About to Buy a Dana 30 With ARB

[Just.Thorne71]

Basically what the title says, I'm planning on driving down to PA tomorrow to pick up a Dana 30 with a set of 4.88s and a ARB air locker, As far as I can tell its the older 3 piece style ARB which I've heard mixed opinions on, can someone who knows more about gears/axles tell me if I'm getting ripped of at $500. I'm gonna swap out the steering, brakes, go chromoly shafts and prob throw a diff cover on it, as well as just wire wheel and clean it up until I re gear my existing Dana 44 or swap it out for one with 4.88s.

(Context, currently on 33s, planning for 35s in the next year or two. mostly trail riding and not much rock crawling. )

 

[lBasket]

Holy bumpstop. Seems like a good deal tho

 

[Just.Thorne71]

Holy bumpstop. Seems like a good deal tho

up travel is for looser's anyways

 

[macleanflood]

Here's the best modification for more uptravel...you'll like 4.88s on 33s.

-Mac

 

[Moglocker]

Basically what the title says, I'm planning on driving down to PA tomorrow to pick up a Dana 30 with a set of 4.88s and a ARB air locker, As far as I can tell its the older 3 piece style ARB which I've heard mixed opinions on, can someone who knows more about gears/axles tell me if I'm getting ripped of at $500. I'm gonna swap out the steering, brakes, go chromoly shafts and prob throw a diff cover on it, as well as just wire wheel and clean it up until I re gear my existing Dana 44 or swap it out for one with 4.88s.

(Context, currently on 33s, planning for 35s in the next year or two. mostly trail riding and not much rock crawling. )

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Change that control arm bushing while it’s right there.

 

[hosejockey61]

I strongly disagree that it's worth it. They are more of a pain in the ass than they are worth. I had the bolts back out or break on mine 3 times (one with them wired).

They require a LOT of pre-load and even then, good luck.

 

[cpwolf]

I strongly disagree that it's worth it. They are more of a pain in the ass than they are worth. I had the bolts back out or break on mine 3 times (one with them wired).

They require a LOT of pre-load and even then, good luck.

A Dana 30 with 4.88’s and an air locker, $500 seems cheap, maybe “too cheap” to your point.

 

[Just.Thorne71]

UPDATE: I went down to PA to pick it up today, not exactly what I was expecting, the guy realized that the sway bar mounts had been laser cut off (not great, but not the end of the world) and that the slinger was pretty torn up (eek) but because of this he decided to just give me the whole setup for FREE.

I have the axle and got a good look at it at home, I’ve noticed a few other things
- Mismatched axle shafts (one XJ?, one TJ)
- Passenger side lower control arm mount welded on by Stevie Wonder
-slingers pretty chewed up
-drilled rotors with some life left

So now the question is what do I do with it?
-swap knuckles, calipers, steering and shafts with my current, throw on some new bushings/ball joints, control arm skids, fix the slinger and run it?

-pull the ARB and 4.88s out, keep the track bar since it better than my current, resurface the rotors, and scrap the rest?

-Sell to to some poor schmuck for 12 pack ?

Also does anybody know what the sensors on the knuckles are?

 

[Just.Thorne71]

Also, from what I can tell the gears have no damage whatsoever, and the locker looks to be fine, I wonder if this potentially was a case of the bolts working it way out of the locker and pinging around.

 

[lBasket]

That's an ABS sensor + tone ring

 

[Just.Thorne71]

That's an ABS sensor + tone ring

Ok, That makes so much more sense then what I was thinking, what would you do?

 

[lBasket]

Ok, That makes so much more sense then what I was thinking, what would you do?

Idk if I got a free axle with the ratio I needed and a working locker I'd send it

 

[hosejockey61]

Ok, That makes so much more sense then what I was thinking, what would you do?

Well since you got it for free, you can run it until it doesn't run anymore.

 

[hosejockey61]

A Dana 30 with 4.88’s and an air locker, $500 seems cheap, maybe “too cheap” to your point.

It's the first gen ARB that kills value

 

[Just.Thorne71]

Well since you got it for free, you can run it until it doesn't run anymore.

That's the kind of news I like to hear, do you think its even worth it to dive in a and replace the slinger, or does it not really matter, I'd like this axle to last decently long, but if it wont really affect performance/longevity, then I wont.

 

[hosejockey61]

That's the kind of news I like to hear, do you think its even worth it to dive in a and replace the slinger, or does it not really matter, I'd like this axle to last decently long, but if it wont really affect performance/longevity, then I wont.

If the slinger doesn't have anything jammed in it and it's not rubbing on anything, then I wouldn't worry to much about it. Make sure the pinion doesn't have any in/out play. A little rotational play is normal.

 

[Just.Thorne71]

If the slinger doesn't have anything jammed in it and it's not rubbing on anything, then I wouldn't worry to much about it. Make sure the pinion doesn't have any in/out play. A little rotational play is normal.

Okay, I think I'll probably be replacing it then, it seems like its folded over on itself and its slightly rubbing on the ring gear. Which I think explains the wear along the sides of the teeth. Also, what else will I need to replace it, do i need new pinion bearings, I know I'll need a new nut and crush sleeve.

 

[macleanflood]

I think I'd pull the locker and gears and move them to your existing axle.

-Mac