Axle swap....

Ok, this post is going to be strange and long winded but here goes.....

I was riding around in the Heep two weekends ago. Saw a guy with basically a finished version of my jeep so naturally I stopped to talk. He happened to be at a local hotdog shack so I got some grub while there. When I finished eating/talking I jumped in my Jeep and headed for home. Came to an intersection and the light was turning red in my direction. I began to gear down and apply the brakes. I've been having some trouble getting into 2nd gear so after gearing down to third I just popped it into neutral and the brakes faded. No pedal! Rolled right through the light. Fortunately for me no one was coming in the other direction and there were no police officers around. That incident got me to thinking about a power brake upgrade (it would be a good excuse to go the the whole hydraulic part of the brake system). The problem is that the boosters and MC's that I would be swapping in are from vehicles with disc brakes in front. I've got drums all the way around. From what I've been able to dig up around the web, the disc brake conversion for the front of the CJ5 will be pretty expensive. This got me thinking about just picking up a set of matched axles with disc brakes from another vehicle and swapping them in. I remember reading somewhere that people have used axles from mid 70's chevy trucks, but can't find that info now that I'm actually considering an axle swap (isn't it fun how one project quickly turns into two or three combined? ).

What axles would you folks look for? I would like a bit wider stance, but at the same time I also want an axle that will be esy to find parts for (read plentiful and cheap). My Jeep will see some moderate trail use but it is mostly for the ocasional snow we get here in the good ole south. Don't want to beat up my new truck in bad weather. Suggestions?

 

Isn't the '75-79 narrow-track (NT) Wagoneer the most popular? 6-lug, disk/drum, D44 front and back.

I presume you aren't worried about the tires hanging out of the wheelwells?

 

I agree It does seem overkill to swap out the axles. I converted my 72 d30 to discs by finding parts on e-bay for the disc setup and while I was at it I added the booster, prop valve and MC from a Wrangler only had to drill a couple of holes to mount the booster all was good.

 

Thanks for the replys. I wasn't considering the axle swap just to get better brakes. That was just part of the bargain. It all started when I was looking around on the web and ran across an article on a power brake upgrade. My scare with the brakes only added to the urge to want to do this upgrade/maintenance. The upgrade involves a trip to the local yard to pull the MC/booster combo, the prop. valve and a vaccuum line from a '87-'95 YJ. They suggest the YJ booster because of the double diaphragm. The problem is that these Jeeps have disc brakes in front (IIRC) and I don't. I've been told that it is not a good idea to use the MC from a Jeep that has disc's up front if I don't have them too. Converting my axle to discs seemed pretty expensive from what I had dug up so far. That is why i was considering the axle swap as an alternative and as a way to widen the stance of the Jeep at the same time.

My Jeep already hass 11" drums, my problem is coming up with the master cylinder, booster and prop. valve. I've talked to another local Jeep builder and he seems to think my problem is in my MC. All of my lines look good and there is no brake fluid leaking anywhere. He thinks the piston is not pushing fluid. The weird thing is that it has only done that once. It hasn't done it since. Maintenance is definitely in the near future (this weekend). I would just like to do the power brake upgrade while I'm at it.

I've read your write up on drilled drums too Lynn. I actually want to do that mod when I get some time. I'm in no hurry to put discs up front if this provides the performance you talk about. Right now my big initiative is to get and keep the Jeep driveable though. I want to have it available for the winter in case it snows. I don't really have another vehicle that I can drive. My truck is 2WD and does not go well in the white stuff (although I understand that Jeeps can be a bear too). I have no shop space either so if I start the drilled drums now, who knows how long it will take since I am at the mercy of the weather. Besides, every time I start a project things always seem to come up and it winds up taking 3 or 4 times longer than it should.

 

Well, if you like your wheels & want to keep them but still get a stronger set-up you could install Scout axles. 5 on 5 12", Dana 44, front & rear, discs on the front after '74, the big u-joint on the front knuckles, barely wider than the wide-track CJ's, & usually cheap. They aren't really any harder to get parts for than Waggy's or even what you've got now, despite not being aroud for over 2 decades. The steering geometry is a bit different but usually that's not too hard to cure.

 

sounds familiar. had it happen when i drove a land rover series II once. from what the owner said " aw heck we call them heart attack brakes" it is normal in them. jeeps... hmmm sounds like MC problem.

i also say scout axles. cut the long side down and you are set. then you dont have to worry about loosing your jeep for more then a weekend or 2 while you install the new front axle.

 

I'd recommend a Waggy front and a Scout rear. If you can pickup a pre 77 (if I remember correctly) Waggy front, it'll come with the smaller spindles. You can swap Ford F150 internal hubs and disks onto them to keep the 5x5.5 bolt pattern. Plus, you get the stronger (and cheaper) internal hubs. You can use standard GM 1/2 ton truck front calipers with the setup. Also, the Waggy front has more positive caster than the Scout (which are set at 0 degrees) so it'll help you track better down the road at speed. Scouts also have really long steering arms on the knuckles which really slow the steering response when coupled to a stock Jeep pitman arm. With a Waggy setup, you can also use a cut down Wagoneer steering linkage. Just have the tie rod cut/rethreaded to mate up to the Jeep pitman arm. If run SUA it works out well. Of course, this setup will widen your stance and also require outboarding the spring hangers/shackle hangers on the frame rails by a couple of inches on each side. I helped a buddy do this on his 82 CJ last year and it took us about a long/hard weekend to do. If you do this mod you'll end up with about a 58-60 inch WMS to WMS up front depending on whether you use a narrowtrac or widetrac Waggy axle (don't remember what year they changed). The Scout rear will net you 58 inches WMS to WMS. Your tires will stick out from under the Jeep quite abit. It is a nice setup under my buddy's rig.. he loves it.

 

Jeep produced the wide track (WT) Cherokee side-by-side with the Wagoneer and the narrow track (NT) Cherokee from '75 until the Cherokee moniker was take over by the XJ some time in the late 80s. JP says 59.2" and 65.5" width for the NT and WT respectively. Most Wagoneers and NT Cherokees will have 3.07, 3.31 or at best 3.54 gearing. If you find one with a 258 and T18, it may have 4.10s - these are fairly scarce though. These cars had D44 fronts from '74 on; optional power front disks, though the standard drums are unusual.