[Mr.Bead]

as i'm planning future mods (as the wife lets me) and looking for rims for the jeep the question i'm debating is to upgrade the axle's to 5.5 inch lug pattern or stick with the 4.5 inch lug pattern. i'm running 35 inch bfg mud terrains on the stock d30 front and d44 rear with a 4.5 inch suspension lift. future plans call for a rear disc brake setup, a 1 inch body lift and a 6 inch long arm lift to replace the short arm setup and then either 37 or 38 inch tires. also debating on going to a d44 front or just upgrading the d30 with the warn hub conversion and 5.5 lug pattern. it's a 2001 tj with a 4.0l and np231 with a manual tranny.any input is welcome. thanks Lee

[Hellbender]

What are your REALISTIC wheeling plans?

Mud or Rocks or some of both.........mostly street (that's not shameful, as many seem to think)

My rig is 80% ON-Road, but I may get a wild hair and drive it 4500 (RT) miles to run the Hammers.

What % on vs. off-road?

The more detail the better.

The D30 has some limitations and you are pushing them (off-road) w/ tires over 35", esp. w/ a manual tranny.

The 5.5" vs. 4.5" Warn conversion moves the weak point from the hubs (4.5"-- easy to fix) to the Gears (5.5"). The hub will usually break on a 4.5" conversion before the gears, the 5.5 hubs are stronger. BUT, 37" tires ARE gonna break something, someday, not if, but when, on a D30.

I would save the $1000 on the WARN conversion, and wheel what you have, until you can afford a bigger axle, unless you are mainly ON-road and when you do wheel OFF, you really take it easy.

Input????

HB

[281 QuadCam]

im with hellbender... for anything over 33 inch tires, axle upgrades are really more of a requirement.

[Jim B]

Lee,

When I had my D44 up front, I moved to the 5.5 warn hub. Even with a D44 I was still breaking the steering ujoint (not often) which then destroyed the ears of the axle. If I would have had the 4.5 hub, it would have been better because it would have taken out the fuse on the hub instead of the ujoint which is harder and more expensive to fix.

If you get a rear axle or convert your now D44 with the Explorer disk brakes, the rotor is usually drilled for both patterns 4.5 and 5.5. This is good because you do not have to tie yourself down in the event you need to switch bolt patterns at any given time. You should match the bolt pattern of whatever you have on the front.

I now have a D60 with a 5.5, much bigger and hopefully the fuse on the hub will go first before the ujoint. In 3 years of pounding nothing has given out, let's just hope I keep that track record. If it was me doing the front with a D44, I would go with the 4.5 hub. You keep the same bolt pattern you have now (don't have to buy new wheels) and you create the weaker link on the hub fuse.

I'm with HB and Quadcam on the D30. Pretty hefty axle, I've seen amazing things done on a D30 with 35" tires. You are asking for trouble if you go to a bigger size tire. Wheel the crap out of it, you will be surprised. Inner and outer spare axles are cheap and you can usually pick them up from guys who are upgrading and gut them out. The D44 has the same size ujoint as the D30, just a weaker carrier.

Keep posting if you need further clarification from us trial and error newbies. Btw, you are a good talker if you can get your wife to agree to some of this after the triplets, my hats off to you, I need to hang around you more often. :sneak:

[Mr.Bead]

hellbender,

most of my wheeling right now is street, with trips to the mud holes out in the everglades. however future plans involve wheeling in both mud and rocks but still the majority of the time on the street as it is my main mode of transportation next to my squad car.

jim,

as far as talking the wife into things after the kids come its a matter of comprimise (of course i do what she says i can) the kids get everything and i get the leftovers. thats why i'm trying to do this now before they become old enough to ask for things and there is no money left for the jeep.

thanks for the input guys.

[Jim B]

Lee,

From the above wheeling scenario "I" would definitely stay with the D30. You have got a lot of life left in that front axle. Save your money on the hub conversion for the D30. The rear disk on the D44 is nice, I also had this when I had the D44 in the rear.

As you say, get most of the stuff (if you can) ordered or at least in your garage before the kids come. You can always stop by and we can both put it on. You will also see after an adjustment period how you will be able to do more.

My wife was the original owner of our TJ, got married, kids came right after. Looking back, it was very hard at first, adjustment set in and was able to do more. Kids now enjoy the heck out of the trips, this is my highlight. They are starting school, only able to take them twice in a year (if that). Hard to travel alone, don't know if I can handle being without the family.

[281 QuadCam]

a thought from a 20 yr old...

id have given up some stuff when i was younger, if my dad had a sweet 4x4 to pass on to me! :jump:

[Hellbender]

bch4x4cop, on Sep 11 2003, 11:49 AM, said:

hellbender,

most of my wheeling right now is street, with trips to the mud holes out in the everglades. however future plans involve wheeling in both mud and rocks but still the majority of the time on the street as it is my main mode of transportation next to my squad car.

j

thanks for the input guys.

I agree w/Jim........ I'd wheel the D30, buy/carry a spare, used set of axles ($100-150, you can always sell 'um later) You can change one out in 30 minutes or less on the trail.

Watch your wheelspin while in the mud, take a strap when you need it, don't keep banging on it.

Save the $$$ for a bigger axle when you start breaking things as you progress to the harder trails, then you will know what you need. The D30 is a very good axle (w/ the bigger u-joints, like you have). It may last you a long time, with a little babying.

My opinion anyway, HTH

HB