Yukon Gear Replacement Chrome Cover For Dana 30 Standard Rotation

The Dana 30 is the front axle under most Jeeps built since the 1970s, and its thin stamped cover sits right where rocks, stumps and ruts hit first. This Yukon Gear and Axle YP C1-D30-STD is a chrome-plated steel replacement in the stock shape for the Dana 30, including the Super 30 front used in Ford Explorer and Ranger 4x4s and the Jeep Liberty. If your Wrangler, Cherokee or Grand Cherokee front diff is weeping oil from a bent cover, or you just finished a regear and want the axle sealed up clean, this is the stock-replacement option.

What the cover does on a Dana 30

The Dana 30 closes its center section with a 10-bolt cover, and its ring gear is held to the carrier with 10 bolts. On a front axle the cover takes more abuse than on most rears, because it faces forward and low on many Jeeps. It holds the gear oil that the ring gear lifts onto the pinion bearings and carrier bearings, and on part-time 4x4s without hub disconnects those gears can turn whenever the truck moves, so a slow leak can starve bearings even in two-wheel drive. Yukon makes this cover to the original design, so it uses the factory bolt holes and keeps the stock fill level. It is a cosmetic and sealing replacement, not an armor plate; if you crawl rocks, the Yukon Hardcore cover for Dana 30 and Super 30 is the heavy-duty alternative.

Symptoms of a bad Dana 30 cover

• Gear oil collecting on the bottom of the cover, the front crossmember or the track bar mount.
• A dented face from trail rocks that now sits close to the ring gear or rubs it.
• Rust-through on older CJ and Scout covers, or flange corrosion that keeps a new gasket from sealing.
• Stripped or pulled bolt holes from repeated removal during gear work.
• A fresh front regear or locker install where you want a clean cover to finish the job.

How to confirm the axle before ordering

Count the cover bolts: a Dana 30 has 10. The Dana 35 rear found in many of the same Jeeps also has a 10-bolt cover but a different shape, and the Dana 44 front in Rubicon models is larger, so check where the axle sits and read the tag on the cover bolts or the casting on the housing. Our Dana 30 vs Dana 44 guide shows how to tell them apart, and the Dana 30 problems and rebuild guide covers pinion bearing whine, inner axle seal leaks and the other faults that send people under the front end. A leak that comes from behind the knuckle is usually an inner axle seal, not the cover.

Fitment

Yukon lists YP C1-D30-STD for the Dana 30 front in 1971-1983 CJ5, 1971-1975 CJ6, 1976-1986 CJ7, 1981-1986 Scrambler, 1972-1973 Commando, 1971-1973 Wagoneer, 1980-1988 AMC Eagle, 1966-1971 Ford Bronco, 1967-1971 Scout 800 and 1971-1974 Scout II. It also covers the crush sleeve Dana 30 in 1997-2006 TJ Wrangler, 1996-2001 Cherokee and 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee, the 2007-2017 JK Wrangler non-Rubicon front, and the Super 30 front in 1999-2003 Grand Cherokee, 2002-2007 Liberty, 2001-2010 Explorer, 2001-2005 Ranger 4x4, 2002-2010 Mountaineer and 2003-2005 Aviator. Dana 30 rear applications on the list include CJ5 and CJ6 rears, the 1986-1989 Aerostar and several 1970-1993 Volvo 140, 164, 240 and 260-series cars. Axles get swapped often on Jeeps, so match the 10-bolt cover shape to your old one or send us your year and VIN. More axle parts are in our hard parts category.

Install notes

• No gasket, bolts, fill plug or drain plug are included. Seal with a cover gasket or gear-oil-rated RTV and use clean or new cover bolts.
• Clean the housing face to bare metal and keep RTV inside the bolt circle; read our gasket vs RTV guide before you lay a bead.
• Tighten the 10 bolts in a crisscross pattern to the factory spec so the chrome flange stays flat.
• Refill through the housing fill plug to the bottom of the hole with the gear oil grade your owner's manual lists, adding friction modifier only if the axle has a clutch-type limited slip.

If the cover is off for a reason, the Dana 30 front master bearing kit cures pinion and carrier bearing noise on standard-rotation axles, the inner axle seal installer stops tube leaks, and a Dana 30-80 housing spreader makes pulling the carrier far easier.

Does this cover fit the front axle on my Jeep Wrangler JK?

Yukon lists it for the 2007-2017 JK Wrangler non-Rubicon Dana 30 front. Rubicon models use a Dana 44 front, which needs a different cover.

Will it fit a Dana 35 rear?

No. The Dana 35 also uses 10 cover bolts but the cover shape is different. This part is for the Dana 30 and Super 30 only.

Is a gasket included?

No. Gaskets, bolts, fill plug and drain plug are not included. Use a cover gasket or gear-oil-rated RTV and your cover bolts.

Is this a heavy-duty off-road cover?

No. It is chrome-plated steel in the stock OE shape. For rock protection, the Yukon Hardcore Dana 30 cover is the thicker option.

Does it fit the Ford Explorer and Ranger front differential?

Yes. Yukon lists it for the Dana Super 30 front in 2001-2010 Explorer, 2001-2005 Ranger 4x4, 2002-2010 Mountaineer and 2003-2005 Aviator.

What gear oil do I refill a Dana 30 with?

Use the grade in your owner's manual, commonly 75W-90 for these front axles, filled to the bottom of the fill hole with the vehicle level.