Narrow Tracks on a Scrambler

[007]

So there may be another addition to the family...okay barring a tragedy there will be an addition. I'm referring to the actual people in the house, not the cars in the drive. But with regard to my CJ I'm at a crossroads. I'm either putting a new tub on the otherwise perfect drivetrain and be short one seat for the family from here on out. OR. Go to a Scrambler with two rear benches.

If I found a decent frame and a decent tub, could I put my narrow track axles on a wide-trac Scrambler frame? Or could I extend my CJ7 frame to stay narrow?

I'm totally happy with my existing drivetrain and hate to sell it all.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

your narrow trac axles would bolt right to the Scrambler. I would still look for a set of narow track axles for it.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

If I found a decent frame and a decent tub, could I put my narrow track axles on a wide-trac Scrambler frame? Or could I extend my CJ7 frame to stay narrow?

I'm totally happy with my existing drivetrain and hate to sell it all.

Yes, you can and it's bolt in. I have that setup on the Scrambler I just built, had a new Scrambler frame and tub that I hung a '76 CJ5 drivetrain - engine, Transmission , Transfer Case and axles that I had. The only excepton might be the spring plates in the front to match the sway bar/shock configuration you are going to use with the Scrambler frame. I used front spring plates and trackbar from a '78 CJ7 .

Only issue that you have to be concerned about is wheel backspacing - too much (tire mounted closer to frame) and you will limit turning radius because the tire will rub on the springs at full lock. This is an issue with a set of 36" tires/wheels I have but not the set of 35s which have more backspacing; shouldn't be as much of a problem with shorter tires. I'm thinking about 1.5" wheel spacers if I continue to use that wheel/tire set.

Something to think about as you make your swap - converting to YJ front and XJ rear spring sets. I did this with front reverse shackles, Rubican Express 4.5" front springs, and Iron Rock 6.5" rear springs but you could certainly go with less lift. Rear XJ springs will require you to move the rear shackle mount back about 6". The result is the best riding and tracking CJ I have ever been in despite its height (it's up there by design). Something to think about. Link to my Scrambler build for some ideas: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f98/cj8-build-parts-18789/

PM me if you have any questions. Ty

 

[007]

Well that is great news. I read your whole thread and among the many things I learned you'll be surprised as to what I may have liked the most is the roll bar. I hate the straight roll bar in the stock Scramblers. What are we looking at for the suspension changes you suggested?

 

[007]

your narrow trac axles would bolt right to the Scrambler. I would still look for a set of narow track axles for it.

I wanted to keep these as I just refreshed them with new gears etc. The 2.72's aren't popular for most but with my engine and Transmission and the low range in the QuadraTrac I'm good with 31 or 32 tires. That was my thinking.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

Rollbar was an easy fab to make work. It actually looks good and built like it was meant to be there. I tied them into the stock mounting locations.

You have alot of options and if you are staying with 31s you don't need the amount of lift that I built into mine. You could just convert to a 2.5" lift YJ front spring (wider and more supple than a CJ spring) and stay with the stock shackle orientation to keep it simple and save some $$ from not having to purchase or fabricate a reverse shackle kit. I'd still do the XJ rear spring - it will really only cost you a pair of XJ rear springs since you can cut off and reuse your stock CJ7 rear shackle mounts and just relocate them rearward to fit the XJ spring. Stock XJ springs are fairly flat so you will likely need 2-3" lift XJ springs or a pair of junkyard take-offs and an add-a-leaf. Link to the GenRight YJ spring conversion kit (minus the springs): GenRight offers the best prices and customer service for CJ5, CJ7, Scrambler YJ Spring Conversion Kit to be purchased online 24/7. Other folks make/sell them, and front shackle reversal kits, you just need to search the web to find and compare. If you do decide to do the reversal, less front spring lift is required since the new front spring mounts are lower in order to work with the rear mounted shackles and maintain appropriate wheel caster. Wish I could give you a name of the company I used but the reversal was a build option on the new frame I got from Throttle Down Customs.

Things I had to do you make the front shackle reversal work:
-Drivers side shackle interfered with stock brake line routing. Had to get creative with bends to get around the pivoting shackle.
-Both front shackles and headers wanted to occupy the same space down along the frame rail. I used Hedman Elite headers with thick flanges. Was able to angle cut the header flanges 1/8" to pull the collectors in toward the motor enough to clear the shackles. Use of stock exhaust manifolds would make this moot.
-My front axle was foward from stock about 1" which put my tierod and drag link too close to eack other. I could have redrilled the front spring bolt position 1" rearward but instead, made a 1/2" spacer plate between the spring pad and spring with a 1" offset locating pin. This was an issue with my frame builder and would guess that another kit for YJ springs would have this figured out.

No issues in the rear other than the shackle mount relocation. Your CJ, YJ, and XJ springs are all 2.5" wide. I welded new spring perches onto the axle because the originals were rotted out. I used adjustable perches that have 3 spring pin holes drilled 1" apart so I could move the axle to center it in the wheelwell. I'm using the foward-most axle position.