Front differential failure questions

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2013 9:27 pm

http://jeepinbyal.com/jeep-liberty-kj/front-drive-axle-components/dana-30-steel-ifs.html

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

I know I know, but to expensive to get in Italy.....

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

I would like to know who the fack is the engineer who had the idea to use alluminium in such important drivetrain's part. Idiot!!!

Chipppy · **Joined:** Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:23 pm **Posts:** 223

Blew mine up just like everyone else. No fun.

streetglideok · **Posted:** Wed Dec 25, 2013 9:39 am

cicciouk wrote:

I would like to know who the fack is the engineer who had the idea to use alluminium in such important drivetrain's part. Idiot!!!

You can thank the turds that made the CAFE requirements more stringent. They use aluminum to save weight, and in light use it works fine, but they made a design flaw, a big one!

RypH · **Joined:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:31 am **Posts:** 12

This is disgusting.

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

I have been reading all the posts about the collar but they are about 7 years old and not update...

Can someone tell his experience after so many years? It is worth to do it? Has anyone broke it again after installing the collar?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Fri Dec 27, 2013 10:58 pm

KJ04 had made a post in a reply

"The line you have is to straight, both of my breaks have angled upwards.
You can see at the pinon area where the colar held that together on the 2nd. one. On the 1st. housing without a colar, that whole area was broken out"

update - found it on his Cardomain page
"EDIT! Bad news, the collar helped, but did not prevent the housing from breaking on Nov. 8, 2008. Good news was, the collar held the rear input area together and only blew out a 2" X 2" chunk in front of the collar, thus allowing me to drive it 60 miles home in 2 wd. without any grinding noises at all. At least I saved a tow bill this time!"

that was the only comment I've seen about a Diff with a collar breaking.

also Mutt at one point - destroyed his CV joint without breaking the axle - after he had a collar

so I'd say it's mixed - they probably help - but they're not as good as a steel diff
(which can also break AZscout managed to blow both front and rear at the same time)

I've had mine on for several years - no issues - don't know if it helped or not.

although - for the CRD - there's less clearance so you have to have the steel collar - not the aluminum - steel's thinner.

and even then it'll bump the crossmember occasionally when 4wd is engaged. In snow country - it might be a corrosion issue.

RypH · **Joined:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:31 am **Posts:** 12

So in regard to the inherent housing weakness, my guess is that a front locker is not a good idea?

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:46 pm

actually on the early threads folks were arguing that a locker would prevent the break

the front locker will not affect the strength of the housing and it could easily limit the conditions that cause the break.

i.e. the most common scenario for a broken front diff - is trying to climb a hill - front spins and then grabs traction

it's the spin and then grab that causes the break

with a locker - you're less likely to have the front spinning.

RypH · **Joined:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:31 am **Posts:** 12

ATXKJ wrote:

actually on the early threads folks were arguing that a locker would prevent the break

the front locker will not affect the strength of the housing and it could easily limit the conditions that cause the break.

i.e. the most common scenario for a broken front diff - is trying to climb a hill - front spins and then grabs traction

it's the spin and then grab that causes the break

with a locker - you're less likely to have the front spinning.

Good reasoning but it really depends on so many conditions. I'll have a lunch box up front before a lift and bigger tires. Once you put one in you wonder why it wasnt your first mod. But then, this is my wife's wheeler we share until I get another Wrangler.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 28, 2013 8:36 pm

RypH wrote:

Good reasoning but it really depends on so many conditions. I'll have a lunch box up front before a lift and bigger tires. Once you put one in you wonder why it wasnt your first mod. But then, this is my wife's wheeler we share until I get another Wrangler.

Do not install a lunchbox locker in the front of a KJ,only use a DTT or ARB.More likely to break the front diff with a lunchbox locker in 2wd on the street.

I ran 32" tires and a DTT up front,no collar,and wheeled it pretty hard here in Colorado and MOAB and never had a failure,I blew apart a CV joint(left outer) but never blew the diff.Then I sold my front diff which went into a CRD and got the snot wheeled out of it at MOAB for a few more years,again never failed.Having the DTT up front actually made me use the brakes a little(to fool it into "locking") so never any wheel spin when 3-wheeling it and no blown up front diff.Learn how to use what you got offroad and you can severly lower the risk of breaking.

RypH · **Joined:** Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:31 am **Posts:** 12

tjkj2002 wrote:

RypH wrote:

Good reasoning but it really depends on so many conditions. I'll have a lunch box up front before a lift and bigger tires. Once you put one in you wonder why it wasnt your first mod. But then, this is my wife's wheeler we share until I get another Wrangler.

Learn how to use what you got offroad and you can severly lower the risk of breaking.

Exactly. I could do more with my stone stock Wrangler Sport just because I knew how to drive it. Experience is the first and most important upgrade.

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

This is the collar my mechanic is building. It is steel and we are going to put liquid steel between the collar and housing to prevent corrosion due to different metals together and small breaks. I hope.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:33 pm

That's pretty thick and most likely will not clear the cradle cross member.

Sure like to know how you all are busting the front D30a's,never had a issue with mine when I was still IFS and was not easy on it by any means.

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

Will see i will update you.

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

Ok guys this is the final result

u2slow · **Joined:** Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:26 pm **Posts:** 160

tjkj2002 wrote:

Do not install a lunchbox locker in the front of a KJ,only use a DTT or ARB.More likely to break the front diff with a lunchbox locker in 2wd on the street.

Powertrax no-slip in the front here... so far so good. :ALONE:

cicciouk · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:22 pm **Posts:** 43

tjkj2002 wrote:

That's pretty thick and most likely will not clear the cradle cross member.

Sure like to know how you all are busting the front D30a's,never had a issue with mine when I was still IFS and was not easy on it by any means.

You were right, It needed to be done tinner by 8mm, the mechanics managed to tin just the part was touching the cradle cross member.

So now it is fixed.

Front differential failure questions

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