axle/lift question

[jay wood]

hello, i am considering buying my first jeep, its a 1973 CJ5 . my question is about the lift it has. its a 6 inch lift with 35 tires 12.5 x 15 on a AMC20 rear axel and Dana 30 front. is this a safe combo or should i consider swaping the axles? thanks.... my concern is the flipping over easily

 

[Incommando]

A SWB CJ5 is easier to flip especially when lifted that much. The most important factor is knowing that and keeping it mind when driving it.

Wheelbase and axle width are your friends. If it truly has an AMC20 rear ( it should be a Dana 44 ) it has been swapped in and may already be slightly wider than the stock axles. You didn't ask but if stock most would consider that axle combo a time bomb with 35's. Additional wheelbase is an involved and usually relatively expensive operation.

 

[computeruser]

Safe for what? That's really the first question to ask. For driving in a mud bog, yeah, it'll do fine for that. For road use, no, that setup is probably not a very good choice.

 

[Old Dog]

I agree we need to know what it's being used for. ie I run a lot of off camber trails where it would want to roll over on it's side being that high.
IMO IF you do have an AMC20 rear 35's are the MAX it can handle.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

How did they get the 6" of lift? is it SOA?

 

[mylittlecj5]

Coming from a guy that actually owns that same combination (at least very close to it), You can do some amazing stuff with it without it rolling over on you. You just have to remember what your driving and not get into a situation where you feel uncomfortable. If you do happen to get there, just use yoru head and get back out without doing something that might make it worse.
A lot of guys read "SWB CJ and (ANY) lift" and immediately think "its going to roll as soon as you move it". Well, that ain't true...Use it the way its intended and built, and use your head, and you should be just fine.

But yea, you should have a Dana 44 rear in there, its the better of the two axles mentioned anyways...Mine has held up to my 35" Swampers fairly good. A little abuse blew out the spider gears, but a quick fix with the Lincoln welder and I've never had another problem out of it...

 

[Rescue Diver]

hello, i am considering buying my first jeep, its a 1973 CJ5 . my question is about the lift it has. its a 6 inch lift with 35 tires 12.5 x 15 on a AMC20 rear axel and Dana 30 front. is this a safe combo or should i consider swaping the axles? thanks.... my concern is the flipping over easily

Changing axles won't do anything for your roll over concerns, but you might consider installing 1 piece axle shafts in the AMC20 . I'd also be checking to see if the PO installed a double cardan drive shaft in the rear and lowered the cross member. That's a lot of lift for a short CJ5 !