Although an SFA has been proven doable (abit a little expensive) Id like to revisit replacing the D30a with another IFS.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=26112&highlight=d30a+replacement

There have been talk about cutting up a D30 or going the full size route (again more cutting) but nothing else. I started thinking about it and wondered what else would be feesable. So far Ive looked into an IFS out of a 95-01 Toyota Tacoma. Heres what Ive learned so far... Its a HP 7.5" IFS diff, width is about 59" from wheel mount to wheel mount, 4.10 gears are available. Its not only lockable but has aftermarket support for manual hubs. Lurking the Toyota forums, there really are no ill efects with damaged axles unless they tried to run 35's with the IFS. Im sure theres more to deal with (fitment, bolt patterns...) but more reserch is needed. I would like to get feedback from my fellow Libby owners.

Comments...speculation....objections from the penut gallery?

_________________
2006 Sport
6 speed man, 3.7 gas
Mopar skids and tow hooks
Sirius radio
arb bumper
rusty's 2 1/2" lift w/ clevis
245/75/16 MTR's

Besides being lockable what are you gaining? Plus different bolt patterns, still only 4.10s and ...well several things.

Still like to see a KJ and KK front diff and ALL mounting hardware side by side before using Yota parts , actually thats not even right

Anything you do is going to cost almost as much as a SFA at this point

Didn't think it was that time of the year already for this to come up again

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

4.10's are available for the D30A also.

You plan on fitting the whole toyota IFS on the KJ? If you are it will cost about as much as a SFA swap,not to mention the different bolt pattern rims needed up front.If not you will need custom brackets to hold it in there and custon CV's made since the OEM KJ ones will not work with the toyota diff.


I looked over cutting the regular D30 down and use,the cost would be more then what you'd want to pay,SFA swap comes to mind for that option also and the CRD's could not use that option since the pumpkin would need to be moved over to the passenger side more then it already is on the gasser KJ,then custom stub axles and CV's would be needed also.

there is something to be said for IFS in real world driving and ride quality for most situations. How about a real IFS in place of the crap they have hanging up front now?

_________________
2006 KJ CRD Ltd - Suncoast, GDE Eco, EGR Delete, After market T-Stat, Skid Row skids, V6 airbox, 2.5" Turbo back
2005 KJ CRD Sport-Suncoast, Transco, GDE Hot-GDE Trans, EGR Delete, Skid Row skids, V6 airbox, 2.5" Turbo back, After market S-Stat
1987 Suzuki LWB Samurai -diesel powered, custom 4 link coil suspension 38.5 SX Swampers

Have you checked out how much those custom IFS setup run? Your looking at about $30,000 per axle.

used d30 housing 100$
seals and bushing 150$
cutting and welding labor ?
new gears 250$
gear install 250$
diff swap 250$


still far from SFA money, what else am I missing

_________________
08 KK north, select track
custom skids , sliders and steel bumpers
12k titan winch
4.56 gears, arb locker front and rear.
3'' fox lift, Jba A arms
33'' Bfg KM2 with 1 1/4'' wheel spacers

so hows the power getting from there to the wheels ? And although it sounds simple on paper........

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

Custom machining for axles seals and outer axle bearings--???$$$???
Axle bearing and axle seals--$100
Custom drivers side CV with longer stub shaft---???$$$???
Custom inner CV shaft for passenger side to fit in passenger CV--???$$$???
Front custom driveshaft--$450


Just to start,and again this option would be a option for the CRD guys.The machining and custom axle/CV parts will not be cheap(well into 4 figures at least).

Im not talking about a SCORE truck here, but a rig that can handle the rough stuff on the weekends, and be able to be driven home to assume daily driver duties during the week.

Heres what Im thinking... Im not looking for a rock buggy so the 32" tires I could fit under a Libby is more than enough for me. Those axles are set up from the factory to handle tires of that size. I wouldnt be using the entire IFS set-up but the diff, axle tubes, (cv's?) I know there's lots of fab work to be done weather U fab brackets for the cradle or the axle itself. Not to knock the SFA guys, but if I wanted 35's under my truck, I would have bought a Wrangler. IMO I think it would be a viable option to replace a flawed and undesirable differential with something that will be a lot stronger and still retain a factory look. More reserch is needed.

_________________
2006 Sport
6 speed man, 3.7 gas
Mopar skids and tow hooks
Sirius radio
arb bumper
rusty's 2 1/2" lift w/ clevis
245/75/16 MTR's

until then we will stand by

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

The toyota CV's will not work with the KJ's outer hub bearings,plus there lengths will be different.You will not get to retain the lockable outer hubs that way either,just saying.The toyota guys are blowing more front diffs then the KJ's have by a big margin,there alloy also and not ment for bigger tires.The FJ's are going front diffs like there's no tomorrow.

Before looking at yotas, you might want to consider the following:

-- D30M (KK), lt takes standard Dana 30 gears (I think) and standard lockers. Is supposed to be stronger than the D30a.

-- Dodge truck. Lots of gears and locker available. Who knows if it fits or how much work. Should be tough enough.

-- Quadratrack out of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This was done in the Liberator. But, I believe then you have no front locker (Liberator used Quadratrack all the way around). Of course they also moved the whole front forward and lots of other stuff, so this is not likely to be cheap.

I wouldn't mind a viable IFS alternative at 1/3 the price of a SFA, but I would not be shopping an IFS with a tiny ring gear & a system that is commonly swapped to SFA for people pushing them hard. It sounds like a toy diff would be more of a step sideways than a leap ahead.

Doesn't the Navigator use on 8.8" centersection or similar? NOW we are talking something that would be worthwhile.

_________________
LOST # 633
'05 KJ 3.7L/6spd/241 245/75/16 MT's
'88 MJ 4.0L/AW4/231 SWB HPD30 & trac-loc D44 w/3.73's
A dirty Jeep is a happy Jeep

why diffrent lenght cv's your cutting the whole diff anyway why not just cut it the right lenght to fit stock cv's

_________________
08 KK north, select track
custom skids , sliders and steel bumpers
12k titan winch
4.56 gears, arb locker front and rear.
3'' fox lift, Jba A arms
33'' Bfg KM2 with 1 1/4'' wheel spacers

Anyone ever looked under an AMC Eagle? Parked my KJ next to a lifted one the other day and crawled under both of them. D35 center section, I think. It's a cast steel housing; driver side drop; looks like it would fit well. Not sure how much work it would take to mount it, though.

_________________
Ron


"There are few problems in life the liberal application of duct tape can't solve."

How about this...don't laugh too much...

Get about 1/2 gallon of JB Weld and encase the entire bottom of the D30a with it...heck...get a whole gallon and encase the whole thing up to the strengthening ribs while your at it.

John
];')

_________________
05 4x4/3.7L/6 Spd
245/75R16 GY Dura Trac
Lots of Mods!
My Wheeling Videos
My Mods, Upgrades and Custom Fabrications

If your doing all this cuz your worried about breaking the housing, why don't you just have someone fab up something like a cage for the housing? Similar to the Poison Spyder diff cover, but that wraps around to the back also would work just fine I think.

_________________
Randy, Apache Junction, Arizona
04 Liberty
Blown motor and extensive body damage.

some .........interesting ideas ,,,,I guess
but haven't heard one thing that is a step ahead , backwards and sideways but not ahead

_________________
MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

Then you'd be cutting most of the cast D30 pumpkin away leaving no room for the custom machining needed to fit a bearing and seal for the CV.The passenger side you can do this but not the drivers side,though a custom made inner axle shaft will be needed for the passenger side.

I've actually thought about that...

_________________
- Mike
'12 JK

Jeep Tech Files