Armored Up D30 or upgrade to D44?
JK Freak
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 519
Likes: 2
From: Miramar, FL
I wheeled my beefed up 30 with an ARB for over a year on 37s and it took 5 mins of a bad angle and POP. Passenger axle shaft gone. ARB...gone. In the end I wish I would've waited, saved, and got my Tera44. This axle is sexy.
Sponsoring Manufacturer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,136
Likes: 4
From: Huntington Beach, CA
I am about to finish off my next stage of my build:
Will run 37's in about 3 years right now I have 35's.
My next stage was going to put an ARB locker and 4.88 Gears in my D30 with Artec Full Armor Truss Kit.
I have a buddy selling his D44 housing from his Rubicon to me for 800 bucks. No guts just ball joints and axle housing and diff cover.
I think I should be able to transfer a lot of my components over to the new housing and then have the gear shop put the lockers and gears in the D44.
Is it worth it for me to upgrade the housing or is my armored up D30 enough? So far I have paid about 400 bucks to parts/welder total for my D30 C Gussets, control arm skids and Axle truss.
Thanks.
Will run 37's in about 3 years right now I have 35's.
My next stage was going to put an ARB locker and 4.88 Gears in my D30 with Artec Full Armor Truss Kit.
I have a buddy selling his D44 housing from his Rubicon to me for 800 bucks. No guts just ball joints and axle housing and diff cover.
I think I should be able to transfer a lot of my components over to the new housing and then have the gear shop put the lockers and gears in the D44.
Is it worth it for me to upgrade the housing or is my armored up D30 enough? So far I have paid about 400 bucks to parts/welder total for my D30 C Gussets, control arm skids and Axle truss.
Thanks.
Here's our advice: since you know the budget you have to spend, give us a call at 714-421-4314 and talk to one of our guys to work up a quote on what a ProRock 44 would cost you. That takes one part of the guess work out.
Next, total up everything you'd spend to beef up that Dana 30, inlcuding the cost of the labor to have those parts installed. Figure on a labor rate of at least $125 an hour, but call your local shop and see if you can get more exact pricing. Then compare the real cost of improving the Dana 30, and see how that compares to buying a ProRock 44, also keeping in mind that the ProRock will add value to your Jeep if you ever decide to part with it. We're pretty certain you'll see the numbers don't lie, and for the cost of everything involved with that D30 improvement, the difference isn't that much between your D30 and just buying a much stronger ProRock 44 axle assembly that you won't have to worry about. And an axle assembly that will give you lots of room for future mods and improvements such as larger wheels/tires, different gear ratios, lockers, and so on.
In the meantime, check out our website and learn more about the ProRock 44 to help when you give us a call. https://www.dynatrac.com/axle-assemb...k-44-axle.html
Last edited by Dynatrac; Apr 13, 2017 at 05:40 AM.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
Thanks
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
I'm not trying to sway you from building or going with a rubi 44, just trying to highlight how close the cost can get to a PR44, but a lot of that depends on labor and what you have to pay for. I tallied up mine in a different thread the other week and I was around $3100 for a Rubi 44 which I regeared, trussed, gusset, LCA and shock brackets, and with Dynatrac BJs. That wasn't too bad cuz I was able to save on labor and I did it over a couple years. I think if you're looking at that cost up front, then it's better to look at something else like a Dynatrac or Currie.
It's always a real conundrum when you start out with a D30 and then realize you need more. I went through the same thing couple years back, and unless you have a really nice slush fund there's no easy answer. I think if that housing would cost you more like $500, building from that would start looking more interesting.
It's always a real conundrum when you start out with a D30 and then realize you need more. I went through the same thing couple years back, and unless you have a really nice slush fund there's no easy answer. I think if that housing would cost you more like $500, building from that would start looking more interesting.
I think I will just lock the rear for now.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
The rubicon 44 is no stronger than the 30. The only thing that makes them better is a bigger ring gear and they are set up for lockers. I've thought about this but will be going with an aftermarket 44 that have bigger and thicker tubes and bigger inner Cs. You can get a loaded 44 with an arb, gears, axles, ball joints set up and delivered for about $4400.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
A Dana 30 can be fine if you set it up properly and remember what's under there when you're wheeling. I wouldn't go to much taller numerically ring and pinion wise in a 30 than maybe 4.56, which is what i'm running with 35's. Also, keep it at a 35, and try a Truetrac. I'm running TT's front and rear and they are great and do their job. Much more forgiving than a full locker, especially for that dana 30, and they will amaze you with what they can do.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: Tempe, AZ
With a D30, even "armored up" is the ceiling. You mention 37s, your D30 even beefed up won't handle that. With the D30, you will always be limited in the other mods you want to make, and the wheeling you want to do. Someone mentioned before "It'll be fine as long as you keep in mind what's under you" or something to that effect. Why distract yourself on the trail with the constant worry of "will this break my D30?" while you're trying to enjoy yourself? Hell, you could even be driving on asphalt, and the right/wrong circumstances could bend your D30. And when that happens, all the money you spent to "armor up" that D30 just got flushed down the toilet.
But, here's what we feel is the best advice, since only you know the budget you have to spend. Give us a call at 714-421-4314 and talk to one of our guys to work up a quote on what a ProRock 44 would cost you. That takes one part of the guess work out.
Next, total up everything you'd spend to beef up that Dana 30, then add in the cost of the labor to have those parts installed (figure on a labor rate of at least $125 an hour. But call your local shop and see if you can get more exact pricing) and then compare the real cost of improving the Dana 30, and see where you're at compared to buying a ProRock 44, also keeping in mind that the ProRock will also add value to your Jeep if you ever decide to part with it. We're pretty certain you'll see the numbers don't lie, and for the cost of everything involved with that D30 improvement, you'd be a small sum away from just buying a much stronger axle assembly you'll never have to worry about. And an axle assembly that will give you lots of room for future mods and improvements such as larger wheels/tires, different gear ratios, lockers, and so on.
In the meantime, check out our website and learn more about the ProRock 44 to help when you give us a call. https://www.dynatrac.com/axle-assemb...k-44-axle.html
But, here's what we feel is the best advice, since only you know the budget you have to spend. Give us a call at 714-421-4314 and talk to one of our guys to work up a quote on what a ProRock 44 would cost you. That takes one part of the guess work out.
Next, total up everything you'd spend to beef up that Dana 30, then add in the cost of the labor to have those parts installed (figure on a labor rate of at least $125 an hour. But call your local shop and see if you can get more exact pricing) and then compare the real cost of improving the Dana 30, and see where you're at compared to buying a ProRock 44, also keeping in mind that the ProRock will also add value to your Jeep if you ever decide to part with it. We're pretty certain you'll see the numbers don't lie, and for the cost of everything involved with that D30 improvement, you'd be a small sum away from just buying a much stronger axle assembly you'll never have to worry about. And an axle assembly that will give you lots of room for future mods and improvements such as larger wheels/tires, different gear ratios, lockers, and so on.
In the meantime, check out our website and learn more about the ProRock 44 to help when you give us a call. https://www.dynatrac.com/axle-assemb...k-44-axle.html
This is so awesome hearing from the actual company! I'll give you guys a call tomorrow morning. This hobbies really hard on a college budget. I'm solidly convinced from this thread that I should go with the ProRock 44 and stop throwing money at the D30.
Thanks Dynatrac!