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Dana 30 Swap - Beginners Questions

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by skvetter, Sep 14, 2006.

  1. Sep 14, 2006
    skvetter

    skvetter New Member

    Shreveport, LA
    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2006
    Messages:
    13
    Let me start by stating that I'm a newbie with Jeeps. I have a 1964 CJ 6 that my son and I are going to start to work on. I have read a lot about disc brake conversions on the forum and I have a number of questions.
    [1] I would like to put disc brakes up front. I read about the Dana 30 swap for early 60's CJs. My question is would one stick with a narrow track Dana 30 (early 70's) or would you go with a wide track (I think 80's)? I guess the the newer ones already have disc brakes (what year would I look for?).

    [2] new to the world of Jeeps are there better places than others to look for the used parts? Being new and hoping to learn a lot a place that understands what I'm trying to do is a real important to me. Therefore they maybe able to answers questions and make sure I get the right parts.
    Sorry that these questions are basic but we all have to start somewhere.

    Many thanks. R)
     
    skvetter, Sep 14, 2006
    #1
  2. Sep 14, 2006
    sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    Perth, WA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    9,221
    Re: question 1. Stick with a narrow track. It's still only a couple inches wider than the original axle, barely noticeable. You can find disk brakes on a D30 starting in '76. Just not standard until later. Though any Jeep D30 narrow track will be pretty easy to put disk brakes on.
     
    sparky, Sep 14, 2006
    #2
  3. Sep 14, 2006
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    What Sparky said!
    I have a dana 30 out of a 77 cj5 with disks on it. You will need to change your master cylinder to use the disks but thats not really a big deal.
     
    Mcruff, Sep 14, 2006
    #3
  4. Sep 14, 2006
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,473
    Got a 77 D30 with Discs as well - took a couple months of looking, but I found one with the gear set I wanted as well (4.88s). Here you look in the paper, websites (craigslist for your area), thrifty nickles (little sales papers) etc. Finding a jeep yard can be tough. Maybe someone here is a local that can help.
     
    Warloch, Sep 14, 2006
    #4
  5. Sep 14, 2006
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2004
    Messages:
    1,552
    First off welcome from middle TN, used to live in S'port myself.
    What these guys already said. Sure wish my '76 D30 would have had discs though. :rofl:
     
    BlueFlu, Sep 14, 2006
    #5
  6. Sep 14, 2006
    crujones

    crujones New Member

    syracuse ny
    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2006
    Messages:
    48
    I would just go with what you can find cheap. I have a friend that runs wide track up front and narrow in the rear and it works really well plus the wide track d30s might be easier to find and if you go with big tires you don't have to worry about wheel spacers.
     
    crujones, Sep 14, 2006
    #6
  7. Sep 14, 2006
    CJ-X

    CJ-X Member

    Ohio
    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2006
    Messages:
    816
    If you went with a wide track, you would probably want to change the rear to match.
     
    CJ-X, Sep 14, 2006
    #7
  8. Sep 14, 2006
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,539
    Good luck finding a wide track rear axle that will work with the D18 T Case. Also, and I'm not sure what year exactly, the D30 went to the 5 bolt hub. Not too desireable. Stick with a narrow track. If you need to you can convert it to disc using the tried and true Chevy disc brake conversion.
     
    Posimoto, Sep 14, 2006
    #8
  9. Sep 15, 2006
    org1970cj5

    org1970cj5 New Member

    Poplarville, MS
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2002
    Messages:
    47
    I know a guy in Hattiesburg, MS who has a set of axles out of a 77 CJ. I sold him the Jeep after I converted it to wide track and he got the narrow track axles as part of the deal. If your interested, send me an email and I'll forward it to him.
    Robert
    rwhite9445@bellsouth.net
     
    org1970cj5, Sep 15, 2006
    #9
  10. Sep 15, 2006
    lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Huntingdon PA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    3,437
    Narrow track D30 with discs and the desireable 6-bolt hub can be found on select 1976-1979 CJ5s and 7s. 1980 and 81 are still narrow track, but they lave the less desireable 5-bolt hubs and thinner discs.

    Some of us have found that the D30s from 72 through 76/77 with 11" drum brakes are acceptable... and even better if you drill the drums ;)

    Welcome aboard to you and your son!! Don't worry... we've all been new at this at one time. We'll help you as best we can, feel free to ask any questions.

    Got pics of your rig? :)
     
    lynn, Sep 15, 2006
    #10
  11. Sep 15, 2006
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,539
     
    Posimoto, Sep 15, 2006
    #11
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