teeth engaged. It would be hard to blow a set of 3.73 gears in a D30. You can spit teeth all day long with a set of 5.13s. Add to that chromo shafts that won't break or a locker, and it's sort of like playing with fire - eventually you'll get burned. Even running 4.88 or greater on a D44 is a lot to ask such a small ring gear.

In the end, it's fine to do so long as you can afford to break a ring gear. Even then, if you made it two years, it doesn't mean you have to drop $5k. A new set of gears and install kit is maybe $300. Replace it. Just don't buy into the hype that by going to a D44 all your worries are gone. You can still break the ring and you will still wear through the small ball joints, hubs, and steering parts. None of those items were designed to run anything close to 37s.