Driveline Interchangeably

I have a 1960 CJ5 and a ‘46 CJ2a and ‘53 CJ3a. What driveline parts are interchangeable? The CJ5 will be driven. The CJ2a and CJ3b motors are done, but from the bellhousing back the drivelines seem usable.

What parts from the three are interchangable?

 

I believe there are some slight different ratios in them over the years but they will all bolt to any f-head or l-head as far as I recall.

 

Which engine/trans are in each one?

 

Engines - 1946 had an L head motor

1953 has a scabbed in, unfinished Ford 200 inline 6 swap, adapted between the trans and bell housing

1960 has an F head motor

All have a T-90 trans, the 1960 has a PTO
Don’t know gear ratios.

The CJ5 has a slightly longer wheelbase and slightly wider track, where did they make the change? Drive shaft? Axle housings?

 

The '53 and '60 should have a D44 rear and D25 front axles with 5:38 gears. The '46 also likely has the same front axle, but may have a lighter rear axle, also with 5:38 gears. The 2a and 3a have 80" whellbase, anfd the CJ5 has an 81" wheelbase. They all should have a T90 transmission and Dana 18 transfer case, though the '46 could have a column shift T90 and a Brown & Lipe label on the transfer case. There may be some slight variations in driveshaft lengths, and the transfer cases could have different size intermediate shafts and different gear ratios prior to '53. The springs on the CJ5 are a bit longer.
Otherwise, most of the parts will swap around between all of them.
-Donny

 

So long as the transfer cases are in the standard location you can pretty easily swap propeller shafts around from one to another.
But technically there will be minor length and diameter changes between various models and vintages of universal jeeps.
Excluding of course the Dauntless and later CJ's.

 

Once things have been swapped, all bets are off as far as drivelines go. You need to measure the distance with the weight on the vehicle. Many driveline shops have a certain way to measure on their website to make sure you are measuring the same way. Most of the factory drivelines only have two inches of travel so it is important to make sure that it fits properly and has room to travel both ways.