So I want to be able to throw some bigger tires and wheels on my rig but im worried about my front axle becoming a ticking time bomb for something to break so this is what I plan on doing. If anyone has any more suggestions or experience though trial and error help me out... I plan on buying this probably in the next 18 months and eventually getting a PR44 then sell this dana30 or put it on my wifes JK

There are 4 major changes I plan on doing to my front dana 30
1. Rock Slide Bombshell kit - Its the outer sleeve reinforcement, inner sleeve kit, and knuckle gussets
Rock-Slide Engineering AXBS100D44 - Rock Slide Engineering Bombshell Kit for 07-13 Jeep® Wrangler & Wrangler Unlimited JK with Dana 30/44 Front Axle - Quadratec
2. RCV Spline CV Axles - These eliminate the U Joint that according to them is 2x stronger than stock they also have a "no questions asked" warranty
RCV Performance Products CVJ30-JK - RCV Performance Ultimate 27 Spline CV Axles for 07-13 Jeep® Wrangler & Wrangler Unlimted JK with Dana 30 Front Axle - Quadratec
3. ARB lockers - This is the kit I plan on buying because its both dana30 front and dana 44 rear
ARB Air Locker with Compact Air Compressor for 71-13 Jeep® Vehicles with 27 Spline Front Dana 30 & 30 Spline Dana 44 with 3.92 and Numerically Higher Gear Ratio - Quadratec
4. G2 ring and pinion - I plan on going 5.13 and 35 or 37 inch tires

 

5.13 are going to be the weak link. If you run 37 and rcv's your gears will fail if your not easy on them.

 

x 100000000 I agree thru experience!!!!!!

I blew my gears 5.13 with my built up Dana 30 and you're throwing more money then I did into your 30..... If I could only turn back the clock I wouldn't waste a dollar on the Dana 30 and would have GONE STRAIGHT TO THE PR44!!!!!! Too late for me now... BUT ITS NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU lol!!!! My PR44 is being ordered this week. I decided on it last Thursday and I'm not looking back.... PR44, ARB air lockers, RCV's, Dynatrac ball joints, Reid knuckles, 5.13 gears etc...... SERIOUSLY DO YOURSELF A FAVOR GO STRAIGHT TO THE PR44...... The tiny R&P on the Dana 30 is going to let you down..... Good luck

 

Just start the PR44 fund now, don't waste your money on the 30.

 

Just run with the C Gussets and call it a day. Housing reinforcement isn't really necessary, it isn't as weak as everyone thinks and is pretty rare to break. RCVs are nice but when you beef everything up on the D30 like you want, the R&P become the weak link, especially with 5.13. I would rather break a shaft then blow the gears. If you have the plans for a pr44 then I wouldn't worry so much about the D30. Just my .02

 

I was told to keep u-joints on the axles so those break first. They are cheap and easy to repair especially on the trail.

 

You didnt mention what year JK in your post. If you have the newer engine and really want to stick with the 30. I would go with the new Teraflex Tera 30 housing, use 4.88 gears because you probably wont need the 5.13 on the newer engine and that will make it a bunch stronger using those instead, use cromoly shafts instead of RCV and keep the stock shafts as trail spares. Unless you really plan to abuse your rig offroad you probably won't need a PR44 after that.

 

Thanks for the advice I mean it does make plenty of sense to just start saving for the PR44 right now but I just see this as a way to take part in all the fun stuff lol. Im a brand new JK owner its a 2013 and I've only had it maybe 3 or 4 months now, and I hate being the guy that "cant do it" because its still stock.

So i figured slap a good lift on it with some new rubber and beef up my axle to be able to support the wheels until i have the money to do it right. Im pretty surprised of the capabilities of a stock JK. Mine is not even a rubicon so i don't have lockers and I am pretty confident with just about anything like smaller rocks trails and ditches. I just came back from Uwharrie NC and I cant wait till i can start doing some work on the rocks. As of right now i'm getting ready to go Texas so it will be minor creek beds and smaller stuff so the PR44 really isn't in need until I end up in colorado. That will be 3 years from now so I've got plenty of time to save up for it.

Im most likely just going to go 3.5 inches with 35's Its going to be a weekend rig ill still be driving it tot work every day and getting groceries and what not.

 

Chop the flares, go with a small lift, and get the 35's. It may not be a tall, sexy lift, but a 2" BB with flats should be plenty until you get more funds. (The costs to 'do it right' start adding up fast when you pass 3" or so). When it's time to work on the axles, lock the rear 44 and go with minimal investment up front. Gussets and a $250 lunchbox or $375 TrueTrac vs. the $3000+ that you are planning now. (the detroit truetrac is my favorite traction device for these d30's, might be worth a look). Wait on the truss and/or sleeves until you find a wheeling buddy willing to weld for a case of beer.

 

I've been considering this after having all these plans to jump straight into "doing it right" right away and starting to see how fast this all adds up it would be well over 15K so ive been looking to the metal cloak game changer JE Reel drive shafts and 35's and just adding gussets to the d30 and I think that will satisfy my need to add to my jeep until I can afford to do it right