DIY junkyard hub conversion

[NevadaXJ]

Is this possible? Do any other vehicles (Ford Ranger?) use the dana 30 in front?

I was thinking of this conversion, but I am not going to pay $600+ to do it, so of course I turn to the wrecking yards.

I did searches on google and came up empty....

 

[EricsXJ]

Its not as easy as it sounds and I don't think its possible. I've heard this asked on NAXJA before and nobody said it could be done, otherwise I'm sure there would have been someone already do it.

A hub conversion is pretty "complicated" since even the Warn and MileMarker kits aren't just a bolt-on and go deal. Even though the ranger and bronco (I think) use the same size hubs as the small Warn hubs, you'd still need a longer stub shaft with the same size ears you now have (to fit 297x u-joint) and must be the proper length, new u-joints to rebuild your shaft assemblies, new cast rotor with center hole machined out.

The killer is probably the stub shaft issue.

 

[NevadaXJ]

I figured it was worth asking. I didn't realize how easy it is to pull the axle shaft until I saw my friend do it the other day. Remove the caliper, 3 bolts and yank, so it just kinda got me thinking.

I guess if it was that easy, Jeepin.com would have a write up or something. It's niot a mod I need, just playing with ideas.....

 

[PizzaJeep]

well ya, the question you need to ask yourself is why and what benefit are you gaining by changing to manual hubs?? is your time and effort to retrofit something like that on a already borderline strength dana 30 axle going to be worth it in advantages when your done?

 

[EricsXJ]

is your time and effort to retrofit something like that on a already borderline strength dana 30 axle going to be worth it in advantages when your done?

Not sure about the time and effort for retrofitting junkyard parts, but quality stuff... yes I believe its a good upgrade. Everyone will say you could get a 44 for cheaper, blah blah blah, but not everyone is in the position to do that swap, and, a built 44 will cost just as much if not more. The XJ HP30 is a good axle, probably the most under-estimated axle out there. Lots of people are using the small Warn kit (myself included) with 35's and don't have a problem. With alloy shafts the hubs should be the weak link, which is good because it is a 5 minute trail fix, as long as you have a spare hub. If anything else breaks, you can unlock the hubs and drive home, fix whats broken in your driveway as opposed to on the trail.

 

[NevadaXJ]

I was mainly just sitting around thinking of cheap mods I could do. With the Jeep bolt pattern being the same as Ford it just got me thinking, that's all. All these great $$$ mods out there just started with an idea, so you never know who might think of something new....

 

[spoon]

What about using the knuckles out from a CJ, early model Scout or Bronco Dana 30? If the knuckles bolt up to a newer Dana 30 housing and share a common u-joint size it could be possible to get manual locking hubs this way. One drawback would be that CJ's, Scouts and early Broncos used 5 on 51/2 wheel bolt pattern. XJs use 5 on 4 1/2 right?

 

[Dennis]

no, they will not bolt up. CJ Dana 30 inner knuckles are the same as Dana 44 knuckles.