This post is about building a front YJ Dana 30 and deleting the CAD. I went this route after I blew the rear Dana 35 sky high and replaced it with a Ford 8.8 with 410s, which necessitated regearing the front to match. It’s a temporary solution, I know. But it gets my busted Jeep back on the road and I thought it would be cool to see how it holds up behind a healthy V8 and 4-speed. In case it may help someone else, I want to share my experience building the Dana 30 and what I learned. If you’re just doing the CAD delete, you need not worry about carriers and you can jump to the next paragraph. The YJ Dana 30 has a carrier break at 3.54/3.73. Since my 30 had the factory 3.07 gears, this meant I needed the numerically higher carrier (3.73 up) for the 4.10 R&P. I decided to try a Detroit Trutrac for the type of driving I do mostly with this Jeep. That and with an actual locker it becomes much easier to break a shaft since 100% torque can be directed to a single wheel. Even with upgrades, this is still a spindly little Dana 30.
Axle Shafts
For the CAD delete, you’re going to need a one-piece passenger side inner axle. By the way, I already had my CAD locked in the engaged position with a spacer and I would have kept that setup with my factory axle shafts until I broke something, but the factory CAD inner axle shaft has a c-clip on the carrier side. There is no way to install that c-clip in the Trutrac and it needs to be in there to keep the shaft in position, otherwise you’re asking for trouble down the road. A cheap way to solve the problem might be to find a later one-piece inner passenger side axle shaft at the junk yard, but the issue is getting u-joints to match up or installing a conversion u-joint. I won’t try to sort out all the variations of Jeep Dana 30 u-joints through model year changes and ABS vs non-ABS, and so on. It makes my head hurt. I wanted more strength anyway, so I scrapped the junk yard option.
To save time and accomplish a more reliable build, I opted for forged 4340 axle shafts that accept modern 5-760X series u-joints. There are multiple options with the same ten-year warranty. Ten Factory, Yukon, and Alloy USA are some examples. I sourced Yukon shafts through East Coast Gear Supply. I don’t know how much the brand matters (they all claim to be about 40% stronger than OEM based on the materials and processes used). Just make sure to pick a reseller with good customer service.
As an aside, I’ve heard you shouldn’t go through Amazon for shafts because the warranty may be no good. I suspect, and this is just my guess, there may be an issue with knock-off products entering the market. I can’t blame a company not wanting to warranty a product they don’t know for sure came out of their facility. Buy from a reputable reseller. Keep your receipt.
Oil Seal
You will need a separate oil seal that will not be in a ring and pinion master install kit. The YJ CAD Dana 30 was not machined for an oil seal on the passenger side of the carrier, but it is known to the Jeep community that an industrial SKF 11800 oil seal fits in the tube. NAPA has these seals under the 11800 part number. I got mine cheaper from Rock Auto since NAPA didn’t have it in stock. Rock Auto lists alternative part numbers: 11393, 1895028, 216604, 2240929, 3374775, 4501458, 500286, 5150790. Somebody with more ambition than me may Google the applications for those part numbers. I think one happens to be a transmission seal for an AX15, if I’m not mistaken. With a known application you may be able to get the same seal right off the shelf at almost any auto parts store.
By the way, there is no funky hoodoo voodoo magic about this 11800 seal. Nor is there a seat inside the passenger side tube to seat it against. The SKF 11800 is nothing more than a 2.004” OD industrial oil seal with a 1.188” (1 3/16”) ID. Almost any oil seal with those specs would work.
Block Off Plate
You will need a CAD block off plate. A number of aftermarket companies sell CAD delete kits with the block off plate and the seal. I CNC plasma cut my own plate. Not everybody has a CNC plasma but you could still make your own. I measured the four holes at 3.9” by 1.5” on center, everything symmetrical.
Universal Joints
You will need u-joints unless you buy an axle shaft kit that comes with everything. I’m not a big fan of AutoZone but they carry MOOG and it’s tough to beat AutoZone warranties and hassle-free exchanges. I should say, my local AutoZone is pretty good about warranty returns. If you plan to keep your Jeep for a while, and I do, it’s nice to only have to pay for a part once. So I went with MOOG wheel joints and the series number is 377.
Cost and Conclusion
I want to say I got out of this Dana 30 project for around $1,300 given that I had a used set of YJ 4.10 gears laying around. As of my writing this, inflation is through the roof so your mileage may vary. I realize I’m polishing a turd, as the saying goes, but this was the fastest, most cost-effective way to get the Jeep back on the road. It was also the easiest axle setup I have ever done. I’ll try to remember to post more about this build once I know how my 30 holds up and I have something more to offer on the subject. I’m running 35’s with a 383 stroker and granny-geared Muncie SM465 so this experiment should be a pretty decent stress test. 😉 That said, the rear 35 that got me into this project took way more abuse than I ever imagined before it gave up the ghost..
If you have anything to add, any questions, comments, suggestions, etc., please put it in the comments below.