[kenb1023]

It all started real simple, just re-gear and add lockers. Simple right? Hell no. I started researching and talking to my friend at the Off Road shop in town who is also a Forum Member and a member of my Jeep group. Now I see that my stock D30 is just not going to cut it. I can add gussets and sleeves with new ball joints or I can go to a HD D30 axle like the Teraflex Tera30 but then I am still stuck with a R&P that may not have the beef to handle some of the things I want to do. Ok, enter the upgrade to an aftermarket 44 like the TF44 (Expensive)or PR44 (very very expensive). Ok, big money here, I know. I think the Teraflex TF44 will meet all my needs but it kills the budget. Should I start buying what I can (Axle housing, Axles, R&P and Locker) and just wait till I have enough to get the rear locker and R&P or go back to plan a and just beef up the stock D30 and hope for the best?

What would you do??

 

[BlueBabySound]

My plans are similar.
I have a D44 and will be adding truss, Cs and ball joints in a couple of weeks, to hold me over.
End plan is to buy D60/sterling combo and build over the course of a couple of years with Artec kit, ARB, 5.13 and RCVs.

Maybe beef the 30 to get you by while you build something. ? . ?

Just my .02

 

[kenb1023]

My plans are similar.
I have a D44 and will be adding truss, Cs and ball joints in a couple of weeks, to hold me over.
End plan is to buy D60/sterling combo and build over the course of a couple of years with Artec kit, ARB, 5.13 and RCVs.

Maybe beef the 30 to get you by while you build something. ? . ?

Just my .02

I hate spending money on something I know I am going to change. That is exactly my dilemma ullinghair: Waist the $800 to beef it up or go with the 44

 

[BlueBabySound]

I look at it differently.

My point of view, for my build:
Pre-built D60s are expensive. 12k ish
Home built can be done for less than half that. So my plan is to spend $600 for my D44 in truss, C's & BJs. All to save $6,000 by building my own D60s. PLUS I can spread the cost of the expensive premium D60 parts over a couple of years.

By spending a few $$ now I can enjoy my D44 and not worry as much while on the trail.

I get your point, I'm just looking at it differently.

 

[mommymallcrawler]

I was in your position with my 13 JKU. My solution? I traded it in for a 14 JKR to at least get factory D44. I trussed front and rear and gusseted. If I grenade the factory D44s, then I will move up to 60s.

 

[ohioviper]

Look for a used Rubicon front axle. Should be cheaper option for a D44 and will work just fine.

 

[kenb1023]

If and that is a BIG if I move to 60s it will be after my wife can no longer wheel with me. I can then go to 6" lift on 40s. Since that may not be for years to come if ever it is not even a consideration but a dream. 44s will be the end game. I am starting to lean towards keep it as it is and start building the 44. Oh, and go buy a lottery ticket.

 

[kenb1023]

Look for a used Rubicon front axle. Should be cheaper option for a D44 and will work just fine.

That is a good idea if I can find one around here that hasn't had the $%$*! beat out of it already.

 

[Blake]

That is a good idea if I can find one around here that hasn't had the $%$*! beat out of it already.

This is what I was going to suggest also, find a decent D44 and beef it up while it's off the vehicle, surely you would end up coming out cheaper and have the beefier setup you desire.

I guess another thing to know would be what are your plans for the immediate future (1-3yrs)? I see you only have 33s now, are you planning on jumping to 37s soon? Do you wheel hard? etc.

 

[kenb1023]

This is what I was going to suggest also, find a decent D44 and beef it up while it's off the vehicle, surely you would end up coming out cheaper and have the beefier setup you desire.

I guess another thing to know would be what are your plans for the immediate future (1-3yrs)? I see you only have 33s now, are you planning on jumping to 37s soon? Do you wheel hard? etc.

I don't heavy rock crawl but we wheel in the Ouray and Silverton CO and around Albuquerque NM area. Will be going to 35s maybe 37s when the 33s wear out or down a bit more. Will be adding one more inch of lift at that time. Mostly want to keep up with the Rubicons in my group.

 

[dvn4life1972]

I'm going the 37's route. WAS planning to just beef up my D30, be conservative on the skinny pedal, and if/when it breaks, deal with swapping it then.

BUT

Came across a set of 1 tons (D60 front/Sterling rear) for $200. They're in decent shape.

So...you can beef up your D30. I think if you do it wisely, it'll last a lot longer than you may be thinking. They don't just puke their R&P out at the mere site of a piece of gravel. Truss is cheap...and if you need to truss a D44, then you need to truss a D30, because they're essentially the same axle housing that way.

OR

You can get a non-rubicon D44 housing. Shafts, ARB, ARP...everything for somewhere between 3600 and 3800 (if you do the work yourself). Add more if you're gonna truss and gusset the C's ($500...and add whatever labor to weld them if you don't do it yourself).

 

[BlueBabySound]

BUT

Came across a set of 1 tons (D60 front/Sterling rear) for $200. They're in decent shape.

I hate you........





Give ya $250 for them!!

 

[dvn4life1972]

I hate you........





Give ya $250 for them!!

Hell no Bobby Brown!:mooning:

But not too long ago I did see a set off a '04 F350 for around $550 I think. Maybe one or two weeks ago. I'll see if I can find them and post the link.c-ouch:

 

[kenb1023]

Well I have a 350' roll of 8-3 copper well pump cable I am going to strip down, a 3 lb coffee can full of brass shavings from a machine shop and 10 2.5" brass pipe fittings I am going to take to the metal recyclers, a lawn more, push behind brush hog and some other odds an ends to sell at a yard sale. I am going to find the money. I think I may even try to pimp out my Jeep for vendor advertising in exchange for low parts prices.:whistling: The more I think on it the more I want the TF44. Dang this Forum and all the posted rigs ullinghair:

 

[kenb1023]

Ok, mind is made up. Going for the PR 44 mainly because Dynatrac will assemble and set the gears up in their facility. Al I have to do is put on my outer axles, knuckles, wheel bearing and brakes. The Teraflex, which I really do like their housing will require me or a shop to put it all together. Will let you all know how it goes.

 

[WredTJ]

Congrats on making up your mind. Mines still all twisted around this exact dilemma.
Only I screwed up even worse and added an ARB into my D30. LOL! So that's an extra grand into it.

I think you made the right call. I'm probably gonna postpone my push for 37s until I can do the PR44 too.

 

[kenb1023]

Congrats on making up your mind. Mines still all twisted around this exact dilemma.
Only I screwed up even worse and added an ARB into my D30. LOL! So that's an extra grand into it.

I think you made the right call. I'm probably gonna postpone my push for 37s until I can do the PR44 too.

If you already have the ARB for the D30 then Teraflex makes a D30 with all the same specs as the D44 but all your D30 parts, locker included will go into it. It is beefy, 3.25" X 0.25" axle tube and all the brackets are 1/4". It will handle the 37s. The reason I didn't go this way is because I hadn't purchased the lockers yet. Something to think about.

 

[jp2611]

I read OP and only OP so if this is wrong...sorry. FOR ME and the wheeling we have in my area I went Gussets,,,,that being said I also am on stock SIZE tires and 3.21 gears. It will be fine for me.

IMO YOU have to choose what is going to work best for you....generally I don't replace until I break, and THAN I upgrade. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[kenb1023]

I read OP and only OP so if this is wrong...sorry. FOR ME and the wheeling we have in my area I went Gussets,,,,that being said I also am on stock SIZE tires and 3.21 gears. It will be fine for me.

IMO YOU have to choose what is going to work best for you....generally I don't replace until I break, and THAN I upgrade. GOOD LUCK!!

The thing is, when it brakes it is usually in the worst place at the worst time. I figured I don't need the beef of a D60 but wanted the strength. Both the PR44 and TF44 provide that. Look them up. The Cs are massive. Much stronger than any gusseted C and the tube walls on the stock axles will still be the same weak ones. Here I don't have to do a bunch of welding and end up with more axle than I will ever need. I sold a bunch of stuff and scraped up the extra $$$$ for the PR44s so will go in that direction. It is going to be wallet painful but I think down the road it will be the better choice.

 

[WredTJ]

If you already have the ARB for the D30 then Teraflex makes a D30 with all the same specs as the D44 but all your D30 parts, locker included will go into it. It is beefy, 3.25" X 0.25" axle tube and all the brackets are 1/4". It will handle the 37s. The reason I didn't go this way is because I hadn't purchased the lockers yet. Something to think about.

Thanks much for the thoughts! But I keep hearing how the ring and pinion on the d30 is the weak point. But will research now!