Motive Gear D30-456TJ 4.56 ring and pinion plus R30LRAMK master bearing kit for standard-rotation Dana 30 front axles in Jeep TJ and XJ.
Most TJ owners shopping for 4.56 front gears just bolted on 33 or 35 in. tires and now have a Jeep that bogs on hills, hunts between gears on the highway and crawls too fast off road. This bundle covers the front half of that regear in one box: a Motive Gear D30-456TJ 4.56 ring and pinion and a Motive Gear R30LRAMK master bearing kit with Koyo bearings, both cataloged for the standard-rotation Dana 30 front under the non-Rubicon 1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ.
The TJ front Dana 30 is a low-pinion, standard-rotation axle: the driveshaft enters below the centerline and spins a 7.125 in. ring gear the same direction as a rear axle. The D30-456TJ set has 41 ring gear teeth and a 9-tooth pinion on a 26-spline shank, so the pinion turns 4.56 times per wheel revolution. Moving from a factory 3.07 or 3.73 to 4.56 multiplies torque at the tires by roughly 48 or 22 percent, which is about what a jump to 33-35 in. tires takes away. Because a TJ has no front axle disconnect, these gears turn every mile, even in 2WD, so setup quality decides whether the axle stays quiet.
Check the axle tag on the cover or count teeth to learn your current ratio, and confirm the rear axle will get 4.56 gears too, because front and rear must match exactly. Our guide on finding your axle ratio and axle code shows where to look. If the complaint is noise rather than performance, rule out unit bearings and ball joints first with the Dana 30 front axle problems guide, and see the TJ Dana 30 regear guide to decide between 4.56 and 4.88.
Both parts are cataloged for the 1997-2006 Wrangler TJ and Unlimited with the Dana 30 front. They do not fit the TJ and LJ Rubicon, which use a Dana 44 front, and they do not fit the reverse-rotation, high-pinion Dana 30 in the JK. The 1996-2001 Cherokee XJ uses a similar low-pinion Dana 30, but the bearing kit in this bundle is cataloged for the TJ, so XJ owners should send us year and VIN before ordering or look at the XJ 4.56 gear and install package.
The carrier matters. Dana 30 carriers are split by ratio, and this ring gear needs the 3.73-and-numerically-higher carrier. A TJ that came with 3.73 gears already has it. A 3.07 or 3.55 axle needs a different carrier or a locker made for 3.73-and-up, such as the Eaton ELocker4 for Dana 30 3.73-up. Want deeper gearing for 35s and up? See the Dana 30 short pinion 4.88 set. More axle parts are in the rebuild kits collection.
The R30LRAMK supplies four Koyo tapered bearings, a pinion seal, slinger, pinion nut and washer, crush sleeves, 15 shims, 10 ring gear bolts, a cover gasket, thread locker and marking compound with a brush, so the only new parts left to source are inner axle seals and fluid. Set pinion depth with the shims first, then pinion bearing preload by crushing the sleeve slowly, then carrier backlash, and read the drive and coast pattern with the compound before the cover goes on. Pull the shafts carefully so the splines do not cut the inner seals. Fill with 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil and follow a gentle ring and pinion break-in, then change the oil early. Pair this with a 4.56 rear set and new bearings for your Dana 35 or Dana 44 rear, for example the Dana 35 Timken master bearing kit.
| Axle | Dana 30 front, standard rotation |
| Ratio | 4.56 (41/9 teeth) |
| Gear set | Motive Gear D30-456TJ |
| Install kit | Motive Gear R30LRAMK master kit with Koyo bearings |
| Material | 8620 steel |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. The Rubicon has a Dana 44 front axle. This bundle is for the Dana 30 front under the non-Rubicon 1997-2006 TJ and Unlimited.
No. A 4.56 ring gear needs the Dana 30 carrier for 3.73 and numerically higher ratios. A 3.07 or 3.55 axle needs a 3.73-up carrier or locker as well.
4.56 is the common choice for TJs on 33 in. tires and many on 35s with an automatic. Jeeps that see heavy crawling or have a 5-speed manual on 35s often go to 4.88.
The gears plus bearings, races, shims, crush sleeves, pinion seal, nut and washer, ring gear bolts, gasket, thread locker and marking compound. Plan on new inner axle seals and 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil.
Yes. Front and rear ratios must match exactly or the axles fight each other in 4WD and load the transfer case.
Only if you have a dial indicator, inch-pound torque wrench and pinion depth tools and know how to read a gear pattern. Most owners have a gear shop set it up.
