Info needed on search for a Dana 30

SO I have always planned on upgrading to a Dana 30 open knuckle front end for my 48 2A once I had it back on the road and more important things done. I need a little help knowing exactly what I should be looking for application wise.

Here are the things I need.

Right side drop
27" spring perch center to center
Open Knuckle
5 on 5.5 pattern
The ability to mount up my 11" Wagoneer brakes
The ability to put 5.38 gears on an Eaton E Locker

Is there such a critter out there? or am I going to have to build one or build a Dana 44 instead?

thanks for any help

 

72-75 CJ narrow track 30 fits the bill including the 11" brakes.

 

THANKS

 

'76-'78 can work fine also. '76 most likely will be drum brake but '77-'78 would be the larger disc brakes with 6 bolt locking hubs. '79-'82-3 can work also as they are also narrow track but would be thinner disc brakes (work fine on a flatty, just not the "best"). Wide track started around '82-'83 and can work, will give better turning radius, but is several inches wider than narrow track. '80 and newer will most likely have the weaker 5 bolt locking hubs also.

 

I'm writing this all down as they say. Thanks guys

 

Not to hijack the thread but will Dana 27 ring and pinion fit in a Dana 30? I'm thinking of changing to a Dana 30 as well.

 

no

 

Just to elaborate, the factory 11" brakes on these axles (and '76s and some '77s - disks were optional in '77) are basically the same as your Wagoneer 11" brakes. So no need to swap them out if so equipped.

 

Not much to add that has not already been stated above but here is a little more info that may help you,

First off , your Dana 25-27 is 51" Wide , wheel mount to wheel mount , the D-30 72-81 narrow track will be 53" and the D-30 wide track 82-86 will be 56"

If your doing a Junk yard Search this may also help as some Junk yards are notoriously Good or terribly Bad for getting the proper info written on the ID tag or axle. If I can't Identify the axle by it's brakes package or known BOM numbers you may want to first pull the BOM numbers off of the axle tube and then plug them into the web site below to really see what year and ratio the axle is.

As far as the 11" Drum brakes..... most any of the D-30's will accept them.........

But If I was going to a D-30 and had the option of picking up a 77-78 with the Large Disc brake option I would not even look back............as Nick mentioned above this factory upgrade had 1.125" wide vented rotors and 6-bolt Warn premium hubs. The common BOM # for that D-30 axle Identified in location #2 below is 603732........take along some sand paper , a wire brush and rag to clean off the paint and junk...........

Some axles may have already been stripped of there brakes so in either case getting the number and checking the year is always a good Idea.

Not sure if a D-30 E-Locker will get you to 5:38's I'm thinking up to either 4:88's or 5:13's




www2.dana.com/expertforms/deabill.aspx

 

With a Dana 30 3 series fits 2.54-1 to 3.54-1 gears and 4 series fits 3.73-1 down to 5.38-1 gears.

 

Thanks guys. I will not widen the track on my Willys an extra inch on a side I can live with. As to the brakes I have right now brand new 11" wagoneer brakes so while a disc brake setup might have an advantage in mud. With brakes designed to stop a 4500lb Wagoneer towing a 4000lb trailer on a 2800lb CJ2A towing a 1000lb trailer I'm well into overkill already. I also won't be changing bolt patterns on the jeep I have $2400 invested in my rear Dana 44 and its a 5 on 5.5" flanged axle so that's a done deal.

It looks like my best bet is a 72-75 CJ narrow track

As to knowing whats inside etc. All I need is the housing Knuckles and Axles (OK hubs would be nice) as all bearings, gears, and the carrier will all be new.

 

The spindles are different on the drum brake housing as well as the outer stub axles as a heads up. I have a Dana 30 from a '73 CJ5 with the 11" drums and 5.38's setup on a TruTrac for the front of my A1 waiting for me to have time to swap it in.

The drums are an improvement over the early 9" drums, but the discs are SO much better for the street and especially if pulling a load. Something to think about as you haven't completely committed yet. And the disc brake axle is much easier to find in my experience.

 

Disks were introduced in 1977, and were optional. So a '76 and some '77s will have drums too, and be mostly the same as a '72-75 axle. The main differences will be the ratios. '72-75 was 3.73 standard and 4.27 optional. In '76, that went to 3.54 and 4.10. Also, sometime ca 1975 Jeep increased the 30's tube thickness and made the housing stronger somehow. Probably won't matter unless you get significant air - my feeling is it was done to reduce warranty claims for broken housings.

 

look here.
http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/inde...row-track-dana-30-iteration-questions.111568/