Dana 300 t-case, Strength

[wdirt]

How strong is my Dana 300 Transfer Case ? I have a 420HP 383 stroker motor and am wondering if the Transfer Case will hold up to the Horse power?

 

[coldair]

What are you doing with said jeep?

 

[duffer]

How heavy is the right foot and how big of tires? Generally believed to be stronger than either the D18 or Dana 20 and I have had a 381 inch sbc (only 0.020 overbore) in front of a D18 (built with a late Dana 20 case) for 30 years now with no problems and with 33's. I'm going to guess my 381 is closer to 450 hp.

Think I would just run the Dana 300 . If you do destroy it, then you can go for an Atlas-but that day may not come.

 

[Old Dog]

What are you doing with said jeep?

What axles and gears and what size tires.
I'd be more worried about the axles than the Transfer Case .

 

[coldair]

What axles and gears and what size tires.
I'd be more worried about the axles than the Transfer Case .

That was going to be my next question I have seen the older Dana 300 tail shaft housing come apart but that was with a set of Dana 60 front and rear. Some people can tear up an anvil with a rubber mallet.

 

[wdirt]

What are you doing with said jeep?

Mainly playing at the silver lake dunes and road driving

 

[coldair]

Are you going to be running a set of paddles front and back? What axles do you have?

 

[wdirt]

Are you going to be running a set of paddles front and back? What axles do you have?

Not sure if i will need them unless i am in compatitions. Dana 44 front and ford 9 inch rear with posi

 

[coldair]

Looks like you have a pretty good set of axles under it. Is the 9 inch the big bearing? With you running it in the sand I would think it would be good unless you come off a jump on the throttle and land. You can buy an upgraded tailshaft housing for it to make it stronger but I would run it and see.

 

[Old Dog]

The 300 is a grear driven box so it will take alot. The 205 is stronger but
it's bigger also, to big for a cj really.
You can up-grade the input and output shafts from 26 spline to 32 spline
if need be.

 

[BusaDave9]

The Dana 300 is an excellent TCase. I think it will hold up but (as stated before) you might want to upgrade the rear output. Everything else in the Dana 300 is very strong.
Advance Adapters makes an output shaft kit that is heavy duty.
Dana 300 Heavy Duty Tail Shaft Kit 50-3032 | Advance Adapters

 

[csuengr]

I heard people call the Dana 300 weak because it won't hold up to 400hp, 44 in tires and a heavy right foot.

 

[BusaDave9]

I heard people call the Dana 300 weak because it won't hold up to 400hp, 44 in tires and a heavy right foot.

Weak? ?

"400hp, 44 in tires and a heavy right foot"

Here's what Advance Adapters says about the Dana 300 :

About the only weakness we’ve seen on the Dana 300 is the output shaft.

This is an all gear Transfer Case . Upgrade the output shaft and you've got a darn strong tcase. yes there are stronger out there.

I'm not doubting you but where do you get the 420 HP number? Dyno? Guesstimate? The previous owner trying to sell you the jeep. (don't be offended, I'm just asking)

 

[coldair]

Thanks Dave that's what I was talking about wasn't around my computer.

The Dana 300 is an excellent TCase. I think it will hold up but (as stated before) you might want to upgrade the rear output. Everything else in the Dana 300 is very strong.
Advance Adapters makes an output shaft kit that is heavy duty.
Dana 300 Heavy Duty Tail Shaft Kit 50-3032 | Advance Adapters

 

[Incommando]

I also believe that the only stronger factory Transfer Case is the massive and heavy 205. Upgrading the 300's outputs is about the only thing a lot of even fairly hard-core guys do to upgrade them.

With that horsepower your axles are probably a bigger weak link than the Transfer Case if you have big tires and a heavy foot. They are both 1/2 ton rated axles. The 9' will hold more than the front Dana 44 especially if you aren't careful on the throttle with it at or near full turn. Don't be fooled by the street performance of the 9", though. Even the widest performance tires only weigh a fraction of what a large off-road tire/rim combo weighs.