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'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
So I just picked up a 79 CJ5 . I have a 74 Dana 44 from my other CJ5 and was wondering if they could swap? Could I put the 44 under the 79 CJ5 and just change gear ratios in either the 44 or Dana 30 that's in it?
You could just take a measuring tape to verify everything, even look it up on the www. Both vehicles have the narrow track, which you could check the width of the spring mounting pad center pins. There might be a driveshaft length issue though, but a driveshaft shop could fix that or swap drive shafts with it.
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
With 4.56 gears, we are turning around 2300RPM at 55mph.
I am not sure what the frame looks like on a CJ5 , but on the 7, the rear of the frame is wider than the front. It still uses a narrow track axle, but you have to move the spring perches farther out.
Interesting there Bass, I am really curious to know if the spring perch spacing is the same on the '74 and the '79 CJ5 ? Since Jake has both he could determine this. If so, his swap plans could be a go.
Interesting there Bass, I am really curious to know if the spring perch spacing is the same on the '74 and the '79 CJ5 ? Since Jake has both he could determine this. If so, his swap plans could be a go.
I found this out the hard way. After installing the locker, and completely rebuilding the axle, the time came to mount it to the springs. My son and I wiggled the axle under the Jeep and slid it onto the springs. That's when I noticed the spring perches were in the wrong place. It had been a long day, and everything that could go wrong, did. In my tunnel vision that late in the day, all I could see is that the axle did not fit! Every 4 letter word known to man, (and a few I invented on the spot) came flying from my mouth! Tools went air borne! My wife and son ran for cover! I am thinking to myself, I just wasted over $1000 on an axle that won't fit anything we have!
Then I looked at the axle. How the can the wheels be in the right place but the axle be wrong. Then my son looks at me and says, "Dad! take it easy! it's the right axle! all you have to do is move the spring perches!
The clouds began to clear, and the sun began to shine . The birds began to sing, and the squirrels frolicked. The world came back into focus, and all was well once again in our world of CJ love.
Sorry jakeh937 for the brief hijack. Hope this helps you avoid some of the pitfalls we have all experienced.
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
With 4.56 gears, we are turning around 2300RPM at 55mph.
I am not sure what the frame looks like on a CJ5 , but on the 7, the rear of the frame is wider than the front. It still uses a narrow track axle, but you have to move the spring perches farther out.
Crawl ratio is 91. Mathematically, my RPS's are supposed to be around 2550, but my tach shows around 2300/2350. Could be the tach is wrong. One of the "PO" things we have not yet explored.
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
After installing the locker, and completely rebuilding the axle, the time came to mount it to the springs. My son and I wiggled the axle under the Jeep and slid it onto the springs. That's when I noticed the spring perches were in the wrong place. 
It had been a long day, and everything that could go wrong, did. In my tunnel vision that late in the day, all I could see is that the axle did not fit! Every 4 letter word known to man, (and a few I invented on the spot) came flying from my mouth! 
Tools went air borne! 
My wife and son ran for cover! 
I am thinking to myself, I just wasted over $1000 on an axle that won't fit anything we have! 
can the wheels be in the right place but the axle be wrong. Then my son looks at me and says, "Dad! take it easy! it's the right axle! all you have to do is move the spring perches! 
. The birds began to sing, and the squirrels frolicked. The world came back into focus, and all was well once again in our world of CJ love.
