87 cj7 rear axle swap options

[dirtybird]

i have the opportunity to purchase a decent or save a jeep not sure which one yet but it has a busted rear end end this is where i have a few options
--jeep looking to purchase 87 CJ7 (all i know right know haven't seen it in person just pictures and what i have been told)

i have been told rear axle is "busted" not sure how busted yet

now my question-- i have a 92 jeep Cherokee sitting in a field with a good rear axle will this axle swap in "fairly painlessly "

i also have a ford 9" readily available only problem i see with this one is if the track is different i don't really want to spend time on the front axle swap since there is nothing wrong with it

please educate me i have looked online for about a day now and i think the Cherokee axle should work OK

 

[Old Dog]

Well 1st they didn't make an 87 cj, maybe just a typo on your part?
Both of thoes axles will be wider than the cj axle. There isn't anything out there with the same width axle as the cj.
If it has a AMC20 rear it might just have a spun hub. A set of one piece axles might fix it. You really need to find out what broke.

 

[Incommando]

As he typed it more than once I doubt it is a typo...maybe poor info from the seller?

'86 was the last year of the CJ and an '87 would be the YJ. '87 YJ probably has the craptastic Dana 35 rear axle and for one to be busted is not surprising. '86 CJ should have the Dana 44 and is a lot better but after 26 years anything can be broken...

Cj track width is 56", YJ is 60" and the XJ at 58" splits the difference. If the Xj has the 8.25 you would just need to relocate the spring pads and shock tabs BUT: if the new jeep is a CJ the bolt patterns would be different. 5x5.5 (cj) to 5x4.5 (xj) adapters would fix this and make up the track width difference. XJ & YJ share the 5x4.5 bolt pattern. If you XJ has the D35 rear it is not worth swapping into anything.

Your ford axle is going to by way way wider than either of the three jeeps and is not really a recommended swap unless you swap to a wider front, too.

 

[dirtybird]

Thanks for all the info but after seeing the jeep and talking to the real owner turns they want 2500 and not 750 as I was originally told after hearing that I didn't really look at the jeep just got back in my truck and left I was disappointed in the price and the fact that it doesn't sound like I have an axle laying around that will work either way