Axle Question

Hey all.
I am looking to get a 82 Cj7 with the 6 cyclinder and the auto tranny. The one I am looking at is geared with 2.73 gears with dana 30 in fron and amc 20 in back and is sitting on 33's. However he has ring and pinion and install kit for the front for 4.10. Now my question. Am I better off just getting the parts and doing 4.10 in the back or buying a better axle then the amc 20? Money is an issue too. I have seen people parting out axles out of cj's that had like 3.54 and is looking for 130 for both the dana30 and amc 20. Need advice please.

I keep thinking 4.10 is kinda low and 2.73 is kinda high but I have not drove this yet. I just want to see what i might be getting my self into.

Thanks in advance.

 

4.10 is just perfect for me with 31 inches tires. AMC-20 with one piece axle can be pretty good. But swapping gear AND putting one piece axle shaft will be higher priced than finding a complete used rear axle, like a Dana44 or something else

 

I had 4.27s with 31s and thought it was fine. The 4.10 ratio was optional for a CJ from 76-79, but it was the M20, and you might have trouble finding a complete axle. The D44 was never offered with the 4.10 ratio in the narrow D44 AFAIK. I think you'll have to build a 4.10 D44 if you choose that route.

Are you up to setting up your own axle? That job is only for a pro or a very experienced amateur.

You could look for axles from a '72-75 (30F/44R) - they were either 3.73 (common) or 4.27 and are the right width. The rear spring pads would need to be moved. I think 3.73 would work pretty well with an automatic.

 

What do you think about the 3.54?

 

Only the Corporate 20 was available with 3.54s, so you don't get an upgrade to a better axle in the process. The '72-75 Jeeps used a flanged Dana 44, which would be the straightforward choice if you wanted to replace the Corporate 20.

3.54s gearing would be a big improvement over 2.73s, no question. If I had a choice, I'd go up from there though.

 

well i think i can got both axles for $100 so it would be a cheap upgrade I thinking. But still looking around

 

Spudy - The axles under an 82 are widetrack axles. Any axle from under a CJ earlier than 82 will be narrow track.

 

Oh, I guess that's right.

Never mind!

That era is not my strong suit.

 

so where should I look for axles. I think I found a Dana 44 but the guy said it needed seals and bearing and I would need wheel spacers. He said it was off a postal jeep. Also something about the spring perches.

 

Postal Jeep dana 44's were narrower than a narrow track CJ Dana 44's and usually had 3.07, 3.31, etc. gears in them. They were narrower so the tires would clear the sliding doors. The spring pads also are in the wrong location and many had 10" brakes. Some did have 11" brakes. Not the best swap. If you have wide track axles now then there is no Dana 44 that is the correct width. You could use a Scout 2 44 rear but would be wider than the front. Same with Wagoneer. Spring pads would still need to be moved also. If you can find a narrow track 44 from a '72-'75 CJ that would be best would would still be narrower than the front considerably, but would still drive fine. You would still need to move the spring pads. Nickmil

 

What about a dana 44 out of an 86 CJ7? Your probably going to have problems find them but I think they should be a direct bolt in and the 86 had widetrack axles. My neighbor had one under his jeep if he ever gets it back home I'll go take some measurements.

John

 

Good luck finding a D44 from an 86. Few and far between. I run a D44 from a scout under the rear of my 77. As I recall it is an inch or so wider than the wide track front that I run. They are also relatively easy to come by. Mine had 4.27 gears in it stock. The 4.27 gears seem pretty good for the 33s I run. Off road I often wish for a lower gear. Adding a T18 to fix that. I also have found that the D30 parts are relatively easy to come by around here. Many feel that the axle is inferior and scrap them.

You can see the width in this pic.

 

Maybe the answer for upgrading a late model CJs axels would be to swap in the front and rear Dana 44s out of a Scout II? I see axle pairs now and then out of Scout IIs being parted out. I am guessing thet you still may have to move the spring pads.

 

If you're going to swap both axles, you may as well go to the Wagoneer axles from the mid-late '70s. They are only 2" wider than the wide-track CJ axles, and the standard ratio for manual transmission cars was 3.54:1, 4.10 optional (though you probably won't find those). The automatic cars are 3.07, 3.54 optional. You'll have to modify the spring mounting front and rear though.

The other possibility I can think of is to look for a wide-track CJ with a 4-cylinder. They probably have 4.10 axles. Then upgrade the M20 with one-piece axles. If you can find them, they'll still be cheaper than paying a pro to change the ratios in your existing axles.

 

I have an 80 CJ-5 with T-176, 258, with 32" tires and 4.10 gears. Sometimes I feel the 4.10's are too low for highway driving because there are those times I wish I had another gear, but fortunately, our driving distances here are short. Previous to going to 4.10's I ran 3.54s with 31 inch tires and I felt it was a good combination. My reasoning behind the swap to 4.10 gears was that I had plans for 33 inch tires after thinking about having to change out my present good riding suspension, I ended up with 32's. Had I known from the start that I would end up with 32's I would have either stuck with the old 3.54's or not gone lower than 3.73. What really surprises me, though, is that sometimes I get 17-18 MPG with the 4.10's and 32's.

One thing though, all my compaints about the 4.10's disappear when we go wheeling. There are a number of steep forestry roads in my area that this CJ-5 would be perfect for were it not for the silly BBD carburetor. I need to speak to Santa about a Howell TBI setup!

 

I am trying to just find some axles to swap in so I don't have to go about regearing them. Axles from a 79 cj won't work will they? They are the narrow tracks right? What years did they go with the wide track? I just wanted to say thanks to every too. You guys are really giving me a lesson on axles and what are out there.

 

79 NT will bolt right in….you’ll just have NT in place of WT

WT ran 82-86

 

would I have to get wheel spacers to get back out again or would I have enough room. Also how bad would it be to redo the front. However I do have in install kit for the from so maybe I could just take the carrier out of that part

 

Re WT->NT, would you have to change the shock mounting? I recall that, on the front, the WT shock mount applies to the outside, rather than the top, of the frame.

 

Doh! forgot about the '86 Only Dana 44. So extremely rare around here is probably why I forgot about them. That would be a direct bolt in if you can find one... Nickmil