Thanks for thinking of the little guys. Not all of us can afford/need to go Dana 60. This is something I've been wanting to do to my hp d30 (swapped out the lp d30) I just got chromoly shafts😁
This is exactly what I want to do to my D30 in my TJ. This is going to be a awesome build series . I do follow Muddy Beards also and I like his content as well . Thank you both for doing a series on this . Until next time take care Nate .
Just a friendly FYI, when you're welding applications that need to cool down in a controlled manner, just wrap a fiberglass blanket around it and you'll generally have no problems. Tis what I do with cast iron repairs.
I love my Artec truss. I bought the C-gussets and new ball joints that I need to make time to install. I also did gears in my dana 30. I am not a mechanic, but I must have done something right, because they haven't broken yet. :)
" I am not a mechanic, but I must have done something right..." One of my all time favorite quotes. I say it a lot. Almost as much as "I'm not a mechanic, what do you expect?"
Nice! Pretty much did the same with my JK & 37's. Used a different truss from JCR & also did the gussets. You just have to wheel carefully & since I went with 5.13's I didn't lock the front. Figure my u-joints or axles will be the weak point if something does give way & either are cheap & easy to fix. For me it was the least expensive way to go at the time since I can do my own work/welding. When it goes I'll upgrade to a 44 but it's been going this way for 2 years w/ no signs of any issues what so ever & we wheel our Jeeps. Have to watch the rest of your videos to see how it comes out!
Hello , the dana 30 been working good for you im planing on doing the same but in my case i do competition well somthing like that it call average joe 4x4 and last year i blow my axel but dont want to spend on a dana 60 , sow will you say it will work going to upgrade to 37 and 5.13 gears thanks for you opinion and be safe
@@kenskens69 It's certainly do-able but you'll have to take it easy. As you know the D30 ring & pinion is much smaller than the D44 & obviously the D60 so way easier to break if you start hammering on it. I take my approaches slow and easy & haven't had any issues. With the 5.13's I would not lock it in the front otherwise you are increasing the risk of breaking it. Just my .02 cents. Others may have different results but I've been running it like this for a couple of years with zero issues. Running Yukon gears professionally set up.
Looking forward to episode 2. Gathered USA 4.56 gears, Grizzly locker and Yukon axles. Hope to learn something on the gears install. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent setup! Same thing I'm running in my D30 with the exception of all Yukon. 10+ years of solid wheeling with no issues. Yukon makes quality products. 💪👊
Joe Man I did my own gears and it wasn't terrible but there are a few things you will need. set up bearings are a must. I didn't have a press so I put the carrier in the freezer and the bearings in the oven at like 150 degrees. They slipped right on, it was awesome! The hardest part, in my opinion, is getting the right preload on the pinion at the right depth. Good luck with your setup!
Currently running 33's. Now thinking of 35's. If we do go up, hopefully 4.56 won't be a problem. It'll be mainly highway, will try of wheel often - in Florida trails. With some mud. In the future, hopefully trails in GA, AL, TN, NC. Now thinking of putting on a truss, since the axle will be off anyways. Get it it all done at once.
@@05glisedan I am running 33's right now but will hopefully go up to 35's soon. I wanted to strengthen my axle before I did. 4.56 is a good gear choice for an auto, go 4.88 if you have a manual. My truss only cost a little over $100, then you just have to get it welded on. Make friends with a welder. lol
@@ProjectXJ Thanks for the pro-tip. I've been watching Rusty411. Saw his D30 install. Looks doable. Ordered in-lb torque wrench and GLX carrier pinion bearing puller. Seems the most important parts Patience and Attention to detail.
These videos are second to none are incredibly informative. Honestly these videos are amazing and give me a great idea of where I want to take my skills. Also love that you play hip hop beats and rock. Much obliged.
I AM NOT A JEEP FAN. Full size all the way. Love your channel Nate. I'd quit my job and spend all my days in the shop and on the trail if I could. Congratulations and keep it up.
Just did the truss and c-gussets to mine. Now I’ve gotta truss the rear and hopefully it’ll be pretty bulletproof while running my tj through whoops and small jumps
Installing a sleeve kit prior will also help keep the housing from warping due to welding on the truss too fast. Plus it's just a good bang for the buck.
Great video Nate👍. It's nice to see someone that has the common sense ( a super power in today's world) to do things right the first time. That was something my Father really drummed into my head that people can never find the time to do things right but they can find the time to do things over🙄
Hell yeah man. My ultimate plan is a LWB Comanche with 3" lift and at most 33's. I've got a HP D30 non-disconnect and a D35 with 4.10's out of an 86 MJ that I plan to swap into whatever MJ I end up getting. No reason dumping money and going bigger on axles then needed. Keep up the good work.
@@dougchacey9449 It's not gonna be a wheelin truck. I have a Suzuki DR350 for offroad shenanigans. It'll be a trailhead to trailhead/ forest service road truck.
That is what I was doing man just food for thought. The spiders were about to go when I swapped in the 44. If you want something that is cheap a 20 spline8.25 would be a good choice. It's your build though just giving ya some input man.
Awesome job I like Artec products, I have them on my ‘83 GMC K2500 Using their front hydraulic steering mount and truss combo on my front D60 and their rear truss on my rear D70HD 👍
The sound on your videos lately is awesome. It used to be mismatched and hard to listen to but not it has improved a lot!! Keep up the awesome content!
@@DirtLifestyle yeah, I have noticed a huge difference!! Like I said, lately it has been awesome. I filmed and edited professionally for a year and bad sound is a pet peeve of mine. Your videos and filmmaking style is awesome, and much better than my boss's in that year, haha
I'm trying to get a High pinion Dana 30 from a guy at work to make my 2001 Cherokee 4wheel drive.. Still lookin for Trans an transfer case..I already have a 4" RC lift on it.. It was $700.oo Bucks an Runs Great even with 334,ooo miles in it..
I have the same artec setup on my xj, the only problem I had with the outer C brackets is the coils would contact the bottom two spring loops under flex and cause a "bung" noise which is very concerning but I also used the original spring perch. I took material off of the front of the c gussets for clearance and no problem. Interested if these perches eliminate that.
yea, i just did this last month... i dont think my coil springs would even fit after i welded on my C-gussets. i had to remove a *LOT* of metal to make the coils fit
@@DirtLifestyle winter is the time to do it for sure if you are not used to it... winters down in the desert are just about as good as it gets for wheeling
Very nice work. I'm at odds with upgrading my D30, vs replacing with a 44. My long term goal is 37s, and im a pretty careful wheeler. Ive heard nothing but good on these artec trusses. They make a JK44 to TJ truss, which i'd looked at when i started down the JK axle swap path. basically, converts a JK d44 to TJ mounts, with the added strength of the truss. Nice stuff.
@@SWBCrawler I would go wider if you can and make up the extra width with back spacing on your rim. Then you can get your scrub radius numbers in check and safe your front end components. I think the Jk44 swap is one of the best tj axle options out there. 🤘
Yea the folks who have them for sale seem to think they’re made out of gold though. ;) I’ll keep them on the list Of options. I don’t think tons are right for me. Jk width might be the perfect in between though. For now. I’m having a great time pushing the lj to its limits on a mostly stock suspension. Those control arms were the first thing to fail, replaced them with some hand me downs.
Been there, done that. Dont spend money on a dana 30. No matter what you do, the ring and pinion will never be enough. Yes, I fully built a hp30 myself and the ring and pinion was still the weak point.
And like you previously stated it would have just been easier and less time consuming to just spit some high nickle on there ! Dont have to worry with annealing!
Unfortunately I can't touch for a couple months. I need to wait until my wife gives birth! She is super prego and I don't want her to have to jump up into the jeep! I'll be chipping away on my land rover, tj and j10 between now and then 🤘
Good day Nate. I understand the desire for a truss but why not sleeves? Wouldn't the truss interfere with "space" were the sleeves would not. What is the strength difference? The sleeves seem like a better way to go IMHO. Again im interested in the strength difference between the two setups. You can always use both.
Great vid Nate. Vid skills are getting crazy cool for a one man show.👍 Good to see a Dana 30 vid posted. They get such a bad rep but if wheeled carefully on nothing bigger than a 35 (as you mention) and especially if trussed, they're great axles. The only thing you missed mentioning, for the benefit of newbies, is that 4.88s are the biggest R&P that should be used. Even 4.88s are pushing limits of ring strength and pinion contact, but it can be done. Keep up the great work.👍
I just got my 4.88's this past week, holy smokes are they tiny!!!!!! I'm leaving the stock axle shafts and contemplating welding the caps on but not 100% sure exactly what I want to do. That'd make a great video series, tack welded caps vs IRO almost alloy kit, vs ???! Also how to do trail fixes w or w/o tools.
I use .035 but I'm not sure of its properties. I buy my wire from air gas in Tacoma Washington. It's an in house brand and I don't recall the name unfortunately.
any idea when the gearing video might be coming out ? this is a great idea for a video series and collaboration. i did my dana 30 artec truss and gussets last month, but now need to re-gear with new bearings and seals.
@@DirtLifestyle cool thanks. i have changed gears before. but it is really nice that someone is finally coming out with some good dana30 videos for us little guys with 35's.. i guess i will drag my feet (finish frame stiffeners and bed liner) and hope the video comes out before i start. i have all the parts just sitting on my shelf glaring at me. thank you for starting your own channel ! i do like bleepnjeep, but your style should not be stifled. very comprehensible, entertaining, honest, quality work/videos !
@@MrMrsregor thanks for the kind words man! I just sent a screenshot of this convo to Kelly to light a fire under his ass! I'm sure it will be within a week or two. I'll be filming part 3 this weekend so he needs to finish part 2!
Nate where did you find the 9 degree number from truss to coil buckets, the instruct say to measure before cutting and match. Just want to make sure I do all investigating before I start cutting brackets off
awesome video man ive been like binging your videos lol the only question I have that you didnt touch on is how did you locate the upper control arm bracket? i watched the tj stretch build series you did and thats the only thing im trying to figure out everything else has been extremely helpful. awesome quality tutorials brotha
I done this and u made a huge mistake welding the guests with balljoints in i done the same now the balljoints fit loose i actually had to tack weld the uppers in when the balljoints was pressed in it put tension on the cast the heating and cooling relaxes it... good luck hope it works out better than it did for me
This is dumb question , but I’m assuming you are heating the whole axle as u weld not just the c’s right, my wife and I both have jku s and we both are running 35s and I’m thinking I want to do this asap, I started to build the jeeps about 5 months ago so I haven’t done this yet. We haven’t really wheeled them yet either which is a good thing I think . Seems like the smartest next step to preserve the rigs .
We are only heating the cast steel sections. So the inner c and the center section. No need to heat the tubes! Good luck with the new builds man! A truss is worth every penny!
If you want to go full out, there are also inner sleeve kits available. They can be welded in and increase the tube diameter and strength for the weight of the jku with larger tires. 💪
I have welds that go from the tubes to the truss and through the center section. These tubes aren't spinning. As for the tube liners, I've never been a fan. They add more weight than strength. A truss is far superior 🤘
Hello Nate. Love your channel alot , its informative for anyone to do these projects if they have the tools and skill. I have a 1994 XK axle, stripped down, just bought this truss kit and doing the WJ knuckle conversion. What is the newest year of XJ axles I can use in this WJ knuckle setup? I heard the newer XJ axles have beefier U joints than the older ones. Keep up the good work.
I know I'm asking a lot, but any chance linking the rest of the videos in the description or pinned comment? It's just very time consuming searching for 2 year old videos.
Since we're in the subject of D30s - do you know how difficult it would be to fit this strut system on a WJ D30? I built one for an HP30 that came out of a Cherokee but for some reason Artec doesn't list WJ on any of their truss systems.
I just don't like how many bits and pieces these truss kits always seem to be made of. Like the main truss on each side in my opinion could/should be (1) piece of 1/4" or 3/16" steel, laser cut and formed into a "C" channel shape that sets on top of the axle tube. Not (8) parts for the long side and (3) for the short side; just (2) contiguous parts, (1) for each side. Besides definitely looking cleaner, it would have the potential to be much stronger, with much less chance of warping during welding. My only guess as to why they all go the Erector Set route is because it's a lot cheaper to burn and ship flat plates compared to formed shapes? I'd rather pay the $50 more for a better part, lol...
This maybe a silly question...but would a truss on a leaf sprung Dana 30 be less affective?? The reason I ask is I’d like to keep the leafs in my yj because I do not need to worry about geometry until a later time 😁😁
Awesome video! Very nice film work and super informative. Wish this would have been out when I was building my TJ30. Stop by my channel and watch one of the ride videos... Ready to see more of the TJ stretch too, since that's where I am at now!
I need a custom welding fabrication job done to mount a fighter jet control stick as the shifter in my Jeep can you do something like that? I live in WA Puget Sound area
@@DirtLifestyle No worries. I have a 97 XJ Cherokee 4 door six-cylinder auto transmission it's stock right now but I have ARB air lockers with 4:10 gear set front and rear Dana 30 front Chrysler 8 and 1/4 rear 4 1/2 inch BDS long arm lift kit I plan to do some mild to moderate off-roading. Would I need to brace my axles as you have done here?
Nate another great vid. I have a question. I here a lot about worping axle housing..? Did you have a problems with this build. Any suggestions. I'm getting ready to do mine. Thanks
Thanks man 🤘. No issues with a warped housing for us. The way the artec kit is setup it has large gaps across the axle tube making it so you wont weld one continuous bead. Continuous beads are a sure fire way to warp the housing. Small short welds (3" max) will keep you from warping it. 👍
Hi I really appreciate what you do and what you're doing on your site here and how you go about explaining and so forth. On the Dana 30 I want to use it on a solid axle S10 Blazer project and an S10 pickup project... Two separate vehicles for two different people. 4.3 l engines. Using leaf springs or coil springs? I noticed that you used coil springs in the video would it be the same for this leaf spring purchase? I've been a hot rod guy all my life and going into 4x4s and off-roading is a new adventure for myself and my brother. Would you please educate me... Thank you for your time and consideration.
i have dana 30 jku with 35s 4.88 gears i do moderate wheeling could i get away with truss kit on dana 30 or should i get dana 44 later love your Chanel
How do you seal up the damn Dana 30’s? Fist time off-road went through a puddle and blew my axle seals. Second time I got stuck in mud and blew the damn seals again. I don’t get how people off-road these constantly without blowing axle seals.
That's pretty weird man! I've only blown out axle seals from gouging them when I re install a shaft. They make an outer axle seal for the dana 30 that keeps debris out of the housing. Google dana 30 outer axle seal. I know TEN factory makes a set 🤘
I also wanted to add that all 5 of your rig's in your shop represent different types of "dirt lifestyle". There is more to the "dirt lifestyle" then just crawling.
I just did this on some jk 44s for my TJ.... The part that caught my attention was it looked like you set the spring perch at a 9 degree angle? Why wouldn't you have set it at 0 after setting up the pinion angle? Maybe I'm missing something but aren't your springs going to be curving?
If you install the front axle. You want the inner c's to be around 5-10° at ride height. If you weld the lower bucket at 0 then your spring will be curved at ride height. 🤘
Hello my friend it been 6 months since you did the differential will like to know how it been working and any Feedback I am building one too .. thanks and be safe
My brother doesn't use his jeep very often lol. The couple wheeling trips he has been on, he has been very happy but realistically he needs more testing 👍
Awesome work! Really appreciate it, need to pull the JK D30 out of my XJ to finish off the Artec truss. Was concerned about the cast C's and centre section, but should be good now. What temps were you getting the cast stuff to when you started welding?
I see a lot of people doing the truss, and talking about preheating cast, but never what temps they're looking for.. So, about what temp do you shot for?
Thanks for thinking of the little guys. Not all of us can afford/need to go Dana 60. This is something I've been wanting to do to my hp d30 (swapped out the lp d30) I just got chromoly shafts😁
This is what I run. Sleeved and Artec with RCV’s 35’s and 37’s has no issues at all. And 17” big brake kit with knuckles.
How has it been holding up for you? thinking of building my axle to run 37s
@@mr.caceres305 It is tough, RCV’s and never will go bigger. I love it.
@@rile5960 yeah I’m on the fence about building my D30 or building a waggy 44
This is exactly what I want to do to my D30 in my TJ. This is going to be a awesome build series . I do follow Muddy Beards also and I like his content as well . Thank you both for doing a series on this . Until next time take care Nate .
Thanks man! Those guys are my best friends. Glad to hear your following their builds as well!
Just a friendly FYI, when you're welding applications that need to cool down in a controlled manner, just wrap a fiberglass blanket around it and you'll generally have no problems. Tis what I do with cast iron repairs.
Get some blankets to wrap it up and let it cool nice and slow.
I've never encountered an axle with cast inner C's, only forged steel. I have only seen cast on outer knuckles and the axle center section.
I love my Artec truss. I bought the C-gussets and new ball joints that I need to make time to install.
I also did gears in my dana 30. I am not a mechanic, but I must have done something right, because they haven't broken yet. :)
" I am not a mechanic, but I must have done something right..." One of my all time favorite quotes. I say it a lot. Almost as much as "I'm not a mechanic, what do you expect?"
Nice! Pretty much did the same with my JK & 37's. Used a different truss from JCR & also did the gussets. You just have to wheel carefully & since I went with 5.13's I didn't lock the front. Figure my u-joints or axles will be the weak point if something does give way & either are cheap & easy to fix. For me it was the least expensive way to go at the time since I can do my own work/welding. When it goes I'll upgrade to a 44 but it's been going this way for 2 years w/ no signs of any issues what so ever & we wheel our Jeeps. Have to watch the rest of your videos to see how it comes out!
Hello , the dana 30 been working good for you im planing on doing the same but in my case i do competition well somthing like that it call average joe 4x4 and last year i blow my axel but dont want to spend on a dana 60 , sow will you say it will work going to upgrade to 37 and 5.13 gears thanks for you opinion and be safe
@@kenskens69 It's certainly do-able but you'll have to take it easy. As you know the D30 ring & pinion is much smaller than the D44 & obviously the D60 so way easier to break if you start hammering on it. I take my approaches slow and easy & haven't had any issues. With the 5.13's I would not lock it in the front otherwise you are increasing the risk of breaking it. Just my .02 cents. Others may have different results but I've been running it like this for a couple of years with zero issues. Running Yukon gears professionally set up.
@@johnmunder7107 thanks for the info ,and be safe
With that gear ratio in a 30 the pinion looks like something that should be in a pocket watch and may well be the weak point.
“You can still get a ‘pretty good’ weld. Sounds like that commercial. Come to you for ok welds haha 😆
Capture nuts on the underside of spring mount for mounting the lower bump stop
The best Jeep builder around. Thanks for youre hard work on the videos
Thanks man! Kind words 🤘 I appreciate it
Looking forward to episode 2. Gathered USA 4.56 gears, Grizzly locker and Yukon axles. Hope to learn something on the gears install.
Thanks for sharing.
Excellent setup! Same thing I'm running in my D30 with the exception of all Yukon. 10+ years of solid wheeling with no issues. Yukon makes quality products. 💪👊
Joe Man I did my own gears and it wasn't terrible but there are a few things you will need. set up bearings are a must. I didn't have a press so I put the carrier in the freezer and the bearings in the oven at like 150 degrees. They slipped right on, it was awesome! The hardest part, in my opinion, is getting the right preload on the pinion at the right depth. Good luck with your setup!
Currently running 33's. Now thinking of 35's. If we do go up, hopefully 4.56 won't be a problem. It'll be mainly highway, will try of wheel often - in Florida trails. With some mud. In the future, hopefully trails in GA, AL, TN, NC.
Now thinking of putting on a truss, since the axle will be off anyways. Get it it all done at once.
@@05glisedan I am running 33's right now but will hopefully go up to 35's soon. I wanted to strengthen my axle before I did. 4.56 is a good gear choice for an auto, go 4.88 if you have a manual. My truss only cost a little over $100, then you just have to get it welded on. Make friends with a welder. lol
@@ProjectXJ Thanks for the pro-tip. I've been watching Rusty411. Saw his D30 install. Looks doable. Ordered in-lb torque wrench and GLX carrier pinion bearing puller. Seems the most important parts Patience and Attention to detail.
These videos are second to none are incredibly informative. Honestly these videos are amazing and give me a great idea of where I want to take my skills. Also love that you play hip hop beats and rock. Much obliged.
Thank you! I appreciate you taking time to give me a positive comment! 🤘
I think I'll be building one of these for my dad's TJ this yr. Perfect time to find your video.
I AM NOT A JEEP FAN. Full size all the way. Love your channel Nate. I'd quit my job and spend all my days in the shop and on the trail if I could. Congratulations and keep it up.
Artec makes such a good looking kit. I love mine on my d60, they really are worth every penny 👌
Just got one today and gunna buy this same kit for my zj because of you Nate. Thanks for the inspiration.
Awesome man!
Just did the truss and c-gussets to mine. Now I’ve gotta truss the rear and hopefully it’ll be pretty bulletproof while running my tj through whoops and small jumps
Installing a sleeve kit prior will also help keep the housing from warping due to welding on the truss too fast. Plus it's just a good bang for the buck.
For a sleeve DOM tubing & lathe .010" off the OD is much cheaper than a kit too...
I need a brother like this. Great videos. Now i want to learn how to weld.
Great video Nate👍. It's nice to see someone that has the common sense ( a super power in today's world) to do things right the first time. That was something my Father really drummed into my head that people can never find the time to do things right but they can find the time to do things over🙄
getting a free high pinion dana 30 this week, so looking for your guidance on total rebuild!
Perfect timing for this video! I plan to do this very soon
Badass. This is the direction I plan on going. Possibly this winter. Good to know I have a resource.
I Love your channel Great video!!!
Thank you!
Like it, your brother is one lucky guy to have a fabricator in the family.
Hell yeah man. My ultimate plan is a LWB Comanche with 3" lift and at most 33's. I've got a HP D30 non-disconnect and a D35 with 4.10's out of an 86 MJ that I plan to swap into whatever MJ I end up getting. No reason dumping money and going bigger on axles then needed.
Keep up the good work.
Be careful with a 35 man I nearly killed one in my yj with 31s and it wasn't locked either
@@dougchacey9449 It's not gonna be a wheelin truck. I have a Suzuki DR350 for offroad shenanigans. It'll be a trailhead to trailhead/ forest service road truck.
That is what I was doing man just food for thought. The spiders were about to go when I swapped in the 44. If you want something that is cheap a 20 spline8.25 would be a good choice. It's your build though just giving ya some input man.
@@dougchacey9449 you mean 29 spline 8.25? old ones are 27 stock and newer ones are 29
Awesome job
I like Artec products, I have them on my ‘83 GMC K2500
Using their front hydraulic steering mount and truss combo on my front D60 and their rear truss on my rear D70HD 👍
Thanks man!
Another great video Nate! Im hoping to build my own "super 30" as well.
Thanks man! You should definitely build one. They are an over looked axle 🤘
I’m i the only one that looked away when he first started welding? Lol nice video though brotha
Thanks man!
Thank you. Great info
That's cast steel brother big difference between that and your cast vise but a little heat never hurts great video cheers
Your videos are so professionally done!!! Great work!!! Your channel is doing great.
Thanks alot man! I put in alot of hours into these videos! Thank you for watching!
This is why I follow you. You could have edited out you melting the ball joint. Thanks for being real!!
nice looking kit , well thought out.
Put together a very similar setup while sticking a HP 30 under the front of my XJ. Solid build video.
Professional and clean good job!!!!
Nice set up.
Great job Nate 👍👍👍👍
Fantastic 👏 video Nate !!! Thanks
The sound on your videos lately is awesome. It used to be mismatched and hard to listen to but not it has improved a lot!! Keep up the awesome content!
I'm working super hard on improving my sound! Bare with me, I'm very new to filming and editing 👍
@@DirtLifestyle yeah, I have noticed a huge difference!! Like I said, lately it has been awesome. I filmed and edited professionally for a year and bad sound is a pet peeve of mine. Your videos and filmmaking style is awesome, and much better than my boss's in that year, haha
Checked out the Muddy Beards guys. They seem pretty cool so I subscribed. Thanks for the lead.
Great video! Really cool idea for a collab.
I'm trying to get a High pinion Dana 30 from a guy at work to make my 2001 Cherokee 4wheel drive.. Still lookin for Trans an transfer case..I already have a 4" RC lift on it.. It was $700.oo Bucks an Runs Great even with 334,ooo miles in it..
sweet!!! I wish I knew where in WA your family lives jeep/quad trails are the only total freedom...4thisDaddy
Great video Nate, as always. Just wanted to say thanks.
I have the same artec setup on my xj, the only problem I had with the outer C brackets is the coils would contact the bottom two spring loops under flex and cause a "bung" noise which is very concerning but I also used the original spring perch. I took material off of the front of the c gussets for clearance and no problem. Interested if these perches eliminate that.
My buddy has the exact same problem with his. We will clearance them if neccessary but its definitely something I've thought about
yea, i just did this last month... i dont think my coil springs would even fit after i welded on my C-gussets. i had to remove a *LOT* of metal to make the coils fit
How am I supposed to work when there is a new video on a Friday morning
Lol sorry brother! 😂
@@DirtLifestyle great video as always I've been running a trussed hp d30 with rcv shafts on my 96 xj for years 35s and a locker in Arizona no issues
@@ericlee8231 Thanks man I appreciate it! One of these winters I would like to make it down to Arizona and hit up some trails.
@@DirtLifestyle winter is the time to do it for sure if you are not used to it... winters down in the desert are just about as good as it gets for wheeling
Good video, for the time and effort it's got to be cheaper just to upgrade.
Very nice work. I'm at odds with upgrading my D30, vs replacing with a 44. My long term goal is 37s, and im a pretty careful wheeler. Ive heard nothing but good on these artec trusses. They make a JK44 to TJ truss, which i'd looked at when i started down the JK axle swap path. basically, converts a JK d44 to TJ mounts, with the added strength of the truss. Nice stuff.
A trussed jk 44 would be a perfect swap for a tj on a 37s 🤘 with some rcvs I'd run a 40 and be completely comfortable with that setup
Thanks for the info. I’m torn between going wider and replacing both housings. Or getting a tj width front 44 and building the existing rear 44.
@@SWBCrawler I would go wider if you can and make up the extra width with back spacing on your rim. Then you can get your scrub radius numbers in check and safe your front end components. I think the Jk44 swap is one of the best tj axle options out there. 🤘
Yea the folks who have them for sale seem to think they’re made out of gold though. ;) I’ll keep them on the list Of options. I don’t think tons are right for me. Jk width might be the perfect in between though. For now. I’m having a great time pushing the lj to its limits on a mostly stock suspension. Those control arms were the first thing to fail, replaced them with some hand me downs.
Been there, done that. Dont spend money on a dana 30. No matter what you do, the ring and pinion will never be enough.
Yes, I fully built a hp30 myself and the ring and pinion was still the weak point.
Nice work 👍
I think Dana 30 is a good axle and plenty available if you braked
Awesome looks great 👍
Thanks bud
I have seen dana 30 with 35" run KOH with no problems many times.
And like you previously stated it would have just been easier and less time consuming to just spit some high nickle on there ! Dont have to worry with annealing!
Quality
Thanks buddy 🤘
Impressive!
Thanks!
When ya starting the Liberty build buddy ? I can’t wait for that I’m sure it’s gonna be good and I can get a lot of good ideas for mine...
Unfortunately I can't touch for a couple months. I need to wait until my wife gives birth! She is super prego and I don't want her to have to jump up into the jeep! I'll be chipping away on my land rover, tj and j10 between now and then 🤘
I literally just got my mig gas tank filled because I am welding on my truss and C's soon so this was perfect
Awesome man! I hope this can help in some way 🤘
@@DirtLifestyle yeah that I better have new ball joints ready for when I melt mine lol
@@crayfishroll lol
I'm out on the wet side would live to get ideas from for my ZJ and Suburban build
I'm using a d30 for a Bronco II, havent decided how I'm going to locate it yet
I'm guessing this would be the same for a YJ except for the spring mounts and control arms.
Yep! 👍
Good day Nate. I understand the desire for a truss but why not sleeves? Wouldn't the truss interfere with "space" were the sleeves would not. What is the strength difference? The sleeves seem like a better way to go IMHO. Again im interested in the strength difference between the two setups. You can always use both.
Great vid Nate. Vid skills are getting crazy cool for a one man show.👍
Good to see a Dana 30 vid posted. They get such a bad rep but if wheeled carefully on nothing bigger than a 35 (as you mention) and especially if trussed, they're great axles. The only thing you missed mentioning, for the benefit of newbies, is that 4.88s are the biggest R&P that should be used. Even 4.88s are pushing limits of ring strength and pinion contact, but it can be done.
Keep up the great work.👍
Thanks brother!
I just got my 4.88's this past week, holy smokes are they tiny!!!!!! I'm leaving the stock axle shafts and contemplating welding the caps on but not 100% sure exactly what I want to do.
That'd make a great video series, tack welded caps vs IRO almost alloy kit, vs ???! Also how to do trail fixes w or w/o tools.
Awesome.
Awesome but shouldn’t you paint and primer your parts prior to tacking in to prevent future rust?
Only got a flux core welder... wonder if I can make that work???
Great video! About to upgrade my D30 using this as a guide. Wondering what size/alloy of wire you’re using for this application?
I use .035 but I'm not sure of its properties. I buy my wire from air gas in Tacoma Washington. It's an in house brand and I don't recall the name unfortunately.
Dirt Lifestyle thank you man!
any idea when the gearing video might be coming out ?
this is a great idea for a video series and collaboration. i did my dana 30 artec truss and gussets last month, but now need to re-gear with new bearings and seals.
It all depends on how soon Kelly can do the edit! I'm sure it won't take him to long but I don't have a definite timeline unfortunately.
@@DirtLifestyle cool thanks. i have changed gears before. but it is really nice that someone is finally coming out with some good dana30 videos for us little guys with 35's..
i guess i will drag my feet (finish frame stiffeners and bed liner) and hope the video comes out before i start. i have all the parts just sitting on my shelf glaring at me.
thank you for starting your own channel ! i do like bleepnjeep, but your style should not be stifled. very comprehensible, entertaining, honest, quality work/videos !
@@MrMrsregor thanks for the kind words man! I just sent a screenshot of this convo to Kelly to light a fire under his ass! I'm sure it will be within a week or two. I'll be filming part 3 this weekend so he needs to finish part 2!
@@MrMrsregor a little update. Kelly saw our convo and said the video should be out friday 🤘
@@DirtLifestyle Awesome, thank you !
Frankenstein upgrades with junk yard parts might be one of my favorite part of custom build, cant wait !
So this is why all the HP30's are snatched up immediately!
Nate where did you find the 9 degree number from truss to coil buckets, the instruct say to measure before cutting and match. Just want to make sure I do all investigating before I start cutting brackets off
we love xjs
Got the same build going on right now, trying to decide if i want the IRO truss or Artec Truss
Cant go wrong. Both are good form what I hear 👍
awesome video man ive been like binging your videos lol the only question I have that you didnt touch on is how did you locate the upper control arm bracket? i watched the tj stretch build series you did and thats the only thing im trying to figure out everything else has been extremely helpful. awesome quality tutorials brotha
I for see WJ knuckles
Lol definitely
@@DirtLifestyle Full video series on that please! :D
I done this and u made a huge mistake welding the guests with balljoints in i done the same now the balljoints fit loose i actually had to tack weld the uppers in when the balljoints was pressed in it put tension on the cast the heating and cooling relaxes it... good luck hope it works out better than it did for me
Awesome video, side note the stove in the back looks like it has some clearance issues, don’t burn your shop down.
This is dumb question , but I’m assuming you are heating the whole axle as u weld not just the c’s right, my wife and I both have jku s and we both are running 35s and I’m thinking I want to do this asap, I started to build the jeeps about 5 months ago so I haven’t done this yet. We haven’t really wheeled them yet either which is a good thing I think . Seems like the smartest next step to preserve the rigs .
We are only heating the cast steel sections. So the inner c and the center section. No need to heat the tubes! Good luck with the new builds man! A truss is worth every penny!
If you want to go full out, there are also inner sleeve kits available. They can be welded in and increase the tube diameter and strength for the weight of the jku with larger tires. 💪
Should you also weld the tubes to prevent twisting, and what about the the tube liners for the dana 30?
I have welds that go from the tubes to the truss and through the center section. These tubes aren't spinning. As for the tube liners, I've never been a fan. They add more weight than strength. A truss is far superior 🤘
Hello Nate. Love your channel alot , its informative for anyone to do these projects if they have the tools and skill. I have a 1994 XK axle, stripped down, just bought this truss kit and doing the WJ knuckle conversion. What is the newest year of XJ axles I can use in this WJ knuckle setup? I heard the newer XJ axles have beefier U joints than the older ones. Keep up the good work.
I know I'm asking a lot, but any chance linking the rest of the videos in the description or pinned comment? It's just very time consuming searching for 2 year old videos.
Since we're in the subject of D30s - do you know how difficult it would be to fit this strut system on a WJ D30? I built one for an HP30 that came out of a Cherokee but for some reason Artec doesn't list WJ on any of their truss systems.
Not sure man, I've never looked into it. Anything can be fabricated with the right tooling and part design. Good opportunity for you to get creative 🤘
I just don't like how many bits and pieces these truss kits always seem to be made of. Like the main truss on each side in my opinion could/should be (1) piece of 1/4" or 3/16" steel, laser cut and formed into a "C" channel shape that sets on top of the axle tube. Not (8) parts for the long side and (3) for the short side; just (2) contiguous parts, (1) for each side. Besides definitely looking cleaner, it would have the potential to be much stronger, with much less chance of warping during welding. My only guess as to why they all go the Erector Set route is because it's a lot cheaper to burn and ship flat plates compared to formed shapes? I'd rather pay the $50 more for a better part, lol...
This maybe a silly question...but would a truss on a leaf sprung Dana 30 be less affective?? The reason I ask is I’d like to keep the leafs in my yj because I do not need to worry about geometry until a later time 😁😁
A truss is still just as valuable in a leaf sprung Jeep as well!
haha love muddy beards
Awesome video! Very nice film work and super informative. Wish this would have been out when I was building my TJ30. Stop by my channel and watch one of the ride videos... Ready to see more of the TJ stretch too, since that's where I am at now!
Thanks! Will do!
I need a custom welding fabrication job done to mount a fighter jet control stick as the shifter in my Jeep can you do something like that? I live in WA Puget Sound area
Sounds like a cool project! Unfortunately I don't do any side work. I like to keep my focus on the different projects I own 🤘
@@DirtLifestyle No worries. I have a 97 XJ Cherokee 4 door six-cylinder auto transmission it's stock right now but I have ARB air lockers with 4:10 gear set front and rear Dana 30 front Chrysler 8 and 1/4 rear 4 1/2 inch BDS long arm lift kit I plan to do some mild to moderate off-roading. Would I need to brace my axles as you have done here?
Nate another great vid. I have a question. I here a lot about worping axle housing..? Did you have a problems with this build. Any suggestions. I'm getting ready to do mine. Thanks
Thanks man 🤘. No issues with a warped housing for us. The way the artec kit is setup it has large gaps across the axle tube making it so you wont weld one continuous bead. Continuous beads are a sure fire way to warp the housing. Small short welds (3" max) will keep you from warping it. 👍
Very good and informative video, that’s what I want to do to my xj Dana 30 HP axle, where do I buy the same kit that you used?
Hi I really appreciate what you do and what you're doing on your site here and how you go about explaining and so forth. On the Dana 30 I want to use it on a solid axle S10 Blazer project and an S10 pickup project... Two separate vehicles for two different people. 4.3 l engines. Using leaf springs or coil springs? I noticed that you used coil springs in the video would it be the same for this leaf spring purchase? I've been a hot rod guy all my life and going into 4x4s and off-roading is a new adventure for myself and my brother. Would you please educate me... Thank you for your time and consideration.
i have dana 30 jku with 35s 4.88 gears i do moderate wheeling could i get away with truss kit on dana 30 or should i get dana 44 later love your Chanel
How do you seal up the damn Dana 30’s? Fist time off-road went through a puddle and blew my axle seals. Second time I got stuck in mud and blew the damn seals again. I don’t get how people off-road these constantly without blowing axle seals.
That's pretty weird man! I've only blown out axle seals from gouging them when I re install a shaft. They make an outer axle seal for the dana 30 that keeps debris out of the housing. Google dana 30 outer axle seal. I know TEN factory makes a set 🤘
Always love all your videos. Now love the new channel. By the way, who was the truss kit from?
I also wanted to add that all 5 of your rig's in your shop represent different types of "dirt lifestyle". There is more to the "dirt lifestyle" then just crawling.
Thanks brother 🤘 glad your enjoying the videos! The truss kit is from artec
Is it absolutely necessary to preheat the outer c’s to weld on the gussets? What did you write “don’t do this”?
I have a 98 zj with the factory 5.2 magnum will a dana 30 like this last with my setup?
35s 4.56 gear...
I just did this on some jk 44s for my TJ.... The part that caught my attention was it looked like you set the spring perch at a 9 degree angle? Why wouldn't you have set it at 0 after setting up the pinion angle? Maybe I'm missing something but aren't your springs going to be curving?
If you install the front axle. You want the inner c's to be around 5-10° at ride height. If you weld the lower bucket at 0 then your spring will be curved at ride height. 🤘
Hello my friend it been 6 months since you did the differential will like to know how it been working and any Feedback I am building one too .. thanks and be safe
My brother doesn't use his jeep very often lol. The couple wheeling trips he has been on, he has been very happy but realistically he needs more testing 👍
@@DirtLifestyle lol ok im putting my Together this coming week I will let you know how I go, be safe
Awesome work! Really appreciate it, need to pull the JK D30 out of my XJ to finish off the Artec truss. Was concerned about the cast C's and centre section, but should be good now. What temps were you getting the cast stuff to when you started welding?
I prefer 350-450° and wont weld under 300. Good luck man!
I see a lot of people doing the truss, and talking about preheating cast, but never what temps they're looking for.. So, about what temp do you shot for?
400° plus. No more than 600. 👍