Dana 30 Strength...?

[87xjmike]

So I'm about to buy an EB Dana 30 and am curious about some things. I realize most of you consider them turdy but how many of you have actually broken parts and what were the circumstances of your breaks? I.E tire size? Locked? horesepower?
I have experience with the 30's in my xj's and have never broken one. Although I’ve always been open diff on 33’s or less with the stock 4.0l power-plant, but I am very hard on my rigs.
The 30 I am buying from the EB owner looks clean, will get welded spider gears, will be turning 36” hummer tires in a bronco II with the stock 2.8l engine. Recipe for disaster or what? I’m thinking about getting the stock shafts cryo’d as this is a strict budget build and I know someone who can cryo them for cheap.

[twister01]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

My father inlaw runs one in a jeep cj-5 with35 mtrs and arb stack shafts, amc360 v-8 he has broke a couple of u-joints but he drives it pletty easy .If he's trying to go up something and it doesn't want to go he will scoot over and try a knew line. Dave

[TRAILBOUND]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

Well 30 are dirt cheap, and left over parts like axles are even cheaper. Keep a couple spare sets ready to go and run it.

Y would you want to weld up the spider gears on a front axle?

[69crawler]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

I've wheeled the Rubicon with my cj5 on 33's and 360 v8 with the 30. The only breakage was a u joint while pulling my brothers driveshaftless fj40 out from the sluice to the slabes.
-Darin

[earlybronco72]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

I've wheeled the Rubicon with my cj5 on 33's and 360 v8 with the 30. The only breakage was a u joint while pulling my brothers driveshaftless fj40 out from the sluice to the slabes.
-Darin

Seems like you tow your bro a lot.

[Spaceburger]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

Mike, check under this catagory for a thread dated 4/18/2008 titled: "Cryogenic Questions.. Who Knows What??"

[69crawler]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

yes I do. But this was my other brother. Who breaks a front and rear driveshaft before "really" wheeling?

[Sierra Backwoods]

Re: Dana 30 Strength...?

My Dana 30 housing broke.

It was cracked and welded when I bought it.

I was crossing a creek, driving over some wet boulders with a generous amount of throttle applied and lots of bounce, which caused the weld to crack. Something came apart inside and I lost drive to the front wheels.

I replaced it with a 44. One of these days I'll pull the diff cover and see what went south inside.