86 Ranger solid axle swap costs

[Northidahotrailblazer]

I'm currently swapping out a D30 for a D44. I have a dislike for the D30, When I SAS'd mine years ago, I should of just bit the bullet and did the D44. Now after going in so deep on the D44 I wish i would just did one tons....... One ton axles could be done for 5K.

My .02 cents look for D44s out of a newer wrangler. A lot of the time they already have better gears and lockers in them, and there strong. People are swapping them out for one tons. Aftermarket is endless with them and they are good axles. I wouldn't waste time on a D30.... I did and I have regretted it for years.....

 

[rang-a-stang]

A non-disconnect XJ HP D30 out here is $250, disc to disc (I have bought two from the same yard and he has another one sitting there now). I will buy a set of 4.56's for it and a basic truss. I will also install new ball joints and axle seals. that's about $700 in parts. $500 for the rebuild kit and setting the R&P makes for a complete axle, ready for bracketry for about $1200. I have several sets of knuckles, spare rotors, pads, unit bearings, hubs, and calipers so if it needs any brake parts, I have them but the last 2 axles I bought had brakes that were good with just a cleaning.

Although a D30 has a smaller R&P, with a high pinion D30, the pinion rides on the top of the ring (the strong side for a front axle) so it is a bit stronger than a standard D30. Maybe not D44 strong, but close enough for us. If I do break an axle shaft, there are sooooo many aftermarket options available but honestly, I just don't see me breaking them with 33"s under a 3000# truck and the fairly light off roading we do.

 

[rang-a-stang]

I'm currently swapping out a D30 for a D44. I have a dislike for the D30, When I SAS'd mine years ago, I should of just bit the bullet and did the D44. Now after going in so deep on the D44 I wish i would just did one tons....... One ton axles could be done for 5K.

My .02 cents look for D44s out of a newer wrangler. A lot of the time they already have better gears and lockers in them, and there strong. People are swapping them out for one tons. Aftermarket is endless with them and they are good axles. I wouldn't waste time on a D30.... I did and I have regretted it for years.....

I have a million questions for you! Reading your build thread now, PM inbound!!!

 

[Northidahotrailblazer]

PM away, I'm happy to answer anything. I built my suspension from the ground up. Redid it with this D44 and I have some pretty good do's and don'ts

 

[scotts90ranger]

3000 pounds is a bit optimistic, my '90 on 35" tires with a D35 and explorer 8.8 with tool box almost empty last time I did a tractor pull with half tank of gas was 3950lb I think... It's not my daily driver and yes the alignment gets screwed when I look at it wrong (need radius arms, that should help the geometry for the alignment...), with the turbo 2.3L I haven't broken a dang thing(I did bend a drivers side beam when I hit a rock with the bottom of the diff driving down the road, but I fixed it in place so I don't really count it), doesn't make enough torque... I do more high speed stuff than low speed so there's that...

Cost really depends more on your fabrication ability than anything... on my V8 explorer I plan on putting a combo D44/D50 TTB axle up front and a 10.25 in back, I have I think $200 in two 10.25's, a complete D50TTB and a D44TTB, the rest of the parts will just be fabrication and cost of metal (at $1/lb it's twice what it was a few years ago!!!) and gears and my time but I don't count that... I of course have to be the odd man out, doing something that's been done before but not by many people... I mean no one runs Ford's in general so just doing that is not normal...

I don't have much experience on much but my '90 Ranger in the wheeling department, I have friends that have broken both birfields in a Toyota front axle with an open diff so I know anything is possible

 

[rang-a-stang]

You're probably right (3000 pounds is a bit optimistic). We bought this truck out of Oregon and towed it to Commiefornia. In order to register it down there we needed to get it weighed. At that time it was 3250 with 1/2 tank of gas. That was 31"s on aluminum rims. Other than that the truck is the same as now. My thought was trans would weigh about the same (even though it is bigger, the M5 is an all aluminum case while our current Mitsu case has some steel), the engine will probably be about 150-200 pounds lighter, and the D30 swap will probably be awash. Throw an aluminum rad in and delete some other unneeded parts and I am guessing 3000'ish. Spending more time thinking of it now, probably closer to 3200 once its done.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I guess I was throwing driver in and such too, and my bumpers are way more substantial than stock... I think breaking stuff is more on driving style and situations though, like someone said about breaking a D60 with small tires and a D30 living with big tires... there's a lot of variables.