Newbie Questions

71 CJ5 Dauntless V6
Ok, I have already been accused of project creep on this site. Look I have big dreams of being a master fabricator, or at least a shade tree mechanic.
I have been reading this site as well as pirate and cant seem to find exactly what I'm looking for. Let me preface this with I did use the search feature for you search pro's
just a couple of questions for my information

I now have the dauntless out and torn down and still cant get it to turn so just in case will the 258 bolt up or does it require an adapter, I seem to remember this being a real strong motor?

I see the full width axels and 1ton axels being swapped, do these line up with the stock drive train, I know that I will have to fab mounts for the springs it seems but thought this may be an easier way of getting to my end goal of 4 wheel disc? If so what year of vehicle should I be looking to pull them out of?

Anyway guys I have only had this vehicle for a short time and my thirst for knowledge is great even if it is all over the place, but thats what makes it fun. Thanks for any input.
Marc

 

Not an option. Not only won't it bolt up, but an inline 6 is way too long for the CJ engine compartment. Installing a 258 would be a mess. You'd be better off with a GM V6 or almost any small-block GM V8; easier swap, easier to adapt.

Lots of good info about suitable engines on the Novak site: http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/engines_general.htm You'd be well served to read and study everything there.

<edit> Note that I (and I presume most folks here) don't agree with everything on the Novak site - but these guys have a lot of experience and their site is one of the few places you can get this sort of info. Also, I've noted some mistakes/typos there, so if something doesn't seem right, be sure to question it here.

JMO - get it running and wheel it before you think about an axle swap. Why do you want rear wheel disks? The front wheels do almost all of the braking, and on a lightweight vehicle like a CJ, I doubt you'll see any improvement in braking over 10" or 11" rear drums. If you were pulling a heavy trailer or driving at Le Mans, maybe...

 

Gotta agree with Tim there. I would never swap axles just to get disc brakes on a CJ5. In my club just about all of our trail Jeeps have one ton axles, but brakes had nothing to do with it. Around here it's easier to swap a GM small block into the Jeeps in alot of cases than it is to go any other route. When we do that, that adds more power so the axles start breaking. That's why the one tons are added, but then when you put those in you just about have to run 44" tires to give clearance for the axles. It's one of those "one thing leads to another" type deals. If I were you I would either rebuild the Dauntless or swap in a GM 4.3 V6. Then just upgrade the brakes you have and wheel it to see if you will actually need bigger axles. It's all different based on your area as well, because offroad setups that work out west in places like Moab don't always work well in my area. Just gotta look around in your local offroading places and kinda get an idea of how big you really wanna go with this thing.

 

Thanks guys, I dont think I need bigger axels, I was just looking for the disc brakes, I feel more comfortable working on them. In addition the drums I have on it are shot so I figure as long as I have to rebuild the brakes, may as well upgrade. Thanks on the inline six, I figured it to be too long. I guess I will keep going with taking the motor apart and see where I'm at. As of now I have it torn down to the block w/ rods and pistons still in and cant get it to turn, well I should know more this weekend.
Thanks
Marc

 

Spray a good bit of PB blaster or something similar in the cylinders and let it sit there for a couple days. You might have already tried that, but we've had to do it before on some engines to get them broke loose so we could get the pistons out.

 

Might consider these: http://www.r-p4wd.com/site/product_pages/randp12.htm

Herm sells them too. Likely other places. Probably less than you can do a disk conversion for, and you can sell them later if you do your big axle or rear disks swap.

 

Timgr, will those 11" brake assemblies bolt right on to my dana 27, and dana 44? Mine is a 64 Willys CJ5 with stock axles, but different gears. (don't know the gears though)

 

Yep.

 

Like Timgr said, they bolt right on. Look at R&P's other products also. They have disc brake conversions as well. http://www.r-p4wd.com/
When Herm runs out of the brake conversion parts he gets them from R&P.
Nickmil