D30 weakness, what's the real point of the Warn kit ?

[Ace!]

So, what is weak in the D30 and does it need to be strengthened to run 35s? I know a lot of people get the Warn conversion, but I'm not sure if it's so much for strength or for being able to run with the hubs unlocked, or other reasons.

I doubt very much that I will run a full locker in the front, at least not in the foreseeable future, and probably have no need to unlock the front hubs.

TIA

Áron O'Proinntigh is ainm dom

[mrblaine]

The simple answer on near identically equipped jeeps.


Sergey- No hub conversion and no alloy axles. 1 trip over Wrecking Ball- stretched the axle yokes enough that the u-joint caps flew out on the way home or some other spot. I was there and this was not throttle related.

Me- Hub conversion and alloy axles- 18 trips in JV, 1 over Tabasco Twister. Countless others to most of So Cal and 1 trip over the Rubicon with me doing every hard line I could find.

Still running the same set of axles and u-joints that I originally put in nearly two years ago.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[Ace!]

Well, I guess that sums it up nicely

Áron O'Proinntigh is ainm dom

[sethmark]

Might be driver... I have 1 Moab trip, somewhere in the low 20s in Rubicon trips, and various trips to Truckhaven, Ocotillo Wells, Pismo Beach, Bronco Hill, about a dozen trips to hollister and 60k road miles and have never broken the stock 30.

4.56s, Detroit, stock axles.

<a href='http://seth.rockcrawler.com'>Tightey Whitey World</a>

[mrblaine]

Seth- typically I would agree with you. I am one of the more ardent supporters of the D-30.

However, Sergey's experience in Johnson Valley is not unique to him. The level of difficulty out there seems to be the line crossed with the stock axles. Especially with the sticky MT/R's.

I did a few trails without breaking my stock ones either. It was watching the others around me repairing their fronts that convinced me to go with alloys. JV can be brutally tough. A little insurance goes a long way out there.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[sethmark]

Blaine,
I've been carrying the same 2 sets of spare front axles around for so long they're getting dusty!

And as for Hammers being harder on stuff, I will find out for myself in short order. Knowing my driving style though, I'll try another line before I push beyond my equipment to failure.

Seth (another ardent D30 supporter, but not willing to spend any money on it)

<a href='http://seth.rockcrawler.com'>Tightey Whitey World</a>

[Ace!]

I don't know much about individual pieces of the front axle (I can assemble/disassemble, but don't know what the parts are called). The Warn front hub conversion provides locking/unlocking hubs and outer shafts, correct (are the outers aka stubs)? Is there anything in the Warn kit other than that, and if I were to purchase alloy shafts would I essentially have the same strength, just not the lock/unlock ability of the Warn conversion?

Áron O'Proinntigh is ainm dom

[TObject]

Seth, what are you gonna do if there is only one line?

"Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance

[mrblaine]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Seth:


And as for Hammers being harder on stuff, I will find out for myself in short order. Knowing my driving style though, I'll try another line before I push beyond my equipment to failure.

Seth (another ardent D30 supporter, but not willing to spend any money on it)

<a href='http://seth.rockcrawler.com'>Tightey Whitey World</a>[/quote]


That is why they are known as the Hammers. There are no bypasses and no easy line. Just finding any line is hard at times.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[sethmark]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TObject:
Seth, what are you gonna do if there is only one line?

[/quote]


Hammer!

I've seen them, I've walked most of them, I've ridden 1/2 of them, and have a healthy dose of respest, but no fear.

Seth (no fear? BS. KNOW FEAR.)

[mrblaine]

Seth- if we weren't afraid of them, there would be no reason to go and do them.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[TObject]

The fearless are merely fearless. People who act in spite of their fear are truly brave.
-James A. LaFond-Lewis, November 11, 1999

[sethmark]

ROFLMAO.

I'll be there. We'll check my britches when we're done.

Seth

Tightey Whitey World

[mrblaine]

It takes no courage or uniqueness of character and ability to walk down the street, if you are not fearful of the street.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[sethmark]

Gotta love keyboard bravado... we'll see how cool, calm and collected I am when I've been stuck or broke for the last 2 hours.

Seth (please recognize that I'm teasing and not serious!)

Tightey Whitey World

[mrblaine]

We knew that Seth. Some days on the hammers are a cakewalk and others are a nightmare. I have never been able to tell why either.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[sethmark]

Carma?

Like everyone, I have days where I'm Mr. Clean and days where I hit every rock on the trail.

My goal is to make it look easy. No banging, no crunching, just quietly moving right along.

seth

Tightey Whitey World

[mrblaine]

How do you feel about spotters?

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[sethmark]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mrblaine:
How do you feel about spotters?

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.[/quote]

Honestly? I don't particularly care for them on a first try. I prefer to get my own line and give it a whirl. If I'm wrong or its dangerous, I am happy to listen. But I really like to do it myself the first time.

Seth

Tightey Whitey World

[Scott Hill]

Seth,

after the first Try on the hammers you will learn to love a good spotter and be ready to kill the bad ones.

Trust me this I know. and when it cools down a little we will need to run Sledge for starters but this time only if Blaine can join me.

a little TJ with a few mods check her out at www.real-jeeps.com

[sethmark]

I am SO ready... totally psyched for it.

And you're right. A good spotter rocks.

Tightey Whitey World

[TJRON]

Seth,
Bwwwaaahahahaha!
You sound JUST LIKE ME a few months ago! I don't need no stinking Warn hubs or better axles for my Dana 30.
I've done the hard stuff at Moab, lots of bad ugly stuff in AZ, NV, heck, I go where others fear to tread and I don't break axles, ok I did put the Super kit in with bigger axles in the rear but everyone is running 35s on the Dana 30......
Bwwaaahahaha
Two axles (u-joints) in 3 weeks, doing the same stuff the same way I've always done it. Carefully.
I've talked to lots of folks and you get a bigger diff or go for the Warn or carry lots of spares or back off. That's it.
Good luck on the Hammers!
Spotters? I don't need no stinking spotter, unless my diff is hanging and tires are in the air and I got no traction, and uh hey dude, will you spot me a bit on this one?
Have fun on the Hammers!

Ro

[sethmark]

Hey Ron...

With a zillion Rubicon trips, a trip to Truckhaven, and Bronco Hill on the D30 with 35s and front locker and zero breakage, I'm pretty damn sure that the difference is the vehicular path adjuster sitting behind the steering donut.

seth

Tightey Whitey World

[mrblaine]

Seth- We will be having some fun with this one. The great thing about this forum is the inability to delete or edit posts at a later date.

I will be the first to admit that anything is possible, but the law of averages is not in your favor on this one. I know and understand the difficulty levels of the obstacles and trails mentioned above, done them all.

There is just something about the Hammers that love to suck up front axles. There is a spot on Jack that owns more front u-joints than all of the Rubicon combined. It is a steep downhill Z-shaped, steep sided waterfall. Once you start down it, if you get off-line in the slightest, you have to reverse with all of your weight on the right front tire. I went through without reversing and rolled the tire off of the bead. Now I own bead-locks.

It is not who you know, It is who knows you
Jeeps do not make jeepers, jeepers make Jeeps.

[sethmark]

Whats the fun of bragging if someone can't later remind you of what an ass you were?

I'll be happy to be handed my hat.

Tightey Whitey World

[TJRON]

I'm sure you're right. I have no respect for my equipement. I bonzai every ledge and floor my Jeep when ever I get frustrated. I like to put on a show for my friends by hopping my Jeep on the really steep obstacles. Money is no object for me and replacing parts on the trail is pure pleasure.
I don't know why I let Blaine talk me into the hub conversion, I should just learn how to drive......
Ron

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Seth:
Hey Ron...

With a zillion Rubicon trips, a trip to Truckhaven, and Bronco Hill on the D30 with 35s and front locker and zero breakage, I'm pretty damn sure that the difference is the vehicular path adjuster sitting behind the steering donut.

seth

[/URL][/quote]

[sethmark]

Ron.
Don't go getting all sensitive on me!! This post hasn't been serious in 2 weeks.

Besides... You were laughing at me!



Tightey Whitey World

[TJRON]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Seth:
Hey Ron...

...I'm pretty damn sure that the difference is the vehicular path adjuster sitting behind the steering donut.

seth

Tightey Whitey World[/quote]

Well Seth,
I'm pretty damn sure the difference is the terrain we wheel on. I do get upset when people who have never met me or wheeled with me tell me my breakage is due to my driving. I like to think it is because I accept more challenges than others. I may be a moron to go some of the places I go but I think I drive about as carefull as I can for any given situation.
If you are still running a stock tie rod and drag link, you surely aren't wheelin the kind of stuff I do 'cause the stock steering stuff just won't hold up to it, no matter what a wiz you are behind the wheel!
I notice on your website you have been through two sets of axles. What's that all about.


Ron :

[William]

Ron,

You've wheeled with scott, and he had the stock Tierod and drag link untill just recently, and that's on 36" tires.

He's no slouch on the lines either.

Of course, I've done only easy trails, and I bent my tierod on a log at LCIR.

R/
William Karstens

[TJRON]

I also had the stock stuff until just recently! It finally gave up the ghost.
I learned something the other day (thanks Blaine) about stock drag links, I'll pass it on:
I have adjusted my steering wheel a few times 'cause it gets off center after hard wheeling for some reason. My thoughts were to just tighten the crap outa the adjusting bolts as the adjuster must be moving. Wrong.
Turns out the bend where the tie rod hooks up has a tendency to flatten out under extreme stress. This whacks out the steering wheel alignment and causes the tie rod end to whack the sway bar bracket mostly while flexed out. I sprung for the Currie set up.
I'm not trying to be a ashhole here, Im just telling what I've experienced. I would imagine Robert will be upgrading his drag lin after the Rubicon experience. We all know we have some weak stuff on our Jeeps. I chose to ignore watching this stuff break and bend on other guys Jeeps thinking I must be cool, my stuff doesn't break. When it is me breaking, I have to re-evaluate the situation and pass on what caused me grief and took away from my pleasure!
I hope everyones stuff last forever!!
Mine didn't, but then I can't drive for crap

GoodLuck,
Ro