which junkyard front end

I've got a 75 cj5 with a dana 30,3.73 gears, and drum brakes. not good 4 water crossings. what is the best junk yard swap? and why?

 

You wanting to keep stock narrow track width, or go wider?

Lots of people swap either Scout axles or waggy axles under (both 44's), but you pick up about 10" width (5" per side).

If you're just wanting discs, and the 30 is stong enough, there are some budget disc swaps.

 

You can keep the 30 and simply put the disk brake knuckles on.

 

Or you can do the Chevy disc conversion using the stock knuckles for under $300. Basically the same as doing the D27 disc conversion. Search the forum

 

Best front axle? Easy. A high pinion 44 from a ford truck. Not the easiest, just the best. Of course you will be doing major fab work. Move diff to right side, custom axle shafts, brakes.:smash:

 

I kind of like the currie high 9 I think it is called. But I certainly can't afford one. Cost more than black jeep is worth... I have been happy with my dana 30s. I have used them for 25 years with minimal breakage. I have always run 33 inch tires and been happy with them.

Many of the guys I wheel with are putting 60s front and rear in their jeeps. The two diffs weigh more than my jeep. I just don't have any desire to have anything that hefty.

The ford high pinion 44 is also a good swap. Toss up if it wouldn't just be easier to go to a drivers drop transfer case rather than go through the work of swapping to passenger side drop. The NV3550/231 combo is getting a lot easier to come by, that behind a 4.3 liter Vortec V6 would make for a nice package. Had a buddy run that setup in a buggy he put together and it was a sweet setup.