My rear is already locked and I want to do the front as well. If I throw a locker in the Dana30 will it hold up under stress? Can I "beef up" the D30 to make it stronger? Or should I just buy a Dana44?

Any thoughts or advise would be great.

 

Conventional wisdom says to go with a D44 with a selectable locker. I went the ARB + 5.13 route, but only because I didn't have the money for a complete axle.

 

So you're running the D30 still?

 

It is a judgment call. What is your budget, and how strong do you think that D30 is?

A lot of people lock them with no issues. A lot think that a 30 is too weak to lock. And a lot of people feel that it is just a waste of money to upgrade it at all.
-No way I would dump a grand into a selectable and then add all of the strength upgrades for a JK 30. (Gussets, stock shafts and a cheap TruTrac, nothing more)

But, start putting all the numbers together and see what you come up with.

D30
ARB + compressor/bracket/panel/switches ($1150-ish)
(an E-Locker would be another good option, no compressor)
Alloy shafts ($550)
Gussets + welding (absolute minimum. Then consider the sleeves and a truss)
Sleeves + welding
Truss + welding


Rubi44 ($2800 new)
Alloy shafts ($550)
Wiring and switches for the locker
Gussets + welding (absolute minimum)
Sleeves + welding
Truss + welding
(and remember that the JK30 and the JK Rubi44 are the same axle housing. The only difference is the center section and the Inner axleshaft spline counts)

PR44 ($4400 to your door)
Pre-geared to your choice
ARB or Detroit (or whatever you choose)
Alloy inners (re-use stock 32sp outers)
Caster/pinion correction built in
1/2" tubes and beefed brackets (much stronger than a sleeved stock axle)
2" more ground clearance than stock axles


So, opinion again - skip the rubi44. Either do minimal upgrades to your 30 or jump to the PR.

 

I ran a locked d30 in the front for a little while. I also have 5:13s. I ran 35s for a while and 37s for a short time with it. I always tried to be careful and not push it too hard and it did fine.

 

Thanks for all this info.! This helps put things into perspective. I think I would "worry" about the D30 under there when it was locked and I was approaching a pretty difficult trail.

Do you think a "built" D30 is just as capable and strong as a D44?

 

I'm running 4:88s

Was your D30 completely stock?

 

No. No matter how much money you dump into it, you still have the small D30 R&P. And I will assume that you have re-geared? So that already small pinion is even smaller and weaker. With all the strength upgrades, what is the most likely part to break?

44's have pretty beefy gears. Not as big around as 60 gears, but almost as thick, and a significant upgrade over the d30 gearset.

 

If I bought the D44...can I use my current 4.88s in it?

 

No, as previously mentioned, the ring and pinion are larger than the d30.