Bigd589706

I am planning out my future mods and have been going back and forth on whether I should just beef up my Dana 30 or replace it a Dana 44. I have a 2008 JKU Sahara with an ARB locker in the rear already and have done nothing else to strengthen the rear. I do not wheel hard or as often as I like since I have been in school. Now I'm graduating and will have more free time. So my question is, should I just strengthen the 30 or replace with a 44? I am basically all stock right now besides the rear locker I mentioned and rock sliders. I will eventually add a 3" lift and 35's but felt it was most important to spend the bulk of my cash on building the axles.

Thanks in advance,
David

jnabird333

The D30 is fine with 35s and mild to medium trail use. I personally wouldn't add a locker to the D30, but I know many have. If you haven't added C-gussets I would definitely do that and then run it.

If some day you plan to go bigger save for a PR44. You can polish a turd, but in the end, all you have is a pretty turd....

OH9JK

Wheel it until it breaks and then upgrade. In the meantime put some money away in an "axle fund" instead of upgrading the D30.

Bigd589706

That was what I was leaning towards doing. Just figured I would get some feed back from someone more experienced. Thanks

Bigd589706

I think I'll just save up for the upgrade and thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into the C-gussets that you mentioned. Any particular brand? I am new to pretty much everything.

jnabird333

Not really, Rock Krawler makes some that are only welded to the upper C where most make both an upper and lower. The RK ones are ~$30 and most others are ~$60. The upper C is the real weak point, but it's just as easy to weld upper an lowers while you're there. Some of the common ones are EVO, Synergy, and Artec. All are pretty similar in design. They are cheap insurance. I have seen bent Cs from wheeling with stock tires and even on some road only Jeeps with 33s. The real expense is in welding them on if you can't weld or have a buddy that will for .

Bigd589706

Okay thanks, I got a buddy that welds so I'll just get him to help me out with it.

Ryan0260

I would just gusset the D30 and save your money for something better down the road.

Matthewd5

We'll this subject is like brining up politics or religion...

I went with the Dynatrac Pro Rock D44 and D60's

I read everything I could find about the subject, I opted not to sleeve and gusset etc.

Matthewd5

2climbbig

get the 44. by the time you finish beafing up your 30 it will be close the a 44. That said, both will need a gussets at the minimum.