4X4 Front Axles

Right now, I have a D30 3.73 front axel on my 62 CJ5. What other axels would bolt up with disc brakes and little to no modification?

 

Re: 4X4 Front Axels

Unless you plan on running big power and big tires, the D30 will serve you well. I have one sitting on my garage floor, waiting to be installed on my '67.

 

If your D30 is drum, it's easily converted to the GM style disc used for the D27/25 conversion. The brackets need to be re-drilled to clock them correctly. Other than that, its the same conversion. Here's what the re-drilled brackets look like.
http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11476&d=1151555798

The new holes are spaced exactly between the existing holes.

 

IIRC the outers from a disk brake D30 will bolt up to a drum brake D30 - no drilling or anything. The later D30s (with disk brakes) don't come with the 3.73 ratio, so you're better off swapping the outers than the whole axle. Otherwise a later D30 with disks is a bolt-in replacement.

 

Thanks for the replies. Where else might I look for D30 applications besides CJ5's? Chevy, Ford?

 

Tim,
They will bolt up but the clocking on the knuckle is different between drum brake knuckles and disc brake knuckles. The knuckles can be redrilled or the brackets can be redrilled. The knuckle also needs to be ground some for caliper clearance. The disc brake knuckle has clearance for the caliper cast into it, the drum brake one doesn't. The drum brake clocking moves the caliper too high where it hits the ball joint area of the knuckle or clocks it too low where it hangs down and the bleeder isn't high enough. I don't have pics here but it may be in the archives as I posted pics a long time ago.

I agree with what has been said in all other respects.
Nickmil

 

Hmm. Nick, can't you just swap the knuckles at the ball joints and skip the redrilling and grinding? Just asking to satisfy my own curiosity.

 

Absolutely! That would be the path of least resistance. Just wanted to clarify a few things.....
Nickmil