79 cj5 set up

[sean1]

i recently got a 79 CJ5 . AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , T-150 and Dana 20 . i bought another jeep with a T-176 and Dana 300 . also have a set of wide track Dana 30 and AMC20 axles to swap in. are these good swaps or am i wasting my time and money?

 

[mylittlecj5]

are you swapping the WT axles into the '79? That could be a good swap depending on what you will be using the Jeep for.
The CJ model 20 has a few weak areas, but for a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , it shouldn't be that bad. A Dana 44 is preferred by most for more hardcore wheeling.
Are you planning to install lockers in the axles?
IMO Its a tossup between the Dana 20 and the 300. Better gears in the 300, but the 20 is pretty strong. I have a built 360 that runs hard in the mud, and I haven't had any problems with my Dana 20 .

 

[sean1]

yeah. my plan is to have the wide tracks gone over, new r&p, lockers then put under the '79 CJ5 . i want a nice rig to drive around and also have fun with. any advice on the lockers? too many to choose from.

 

[sean1]

main reason for the Dana 300 is because it is already mated to the T-176 . i wanted a 4 speed tranny.

 

[LongHorn]

I've run Detroit Locker, ARB, Lock-Right. I prefer Detroit Locker.

 

[LongHorn]

I had a T-176 in a CJ5 & my CJ8 came with one they are decent transmissions. They shift faster & have closer ratios than a T-18 , but not near as strong. The Dana 300 is excellent.The AMC model 20 is substandard all the way around from bearings to axle tubes and of coarse the factory splined axle & hub.

 

[Old Dog]

The wide tracks will help you some. The AMC20 is a toss up, it depends how hard you are going to push it. If you weld the tubes and truss it, it will be ok for 35" tires. And of course you have to have one piece axles. It should hold up as good as the 30 you have in the front.
I have a detroit soft locker (got it cheap used) and like it, but if I had the money I would have a selectable one (ox,arb,eaton) I think there are times an open rear is better
To be honest if you have to regear and buy a locker for the 20 you might be better off with a 8.8. You get rear disc brakes and you can find them with 4:10 for pretty cheap.

 

[Old Dog]

OOOPS, What I ment to say was, if you have to buy gears and the one piece axles, you might look at the 8.8.
You would need the locker either way.

 

[coldwater]

The 176 is a very good medium duty tranny that was offered in both V-8 and 6 cyl Jeeps, and will stand up to all but reckless driving habits. The Dana 300 is an exellent transfer case, period. If you're not gonna go nuts in your Jeep, the AMC20 is OK, but you may want to look into new axles.

 

[sean1]

thanx. i dont have much in the wt axles. worried that if i find other axles i will end up with a lot more money in them than what i had planned. anybody know about what it would cost to have full width axles cut down? then have them re-geared and lockers put in?

 

[jeep cj7 304]

If you get dana 44s from a wagoneer, you shouldn't need to cut them down and lockers are the same price for any axle really. You should be able to find those axles pretty cheap too. You will never have a problem with those axles being too weak. I have found wagoneer axles for $300 a set. And personally I think those axles are the perfect width for a cj

 

[BrockGrimes]

I've heard some wagoneer years bolt right in a CJ5 but some don't.
Anyone know which?

A recent offroad mag compared the 44 and 20 and a well built 20 can be had cheaper and is debateably as strong. But it's your choice everyone has their favorite.

 

[Old Dog]

sean1, heres some good reading on waggy axles Don't Use a Wagoneer Front Axle - Jeep Scrambler Forums & Discussions
I hope this helps you some.
There are a lot of use still running the 20 & 30 here with no problems, it just depends on how hard you wheel weather you need to up grade or not.