I apologize if this has been answered as I have searched all over. Went with the OME lift on my 2004 Liberty, or should say in the process. Was going to go with 265-70R16 tires. I live in the mountains so am pretty sure am not going to be happy with 3.73 gears. Wanting to go 4.10 and hoping to find a donor carrier (differential) but we will see how that works out. If not I think all of my searching has located the parts for the regear. Question I have is on the front. Will I be able to reuse my current CV axles from my 3.73 differential on the 4.10 differential from a 2.4l vehicle? Just wondering if I find the donor parts what all I will need. I cannot find local so will be shipping whatever it is. From what I am gathering both 3.7L and 2.4L used the Dana 30A front with the latter having 4.10 gears. Everything else looks the same as far as mounting, CV axles, drive shaft ect but when I look up part numbers they are different. I would expect this for inventory purposes. Anyway, I will quit rambling. Simple question is, if I find a differential from a 2.4L with 4.10 gears will everything else from my current vehicle fit back up. TIA. Tom
Lift, Big Tires Now I need big gears
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Yes the outboard bits are the same, if you can find a 2.5 CRD or a 2.4 petrol you just need to swap diffs. However if it was me I'd buy the complete assembled rear axle and front body and swap them over as its much less work.
Thank you for the confirmation. If I can find a donor vehicle I will take everything for sure
duderz7
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The mounting brackets for the front diff are different between the 2.4 and 3.7 engines. Something to do with oil pan clearance. As long as you only use the housing and everything contained there in you're good. Your cv axles and such will plug right in. The only difference internally is the ring and pinion gears. If your donor has the needle bearings for the axles great! If they're plastic consider getting some. Also consider the polyurethane bushings from creative steel for the diff and rack and pinion.
Thank you. So if I read this right the housing will be the same but I will need to use the mounting brackets off my current vehicle? Will look into the bushings for sure.
duderz7
Full Access Member
Yerp, and I only mention the rack and pinion bushings because they're often worn out at this age and so easy to replace when the diffrential is out of the way.
I want to replace everything that needs done while it is apart for sure. Thank you for response
The rack bushings are an easy job anytime. BTDT.
Check www.car-part.com for a front carrier assembly. Even if you can find a broken one. A new 4.10 super 30 r&p is cresting $1000Cad right now.
I dunno what can be done with trans reprogramming on these. I drive a couple (stock) auto ones at work and they are perpetually lugging at 1000-1500 rpm or scream at 3000-4000rpm when you punch it. Very hard to drive in the comfy 2000-3000rpm range, which you end up doing by default with a manual trans.
Check www.car-part.com for a front carrier assembly. Even if you can find a broken one. A new 4.10 super 30 r&p is cresting $1000Cad right now.
I dunno what can be done with trans reprogramming on these. I drive a couple (stock) auto ones at work and they are perpetually lugging at 1000-1500 rpm or scream at 3000-4000rpm when you punch it. Very hard to drive in the comfy 2000-3000rpm range, which you end up doing by default with a manual trans.
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I was really surprised what a rebuilt unit was going for. Even some of the used units on car-parts were pretty expensive and when I ran the VIN came back as 3.73 ratios. I was fortunate and found a donor Jeep, 2003 2.4L in Wyoming with 89k miles on it. Bought the front carrier assembly, cv axles and complete rear axle for $250. I will probably have them gone through and do new bearings, seals and put some Detroit TT lockers in while they are on the bench.
I'd never buy a rebuilt, and cost is why i suggested a broken one. A 4.10 one like that has sat at a wrecker near me for over 5 years. Ours is manual so the 3.55 to 3.73 swap was enough.
You can pop the front diff out and still drive it as a 2wd. Take your time installing gears and such.
Fwiw, the True trac isn't a locker. Its a clutchless torque-biasing traction aid. The factory rear trac-lok (LSD) has been decent to me. I did a powertrax no-slip locker in the front for a while; traction was amazing but had some quirks my gf could not get over.
You can pop the front diff out and still drive it as a 2wd. Take your time installing gears and such.
Fwiw, the True trac isn't a locker. Its a clutchless torque-biasing traction aid. The factory rear trac-lok (LSD) has been decent to me. I did a powertrax no-slip locker in the front for a while; traction was amazing but had some quirks my gf could not get over.
duderz7
Full Access Member
Good find! You'll want to reuse your original cv axles. Everything else looks like a good plan.
I'm very happy with my spartan helical lsd. Similar in functionality to the dtt, but costs about half the price.
duderz7
Full Access Member
Sure, but then there's this easy
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Half price is good. Torsen's patent ran out long ago - lots of copies.
Good to hear on the Spartan. I saw this one but was not sure how it compares. Thank you for the info.
duderz7
Full Access Member
Yerp, but not many that fit the dana 30 that I know of.
Check the oil in the rear especially, my axle and spare had rust in the tubes that had dropped off and gone through the bearings like a ball mill, wiped the lot. Amazingly the gears in the fitted axle seem to have survived. The spiders and pin are scrap in the spare though.
Good advice. I plan to go through the entire axle and differential while it is out before I put it back together. Figure no better time to replace all the seals and bearings. I will actually probably have a shop go through it and install the Truetrac. I am pretty handy but gears, back lash and actually refreshing the differential is not something I have done. At this point I want to make sure it is right and although I could probably get through it I want to drive it sometime in the next 10 years
IMHO, these front diffs are a nice unit to learn on because the whole thing is relatively light/small, and you can do it at a work bench.
Another cache of dana 30 stuff.... Volvo rwd cars. Not exactly sure what traction aids they used from the factory.
Another cache of dana 30 stuff.... Volvo rwd cars. Not exactly sure what traction aids they used from the factory.
slowcrawlerZJ
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Honestly speaking a 3.73 to 4.10 swap is not going to save anything. You’ll be disappointed in the end for the money and work you put into. It would different if you were jumping several gear sizes from like a 3.55 to 4.10. Unfortunately since the aftermarket steel Dana 30 front housing were discontinued there is no option to go to 4.56’s which would way worth it. I’m just giving you some friendly advice to save you some headache…from someone who builds hot rods and rock crawlers.
Thank you. My biggest concern was since I still use the rig for daily driving as well that the bigger tires, especially if I went to 32”, something like 265-75-16 that I was going to really tax the transmission when in OD. I have not replaced tires yet think I will go with the bigger tires. It is not cheap upgrade for sure. Even with getting the differential and axles used by time I have them gone through I am thinking I will be into it roughly $2500. That is figuring master rebuild kits for both ends and then adding LSD front and rear as well. I would love to go 4.56 but like you said not an option anymore. I was planning to add the LSD regardless of gear change so the gearing is not much more cost but will be some for sure. This will never be a ********* off roader for me. Just something we can take some places off the beaten path when we want too. I suspect in 4 low I will not notice hardly any difference. It is the commute I was worried about. What are your thoughts for that application? I am open either way. To be honest, I bought this little vehicle as a kids vehicle but the things changes and I started driving it myself. I really like it and now the kids not getting it back, lol. This has been the most versatile cheap vehicle I have ever bought. We go to Moab for a couple of weeks every year with our SXS and took the Liberty with us last year. I took it into Arches and some of the back country trails that were closed off the SXS and was totally impressed with what it handled. Just needed some better suspension, ground clearance and ability to lock up and so the whole spiral began. With all that said, don’t want to lose its manners on the street where I can prevent.
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