Need some help....probably more than some. Way back in late 07 bought an unlimited X because there were no Rubicons around. Now I want 35's or 37's. Can i go there with the 30 up front and if so what do i need to do to it to help it survive. 80% DD 20% off the beaten path (no rock crawling). Currently running a 2.5 TF Coil . I know it will need to grow or get chopped to stuff the 37's but any help and or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

I wouldnt go 37s with the 30. I ran 35s back on my YJ 30 for a while although it likes to break shafts and u joints. So if your going to do it make sure you carry spares. If you really didnt want to swap out the axle you could buy some upgraded shafts but thats alot of money to spend on the little 30 in my opinion.

 

I have 35's on my 30, but I sleeved the tubes. They should hold pretty good now.

 

Ran 35 KM2s & lockers on a D30 for two years on difficult trails without issues. Just be easy on the gas.

 

Your D30 can take quite a bit of abuse. You'll be fine with 35's, just don't hammer it when you're off road. The JK D30 has been upgraded quite a bit from the last generations, and you won't have as much axle breaking problems as the YJ's or TJ's did.

That being said, it doesn't matter what size axle you are running, if you abuse it you'll break it eventually.

 

So, sleeve it, upgrade axles...anything else? Appreciate all the help.

 

Gusset the C's, sleeve it if you want... also heard 'tacking (welding) the caps' on the u-joint but who knows. All semi-cheap ways of making it stronger.

That should help you handle 35s with the D30 a little better than just going at it completely stock.

If you break shafts eventually you could buy some RCV shafts for it, if you don't want to upgrade to a 44. They are pricey at $1000, but have lifetime warranty? With all the above, the D30 would be pretty stout... even so much so that people argue it would make something else (like the R&P) a weak point. But thats for another thread (more than one I've seen on here).

With what you seem to be wheeling, you should be fine doing just the stuff listed in my first paragraph/sentence, if you watch the skinny pedal. But you never know... (of course you never know with the D44 either...)

EDIT: I know there are a few wheeling 37s even, on the D30 and having it last somewhat long time. But I'd probably stick to the 35s with it... You should probably re-gear for 35s in my opinion (best thing I did), but would definitely need a re-gear with 37s. Just something else to think about...

 

I would go with the EVO C-gussets over anything else. If you really want to spend the money upgrade the axles. Remember if you upgrade the axle you will move the weak point from the axle to the ring and pinion. If you break that out on the trail you're going to be there a while. If you break an axle you just pull it, plug the tube (EVO sells a pretty sweet plug too) and you can get out pretty quickly.

I do some pretty tough rock crawling runs all the time with other X's running 35's and nothing other than a stock set up and they have all been fine. Bottom line is, be careful and know your Jeep's limitations.

 

If you are going to drop that kind of dough into a 30 particularly if you are paying for labor you are very close to having bought a pro rock 44. I have close to 3k into my pos 30 including gear set up labor more than once due to massive carnage, chromoly axles, sleeves , gussets and an Aussie locker. If I had just paid another 1k I would have a pro rock 44 set up with an arb, 5:13's and rcv axles. I've been told I may be finesseless when wheeling and that is debatable, been wheeling my entire driving career, but regardless a meagerly set up 44 is far better than the best set up 30.

 

That's exactly why I wouldn't do anything more than the EVO C-Gussets. If you're going to pour that much money into it you might as well start with a pro-rock 44 and build from there! It doesn't sound like the OP is going to get into anything that extreme though. I've been hammering mine hard for 3 years now and have only broken the driver's side axle twice. Once trying to follow Eddie (WOL) through a rock section that was pretty extreme and the second axle was defective. If you want to upgrade the axle shaft, you could go chromoly on the short (driver’s) side and that will even the strength with the long side and you’ll keep the U-joints as your weak point which is a good thing.