2011 Jeep JK Wrangler Steering and Axle Upgrades from Currie Enterprises - Four Wheeler Network
One of the weakest points on a JK is the front axle. The Dana 30 front axle that comes standard in the JK (Rubicons get the Dana NG 44 front axle) is not known for being the strongest axle around. The axletubes are thin-wall to save weight, the axleshafts are 27-spline, and the end forgings are just not thick enough to stand up to heavy abuse. All that said, they still stand up to way more abuse than they really should, provided the tire size and vehicle weight doesn't get too large or heavy. While the JK Rubicon's Dana NG 44 is a bit of an upgrade, it shares the same tubes, end forgings, and knuckles with the Dana 30. The only real difference is the size of the differential, a thicker-cut gearset, and the 32-spline axleshafts in the... As the tires get bigger and we add more armor to our Jeeps, bending or breaking the front axle becomes more likely. A couple of the more common problems that show up are the end forgings bending and the axletubes bending where they enter the differential housing. The end forgings, or inner-C, is where the knuckles connect to the axle via the ball joints. Hitting enough big bumps with a heavy vehicle and big tires can cause the forging to bend in at the top, resulting in high negative camber. Source: www.fourwheeler.com
