Did all YJs come with the same high pinion Dana 30?

Did all the YJ's from 87-95 come with the same exact high pinion Dana 30 or are there differences in the axle housings from year to year. I'm not inquiring about the gear sets or carriers offered, just trying to make sure the Dana 30 housing is the same from 87-95, I'm sure it is, but I'm double checking in case I've over looked something. Thanks.

machoheadgames said:

The housing is the same, but the bearing/bushing that supports the intermediate axle was a needle bearing from about 87-90 and was a plastic bushing 91-95ish.

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Thank you again. I'll continue the hunt for an 87-88 YJ Dana 30 front axle housing. My mad science destroyed my original housing, DOH!
I've seen a few on marketplace locally, but they're not the year I'm wanting... but I may have to settle for if something doesn't turn up. I'm trying to stay within 2 hrs one way driving distance of Western NC.

machoheadgames said:

Just buy any year and order a needle bearing to replace it. Honestly, the bushing and bearing are interchangeable, you can use either or. They’re both the same diameter.

Although the intermediate shaft is a different part number, so probably best to stick to all one segment of parts whether that’s 87-90 or 91-95.

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What are you calling an "intermediate shaft" to me, that's the lower part of the steering shaft. I've already replaced mine with a Borgenson shaft and I'm getting the PSC BIG Bore PS kit which replaces the steering box, power steering pump & reservoir. So that shouldn't matter.

I've got a Grizzly locker, 4.88 gear set and their chromoly 30 spline axle shafts kit, That kit eliminates all the vacuum, actuator on the factory axle and includes a block off plate. It also has a longer axle instead of a two piece.

I was just looking for verification on the housing as my understanding has always been that 87-95 Dana 30's are all the same. Thank you for pointing that bearing out 87-90, versus a bushing 91-95 , it's those little things we forget about.

Is there any reason to swap that to a bearing vs the bushing? I don't think its going to matter with that Yukon kit.

Here's the kit I bought, made the mistake of getting the Yukon Super Joints and found out after I got it that those joins are not for street use, that's because I didn't read everything before ordering it and I gave those away to Bleep'n Jeep and ordered the Spicer joints ha-ha.

machoheadgames said:

the intermediate axle shaft is the center axle shaft in stock config. If you went with dhromoly then you don’t have that anymore and the differences between 87-90 and 91-95 don’t even matter. The housing should be the same across all years as far as I’m aware. Checking the parts manuals could probably confirm that.

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Spindle is different across certain years. 87,88,89 are the same, 90-95 are different. How so? The hub/unit bearing.

machoheadgames said:

Those are different, but those aren’t the axle housing. Just swap them if you need to. All you need are the matching ball joints for whatever knuckle and unit bearing you want to use.

The inner C is the same on all years and that’s all that really matters.

Just FYI the caliper design, knuckle ball joint taper, lower ball joint design, and unit bearing are all different across those two sets of years. The 90-95 design is better.

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The balljoint taper/design on the C's/in the spindle is the exact same from 84-06 XJ, YJ, TJ share those.
The unit bearing is different as I mentioned above, 87,88,89 are the same, 90-95 changed.
The caliper, I'll take your word for it, but it doesn't apply to my situation or needs as I have an aftermarket big brake kit.

I'm still looking for the 87,88,89 axle housing ....I do have the option of going for a 90-95 model housing only because I have the 87 spindles I need for my brake kit install.

machoheadgames said:

The ball joints have the same taper but the knuckles are different due to the threaded hole at the bottom. 90/91-06 don’t use that, the knuckles are actually tapered on the later models.

You’re good to go for any YJ D30 you can find. Absolute worst case on a newer model you are swapping your old knuckles over and using older style ball joints with the tapered threaded insert to adapt them.

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You're talking about the brass- gold piece in this image... I replaced those in my spindles...I cannot remember the name of that specific part, but yeah that's all the same for the ball-joints and those go in the lower spindle and fits 1984 to 2006 Jeep YJ, TJ Wrangler, Rubicon and Unlimited, XJ, ZJ with DANA 30 or DANA 44 front. They all have the same dimensions and taper, you can get the ball-joints in knurled or non-knurled. That's one of my worries as well...is finding one and someone has put knurled ball-joints in it. Definatly going to be inspecting the housings very well before I pay and walk away. Facebook marketplace in my area, people have front axles that are not Dana 30's listed as Dana 30's . I'm familiar with other years and their features. Maybe the 90's model just don't get the brass piece. Donno, I haven't had to use any of the 90's stuff. Good info though and thanks for the chat Sir.

machoheadgames said:

Yes, they do not use that piece in the 90s models because they started tapering the lower ball joint hole in the knuckle instead of drilling and tapping it for the insert.

I did some digging in the parts manuals and I do see that the housing was a different part number for 87-89, 90, and 91-95. I doubt there are any differences that matter though. Like you've said, the actual ball joint holes are the same in all of them so you could mix and match any parts. Internally they should all be the same, and your conversion seal to allow you to use the chromoly right side axle shaft should all work fine.

Yes, definitely look out for knurled ball joints. You want a stock axle that never had any work done on it because that is what will most likely have spicer joints in it and not knurled crap. If it has spicer joints in it, then you can pretty much guarantee the ability to put new spicer joints in it without them being loose.

Side note: big brake kit....I'm curious what you are using. Did you do the poor man's kit where you drill out the caliper holes in an 87-89 knuckle and mount larger calipers and rotors?

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Cool.

No, There is no drilling or nothing for the front kit on a YJ...for the Big Brake kit I went with Wilwood. They have a BIG brake kit for the YJ front axle... You'll find it on Quadratec or other Jeep sites. I just ordered what I think is the rear BIG brake kit that converts the Dana 35 (I have a Super 35 with a truss) to disc brakes. Wilwood and Teraflex both say that the 80s are the dark years or bastard years. But I was able to take measurements with my dial calipers and I think I found a kit that bolts up... once I confirm that it is installed and the wheel rolls free and take some more measurements, I'll post that kit.

about a year ago I ordered a Big Brake Wilwood rear kit from Quadratec, they said it fit 87-06 YJ-TJ... guess what, it doesn't fit the YJ. and I had a time getting them to take it back and refund me. I had to get Wilwood involved and direct them to Quadratec's website where they stated it fit 87-06 Wrangler YJ and TJ with a Dana 35... they refunded me. My understanding is someone at the Q-store got a talking too... well a few months later in my hunt for Wilwood brakes for the rear of this 87 with D35 Quadratec again had that kit listed, So I called Wilwood and asked if they had changed their mind and directed them to the site.... its been fixed for good ever since.

If this works, I'll create a post with part numbers and pictures as I had to measure the flange center to center and my offset dimensions and I have to yet find the proper park brake kit and a few other things.

I have Wilwood everything, master cylinder, long braided brake lines, front brake kit, proportioning valve, slave cylinder and this rear kit will be here the 9th. I bought Classic Tube stainless steel hard lines, you just have to remove the shipping bends. I'm not ready for those yet, the fame still need to go to the sand blaster and get painted, but I'm going to install the new springs, bushings and shackles, the rear end and the rear brake kit and install my wheels.

That front kit is a guaranteed fit for 87,88,89 YJ and the TJ needs YJ spindles from those years and then they can install the front Wilwood kit. The video is on Youtube, just search Wilwood Big Disc brakes for YJ Jeep.

You can see the front kit on the hood of the Jeep, I've not opened it yet. I included my TNT truss, Wilwood master, adjustable proportion valve. i have their 10" braided brake lines too. Parts are stacked in front of the Jeep, under the Jeep, filled the inside of the Jeep and then stuck the hardtop on it ha-ha and stacked parts on top of the Jeep... then the garage was turning into a warehouse so I bought parts into a spare room in my house. The entire Jeep is new... even the tub is getting new parts (floor and water fall section). My engine is being built by Newcomer Racing .... the head is max ported and polished as is the Clifford intake, full MSD treatment, Banks header, forged rods, Keith selected the pistons, I have a Comp Cam 68-239-4 but that maybe changing to one of Keiths recommended cams. Engine should be nasty. Its got all the goodies.

I plan on selling my factory fender and fender wells...they're clean! ... I'll have a few other things to sell to I'm sure.