newbie 4-speed question

I am picking up a cj3a chassis-complete with a later model F-head engine, which I understand came out of a cj3b. The current chassis setup has a 3 speed. I have the opportunity to pick up a rather worn 1953 cj3b with a flathead 4 and 4 speed with plow attachement, although without the blade. The question is would the 4 speed match up with the F-head engine and is it worth the trouble to swap the trannies?

 

i may be out of line
but if you are talking about a T-98 yes.

 

Were there other 4 speeds?

 

No. Only the T-98 (4-speed) or the T-90 (3-speed) came with the F134 from the factory.

 

Yes there worth it.

 

Nope, not worth it at all. What you should do is load that ol' 4 speed 3B onto a trailer and haul it north, I'll meet you at the town line and show you where to dump it R)R)


In my humble, and serious, opinion thats a great find. I'd pounce on it if it were near me. I'd love to slide a T-98 into my 2A. Good luck with it!

 

absolutely! better with 4 speeds. on road you can drive it like the three speed. or send it to me I could use one for a jeep pickup

 

Thank you for all the responses. After going to look at the Jeep, it turns out that it was unfortunately a three speed. The rest of the Jeep, for $500.00 was not worth hauling away.

 

My opinion.
I owned a CJ2A with T-90 for many years. I was never a rock climber and in most situations I found that 2nd gear in low range worked about right when I was crossing creeks, climbing hills, charging through mud. Low gear was find for most of my really rocky climbing. But, I was never on the Rubicon either.

Recently I am building a CJ3A, and purchased a 64 CJ5 chassis with F-Head and T-98. I suppose some could convince me that this set up provides some significant advantange for the weekend warrior. But to me it is an engineering embarrassment. This one had wooden spacers on the cross member, I believe to achieve either clearance for the front driveshaft, or to reduce the angle of the rear driveshaft which of course is shorter. There is an adapter from the bell housing to the transmission, then another adapter from the transmission to the transfer case. I suppose all of this works, but for me it looked like something someone put together in the barn over the winter, even though this was the factory set up.

I chose to sell the T-98, and keep the compact little T-90. Oh, not to mention the transfer case shifters get jammed up against the tool box due to the added transmission / adapter length. I guess to each their own sense of beauty and I suppose if one REALLY needs that low first gear, it make sense. For me, it looks like something out of Dr. Frankenstein's clinic. It bolts together and I guess it works, but it looks embarrassing to me.

 

i like mine.
farm1810
i bet you didn't have any trouble selling that embarrassment of a t-98 tranny.

 

No, I had no problem selling it. And, I certainly would have liked that synchronized 2 - 3 - 4 on the road.

The guy who bought it operates a company that provides commercial spraying of insecticides for orchards. He said that he has several Jeeps with F-Heads, T-98, and PTO driven pumps for the sprayers. The low gear in low range is perfect for driving through the trees spraying. He said that he enjoys old Jeeps, so he chose to use them in his business. Although he said that one is usually in the shop for major repairs each season, so he keeps a "spare" at all times. He is in New York, and I am in Delaware so I didn't get to see his shop. Would have liked to see that.

 

Because a 2a, 3a never had the option you will not be keeping with an original theme. You have other options like lower transfer-case gearing. I run a T90 with a 4.86 O'Brien Rockeater 18 transfer-case. Much better ground clearance because the 4 speeds hang way down . Better driveshaft angles too.

 

Willysworker-what springs are you using?

 

So do those springhangers make it a low rider?