"troyman" wrote: I'd be happy to sell you a nicely built HP D30 for 4K, would give me the opportunity to build up a HP D30 and finish up my current HP D60 build. If you want, I can include the bent tubes, stretched inner C's, shaved ring gear teeth, super smooth axle shaft splines and specially modified U-joints all for the same low price!

I know you're trying to help but I'm curious, of those things or others what did you experience first hand with your D30 and what was your driving style when it happened?

My TJ is 10 years old now with 60K odometer miles and probably another 15K being flat towed. I know I don't drive mine like you or Rob drive yours, but the only thing I had happen was I lost a front ujoint on two separate situations and it took out the ears on the axle shafts. I did replace my D30 with a Rubicon D44 because I wanted an ARB locker and alloy axle shafts and it was minimally more expensive to replace the whole axle versus upgrading the D30.

It would depend on what set up you were running on a 60 or 30, but I would say not much maintenance on either one. Unit bearings wear out like wheel bearings. The fluid in both need to be changed, u-joints should be changed every so often due to fatigue....

"finder_87" wrote: So how about maintenance? I have always wondered if a 60 would need less maintenance than a dana 30. Heavy duty axle in a light jeep? Any opinions?

Sorry... back to minding my own business.... unsubscribed

Wow 🙄 So just because Scott told you the geometry was wrong you believe him 😯 He charged you $600.00 to use someone else’s product that cost him around $100.00 and $500 to install/weld it in, which took him probably less than 1 1/2 hours of time and labor!! That is about $200 an hour labor rate. No, he doesn't rip people off 🙄 Please explain to me how a shock binds under extension. This should be interesting!!!!

The non rip off work, Please!!! I run the same rip off out board shock set up on my jeep which works flawlessly, but I don't care if it looks pretty and doesn't have Scott's all mighty approval 😯

Since Scott is an experts on shock geometry, please fill everyone in on it so no one makes the same mistake that works for me!!!!

If you or anyone else wants to spend money at Extreme gear I really don’t care. It is your money and you need to do what you are comfortable with. I have my own opinion about them due to past history and seeing them rip off friends of mine.

Don’t just target me and my opinion of extreme gear. I was not the only one in this thread to warm against the use of them. You like them and are happy with them. That is fine, but you act as if your opinion about Extreme gear is the only one and those of us who were not happy with them don’t matter.

"BKGM Jeepers" wrote: Whoa! Just becuase Rob is continually complaining about Extreme Gear, doesn't mean you get ripped off!

I have spent money there as well, and it IS expensive. However, his work is done correctly and there ARE things I am willing to pay for. Example: I went to a guy Rob suggested in forest hill to have my shocks outboarded. The work was under $200. The results were poor. All the geometry was screwed up, proper compression was not compensated for, one side bound under extension, etc. THEN, I went to exteme gear and had Scott fix the work I had paid for previously. I paid $600 for Scott's work. But low and behold, everything works correctly! The "non-rip off" work cost me $800 total, when I could have paid $600 and been only "ripped off".

Building a D30 is an experience many of us have gone through. If you choose to do it, good for you. the one downside is not having manual hubs. If you break, you're in a tough position. Also, the tallest gears you can run are 4.88's and they are cut thin to fit the housing, making them weaker than with a D44.

I have opinions as well, but understand that you chose your route and respect your decision. Most of this club ran a D30 for some period of time, including most trails around here. At least your work will be built correctly, regardless of price.

I look forward to seeing what you have had done.

Don't let mine and Brad's bantering discourage you. He and I are like and old married couple. We will never agree on everything, but we do on some things. If you are happy with building a HP Dana 30, then do it!!! Sometimes I forget that not everyone plans on doing the things I do with my Jeep. This thread got away from your post and seeking of advice on building your axle. This is a good club with good people and you can learn a lot from them, and there are a lot of guys here who have good mechanical knowledge that can help you do stuff to your Jeep to cut costs. "John being the exception "

I think back to building mine and it was a lot of fun and a headache at times too. Building, finding week links and upgrading is all part of the fun. Had I gone right to 60's and all the custom stuff I have now, I would not have learned half the things I know how to do today.

Build your axle, wheel the heck out of your Jeep and have fun!!! That is what it is all about..

No more bickering in this thread, I am calling a truce

"rick-rock" wrote: I appreciate all the input and advise on my 30. With that said I give no argument that a 60 is stonger than a 30 and one can biuld the 60 for about the same price. I'm going to stick with my 30 ❗ Next ❓ Why? Because I want to see what I can do with it. Learning somethings for yourself is more fun than allways being led every step of the way. As far as money is concerned, I OWN a jeep not a geo metro. 🙄 Now for the next post: Pitman arm