From Frame Rails To Custom 75 Cj5

Can I use a Chrysler 8.0" front diff with CV axles (C205F) to replace the front suspension? Using a 2004 Dakota 4x4 3.7L V6 for many part swaps including engine. I would prefer coil springs vs coilover. not a rock crawler conversion.

 

You can do whatever you want. It's a Jeep

Sounds like a big can of worms to omit the streetlight axle.

 

What year Jeep are you planning an axle swap in? Whats the track of the Dakota axle? Not familiar with an ‘04 Dakota front axle, but its probably IFS? If so, you might be better off using the whole Dakota chassis/frame and putting the Jeep body on that.
-Donny

 

Introductions | ECJ5 (earlycj5.com)

 

Welcome to the site. What you do for suspension/axles and any other modifications is only limited by skill and/or money. Are you installing the Dakota drivetrain in a CJ5? I would suspect you will have to significantly increase the wheelbase to make that or any other modern drivetrain fit. If going this route, it would likely be easiest to just set the CJ sheet metal on the Dakota frame and use the Dakota 4x4 front axle.

 

frame is rusted bad, main reason for build. Getting new 75 CJ frame and fiberglass tub. haven't measured track. the suspension is torsion bars with CV axles.

 

I like complicated answers.

 

frame rusted out and don't like torsion bar suspension. wheelbase is 112".

 

do you realize how much money I can save by using the parts off the dakota?

 

I know it won't be easy, that's why I'm here. I want to save as much money as possible. How much would I be spending on a wrangler axle and does it have locking hubs on the fly?

 

That may well not turn out to be the case. My experience with severe modifications is that they will cost you twice as much as you budgeted and you may still come up short by half. The more you depart from the Jeep basic architecture, the more real engineering you need to do and the fabrication multiplies on a power curve. If you can't do the fabrication yourself, you can add another magnitude to the cost. Good luck with this!!!

 

There’s a saying around here… the most expensive jeep there is - is a free Jeep.

Swapping the whole Dakota front axle assembly into a CJ is no small feat. Then making the control arms that are designed for torsion bars work with coil springs… I can’t recommend that from a safety standpoint.

Don't do this project to save money. Because you won’t. Do it for the love of the challenge. If the challenge doesn’t sound fun or is out of your league, I have some bad news.

 

Just because you have the parts laying around, doesn't mean it is a good swap candidate. We have had lots of people say they have such and such kicking around and are going to swap it into their jeep. Those projects don't usually end well. Theres a reason most people put 225s and 4.3s in their jeeps and a D30 front.

 

Some very good advice here from some very experienced and capable people.
What's your objective for this project.? How do you plan to use the Jeep?

 

I used wrong terminology, what I meant was the electronic transfer control instead of manual.

 

I like a challenge

 

The objective is to have a awesome CJ5 for street and off-road, while saving thousands of $$ by using Dakota parts. I was hoping the very experienced and capable people here could help along the way.

 

Just because nobody has done this before doesn't mean it is not a good swap candidate, not to mention the thousands of dollars saved by using the Dakota parts that I can use to buy a heavy duty brand new frame and tub. This is not a such and such build. Why so pessimistic.