27 with 25 hubs?

When replacing a trashed wheel bearing in my 61 cj5, I looked on the diff and found a "27" cast on the front. Ok, great, ordered wheel bearings for a 27 from walcks without bearing numbers (in my defense, they were trashed and impossible to read clearly). Got the bearings and seal, and they dont fit. After talking to Mr Walck, and reading the numbers off the original bearing, (a little 220 grit showed them up), it turns out the hubs are from a dana 25. Did they come this way from the factory, or did this happen sometime in the fifty years since then? Im mostly just curious. Thanks

 

Yes they were likely built that way.
Jeep installed D27 front axles in 1961 for a few months; then they soon went back to the model 25.
These early D27's (standard for a short term only) were all 5.38 final drive ratio.
In 11,1962 all CJ's converted to D27 fronts with 4.27 final drive ratio as standard.
If you can post your serial plate number I can verify if the early D27 was standard on your particular CJ.

 

cool, so its unusual. Thanks alot, I know the final drive is 5.38, so you must be right, if the serial plate is on the body anywhere, its a no go, I found it with fiberglass body. Why did they stop using it? Is there a problem or weakness? Stupid question, but if I add locking hubs, I use them for a dana 25, right?

 

25 and 27 use the same 10 spline locking hubs.


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