O I'm in a 2010 sport, 35"s, but ,y goal build is 38s. I've heard of dudes reinforcing their D30 to run 37"s, and even beefing up a D44 to run 40s. I understand that if I stuck with a beefed up D30, I'll probably be replacing my gears. I'm looking for options. I'm a SGT in the Army, so I'm not made of money, I could scrounge the money for a 44 front, or look at junkyards. Supposedly Ford 8.8s are perfect, but I think I read that page when I was drunk. Any one have ideas or guidance? I'm not following the typical JK build progression, I care more about function over form.

Also, I'm still drunk. Don't judge me for misspelling.

 

Wow. I butchered this post. What I meant was with a D30, I'd be replacing my gears a lot, because I understand that the ring and pinion will be small as hell.

 

The 38s will stress the ball joints and steering a lot more. You'll want a sector shaft brace at a min, but if you wheel, hydro assist is close to a must. Stock axle shafts will break with ease, but upgrading will put the stress on the ring and pinion. Running big gears in a D30 with 38s is not an ideal combo. However, it really depends on how and where you wheel it.

Honestly, a D44 doesn't get you anything but a stronger ring and pinion. Everything else is still too weak.

Whatever you do, don't piss your money away on a PR44. Which will be recommended in about every other post after mine.

 

That's why I asked the question. I want quality, but I don't really care about brand name. I wheel, or will wheel, and I've seen some beefed up 44s take a bruising. I'll be wheeling in mostly NC, which is minor rocks, and VA, which apparently is bukoo rocks.

 

Not to hijack but I'm in the same boat as op. Tell me why I don't want a pr44. I was leaning to the core44 from g2 or the Currie rockjock44

 

Because it's a lot of money for nothing. If it's the D44 you want, you can spend half the money and get a Rubi axle and beef up the housing. The PR44 is nothing but a D44 with larger axle tubes. You can build D60s front and rear for about the cost of a single PR44.

If those aftermarket 44s were around $3k, then I could see a reasonable argument for those running D30s. The one thing that mystifies me, are the guys who sell their D44 Rubi axle to get a PR44.

 

Well, you have some soul searching to do. I know the places you'll be wheeling. I wouldn't run 38s on a D44 (definitely not a D30). You really need to step up to big boy axles.

Can you get away with a D44? I think so. Don't get RCV axle shafts and then you keep the fuse in the axle shaft. The main issue you'll have is that you'll be replacing ball joints, front hubs, and rear wheel bearings much more often. I'd say every 10k miles if you wheel somewhat regularly.

 

This question comes up a lot.. so I am just going to copy and past to save some time.

That said, here are your issues...

running 38's will need re-gearing, clearances, and proper geometry. Not to mention, wheels and steering. So you will investing in those things with your D30. That said, your final solution will have different wheels (bolt pattern), different axles, new gears, most likely different location of said axles, different location for track bar, drag link and possibly control arms. So basically, you are throwing away time and money by sticking with the D30.

So, you can waste your money trying to make it work, but in the end its all throw away.

Next, while you say, when it breaks you will replace, that means two things: no recoup of your initial investment and more importantly, when it breaks, where will your jeep be at that moment. Could be dangerous. Why add unnecessary risk.

ok... that's the clean version.

 

I'm running a stock 3.21 geared d30 with 35's currently in VA with no issues. I picked up a d44 front out of a rubi trussed and gusseted with the locker (and a soft top) for a couple hundred bucks and trading my hardtop. I'm not worried at all for the jump to 37s. I might break axle shafts but I'm not too worried about that honestly. I'd look hard for a front rubi axle nearby and try to score a decent deal.

 

I agree to a point. I'm running a d30 and don't want to buy a rubi44 and be prone to bending again even with the trusses, sleeves etc. I Agee that the prices are absolutely ridiculous but I don't have to means to build a junkyard axle myself, so I'm stuck with getting a shop to build me one.