I've Been running 35"s in my 30 for the past few years, and the past year or so started wheeling it harder. I've blown my spider gets twice this year alone. I've had no other problems otherwise, so a locker may have helped in this situation, or it may have put that stress into my shafts instead. Regardless, I'm going to 37"s soon, so I'm getting a stock 44 housing and doing a full build out on it for the time being ( instead of a pr44) so i can keep wheeling without the worry, and also purchasing some 60's from an older ford to build over the next few years then dropping those in with 40"s

 

I was curious. I snapped an axle shaft in my old TJ driving like an idiot and found out quick that there's not much you can do since the whole axle with wheel and tire just slides out of the axle assembly. Luckily I was close to home when it happened.

This had me thinking. What if I'm out somewhere and I break an axle shaft. How disabling is this or is it a fairly easy trail fix?

 

So I pulled apart my 30, thinking it was my spider gears again, but this time it wasn't, it was actually my r&p. which, if you gear a 30 that low, the Chances of that happening increase, and mine did. Again, only on 35's.

As far as changing shafts out, it usually simple to do, but there could always be complications, depending on whether you broke the outer, or I towards the differential. The TJ rear axles had c clips holding them together, jks do not. THe axle wont walk out on you front or rear

 

This is what makes the D30 so weak. The size of the r&p

 

Yeah it just sheared the teeth off.

 

did you set it up yourself or have a shop do it? just wondering cuz most guys that do it themselves seem to take there time and do it right. where a shop gets it close and gets it out the door.

 

Did it myself with a few other guys, and these have been in for over 40k miles. We've done many sets in several different jks. But as the above user posted, that small of a r&p, and doing anything more than mild wheeling, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

 

If your not planning to raise the gearing though you wouldn't have to worry about this correct? Even the Dana 44 has this issue.

 

Bump......

 

The D44 has a larger ring and pinion than the D30, which is what makes it stronger. Lower ratio gears (more teeth) also decrease the strength and are more prone to failure. Much of this depends on how you drive it