I have been thinking about this very subject the last few days, was all ready to order wheels and tires... but I held off I,m glad I did.
My plan is to put air lickers on my rear and front. Would it be worth regearing and puting a locker in a D30? is there a bigger better one good for the front?
I only plan on runing 33x12.5

The dana 30 will take an air locker and 33's no problem. Expecially if you upgrade to the alte model shafts with the big joints.

so the dana 30 is better than a 35?.....

yes, and by far.

so would it make sense to use dana 30's on the back as well?
someone school me here, everything i thought i knew just went down with the morning shi...

Julio the 30 is a front axel the 35 is a rear axel...44's come in front and rear.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Dana 30 axles are different in CJ, YJ, and TJ's. The strength of the YJ Dana 30 is its use of reverse cut ring and pinion. The ring and pinion are stronger when they are reverse cut in front axles. The reverse cut axle also provides better ground clearance and driveline angles. The TJ doesn't use a reverse cut ring and pinion, however.

ok, i think i got it....so the dana 30 is strictly a front axle because of the offset, and the 44 comes with an offset as well?
so the 30 would be a good axle to beef up, but not the 35?
i figured the higher the number got the stronger it is...so as far as the 35, the 44, and the 60...would the 60 be stronger than the others?

What makes a front axle a front axle is the steering knuckles, not the offset. Lots of rear ends are offset but none came stock on a Jeep with steering knuckles.

The numbers relate to the size of the ring and pinion. The Dana 35 is weak for other reasons, Axle diameter and small spidergears mostly. Generally speaking the higher the number the stronger the axle the 35 is an exception. The Dana 60 is overkill for a SWB Jeep unless you are going for an extreme rig with over 35" tires The difference in ring gear size is huge and causes a loss of ground clearance. + the Dana 60 weighs a ton! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Physically, the parts on a dana 30 are SMALLER than on a dana 35. The axle shafts in a dana 30 will break at the same loads or less than a dana 35. But because it is on the front end where loads are less, it survives much better than the dana 35. Also It is a full float (no c-clip) setup, so the axle shafts arn't taking much load. If you were to put a locker in it and drive up the same place where you broke your dana 35, but backwards. It would grenade itself just as well.