Now What? A Tera D50R for my front end?

[DC]

Well, I thought I was finally on a clear path to the end of my current set of mods, and then the 4x4 shop owner throws me a curve ball late in the game. As part of what I am doing, I am going with a Super 30 approach in my LP D30, along with the matching ARB, and Warn 5 on 5.5 hub conversion. Since that is putting a pretty good chunk of money into my front end, he now wonders if I shouldn't have considered going with a Tera D50R differential, and build that up with the money that is going into my otherwise stock LP D30.

Although the D50R looks good on paper, has better ground clearance, is a high pinion unit, apparently eliminates the flex seen in stock D30 units, and has the pinion portion of the casting angled up ... I don't know anything about it, and have heard no commentary on it.

I would prefer to just stay on the course I am on (money and time-wise), and yet, I don't want to ignore something that might make the most sense to tackle now, and to end up with something stronger (and hopefully for not that much extra money).

Anyone want to weigh-in on the pros & cons for this?

Thanks,
Don

[Stu Olson]

I've no experience with one nor do I have any close friends with one.

[DC]

Well, I wonder how long Tera has had the D50R in the marketplace?

My rig is tied up in the shop until the end of the month, but I will be going to the EJS vendor show in Moab next week, so I will try to dig up some more info about this from Tera (who should be there). The bottom-line is that I just don't know whether this is really that value-added, or just some "nice-to-have" item that's going to cost me more time and money.

Hell, if I did go with the D50R for my front end, the next thing you know, I'll be looking at a D60R in the rear (which would definitively be overkill for what I do offroad ... even with moving it up a notch).

[norcaljr]

I have a Tera 50 CRD front axle on my ZJ. If you have any questions let me know.

[mrblaine]

Therein lies the issue with slippery slopes. He convinced you to go with 5.5 wheels because he refused to listen to contrary experiences about the small hub conversion.

Once the bigger bolt circle is agreed upon, there's almost no reason to keep the LP 30 housing other than cost. Then comes the HP 44 housing and the upgraded rear axle to balance things out.

There is already perfect balance to be had with the stock 44 rear, HP 30 front, small hub conversion and standard 30 internals.

That is a very successful combination that we have just run the snot out of on difficult trails.

It works, works well and outside of suffering through a few polished turd comments now and again, is almost unbeatable for 35" tires and difficult trails.

So you break a hub once in awhile, and I seriously doubt, nowing you, that will ever be an issue.

I do know that before I put any Tera axle under the front of my rig, I'd have a HP nine built.

What your shop owner is overlooking in a serious way is your weak link is still the u-joint and until you go to 1 ton outers, you derive no benefit except a slight mileage increase due to a much lighter wallet.

[blkTJ]

Originally posted by mrblaine

... you derive... a slight mileage increase due to a much lighter wallet.

I've been doing some testing on this theory. I'm sorry to say, to this point, I've seen no measurable improvment.

[StealthTJ]

Originally posted by blkTJ
I've been doing some testing on this theory. I'm sorry to say, to this point, I've seen no measurable improvment.

Well then, you obviously didn't pay enough for the mods
That's what you get for doing some of them yourself, instead of having a shop do 'em....




Fred

[blkTJ]

Originally posted by StealthTJ
Well then, you obviously didn't pay enough for the mods
That's what you get for doing some of them yourself, instead of having a shop do 'em....




Fred

Actually, it's a rare mod I do myself. I guess I have all my friends to blame.

[Robert J. Yates]

Don - why do you think you need a super 30?

[NAILER341]

its only money!
if you have a bunch of it that you need to get rid of... then dump some on a middle of the road upgrade
j/k. i really know nothing of the d50, but i wheel the hell out of my polished small hub 30.

[DC]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
Don - why do you think you need a super 30?

Robert,

From a lot of what I have been hearing lately, I apparently don't need the Super 30 stuff, but that's what got ordered through my shop, so that's what I am getting (I think). The story on my LP D30 front end work and the discussions that have revolved around same have frankly been something of a comedy of errors. To wit:

- I went in asking for Superior alloy inners w/standard ARB & Warn small hub conversion, however, my shop kept insisting I would be miserable with the small hub, because with 35" tires, the hubs will be constantly breaking (as has apparently been happening with the majority of their local customers). What the hell their "local customers" are doing when they are out wheeling in central Colorado is anyone's guess.

- No hub conversion, with Super 30 & ARB to match. This was the set-up that I was told I would be most happy with, have less headaches, and I would likely not be breaking.

- Small hub conversion, with Super 30/ARB. I went back to the small hub request, and then got even more horror stories.

- Back to no hub conversion, with Super 30/ARB.

- Large hub conversion, with Super 30/ARB. I insisted on Warn hubs, so the solution was to go with the 5 on 5.5 flavor, which I was told, I would not break (and this is where I left off in terms of "the final plan").

- Tera 50 (suggested by my shop as of last Friday, since I was putting so much money into my LP D30).

- Tera 60, etc. (JU "advice").

As a side-note, the story with my steering upgrade has been about the same as above. I wanted the TBT Alumi-Flex set-up, but my shop didn't like welded-on knuckles (since they are castings). Then they recommended the Tera aluminum steering set-up, which uses a lesser-strength aluminum alloy and a questionable passenger side replacement knuckle (I have heard of several cases where that knuckle has been broken, and one instance where the whole damn aluminum portion of Tera's steering literally fell apart on a TJ after a day of wheeling, and going over some railroad tracks when back onroad). I finally put my foot down and said we're going with ORO's U-Turn set-up.

Anyway, as I finally indicated on my latest thread on JU, I am either going with a HP D30 front end (if I can get my hands on one), or stay with my LP D30. http://jeepsunlimited.com/forums/sho...01#post5376701

The above are but a brief rendering of the full scope of fun and games. Therefore, whether I really need the Super 30 stuff or not, in the bigger picture of things, it probably won't hurt (except to perhaps have my front R&P become the fuse).

Don

[Robert J. Yates]

well,
at least you will know where your fuse is

[DC]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
well,
at least you will know where your fuse is

Yeah ... and probably the even shorter fuse to my temper at this point.

[Robert J. Yates]

I've been following your posts Don and frankly, I think you need to lay down the law with your shop - its your Jeep and for what you are looking to do, a 44 and a built HP30 is plenty. There is a whole crew of us running that combo on 35's and for the most part, we are all pretty bullet proof. Thats not to say it won't break because eventually, everything can be broken but there is just to much experience out there with that equipment to ignore it.

One other thing - spares for the 44/30 are fairly easily found and can be somewhat inexpensive if you are patient. I have a complete spare rear axle set-up, a complete Warn front axle set, 2 spare small hubs and 2 sets of spindles and lock nuts. The only things I bought new were the hubs. The rest was found through connections or the internet for way less than half the retail cost.

[DC]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
I've been following your posts Don and frankly, I think you need to lay down the law with your shop - its your Jeep and for what you are looking to do, a 44 and a built HP30 is plenty. There is a whole crew of us running that combo on 35's and for the most part, we are all pretty bullet proof. Thats not to say it won't break because eventually, everything can be broken but there is just to much experience out there with that equipment to ignore it.

One other thing - spares for the 44/30 are fairly easily found and can be somewhat inexpensive if you are patient. I have a complete spare rear axle set-up, a complete Warn front axle set, 2 spare small hubs and 2 sets of spindles and lock nuts. The only things I bought new were the hubs. The rest was found through connections or the internet for way less than half the retail cost.

Yeah, I hear you Robert. And although I was initially interested in at least learning more about the Tera 50 (and perhaps some of my other options), I have come around to the HP30 as the best platform to put the money I was otherwise going to put into my LP30. And I agree, I think the HP30 along with my upgraded LP44 (in combination with the other mods) are going to give me all the strength and improved capability that I am going to need for the foreseeable future. And whether Chris can come up with the HP30, or whether I end up getting one through my shop ... that IS the final direction I am going in.

Don

[Robert J. Yates]

Good deal Don - from what I have been able to gather from all your posts - that will be a very good combination of cost, weight and overall vehicle balance for you.

[Joe Dillard]

I'm another satisfied HPD30, Warn HCK, w/Warn inners guy.

With the big help of friends Blaine & Sergey, the install was a snap.

[DC]

Originally posted by Joe Dillard
I'm another satisfied HPD30, Warn HCK, w/Warn inners guy.

With the big help of friends Blaine & Sergey, the install was a snap.

Joe,

I too am convinced that this is the way to go. Now if I can only get my hands on a HP D30.

Don