Widest axles on a CJ5?

[BusaDave9]

Currently running 31x10.50 15's.. Plan on running no taller than 35's.

A lot of mudders go right to 2½-5 ton Rockwells, or even D70 and D80's...

Probably going to stick with the 31's for now, since they are brand new.. More then likely go up to 33's maybe 35's

With 33 inch tires I say once again Dana 60's are overkill. You will loose too much ground clearance.
If you get dana 60s (let alone Rockwells) I say you will want tires over 35 inches tall.

Edit: Actually better get 38 or 40 inch tires if you end up with Dana 60's.
Are still talking about a AMC 232 i6 powering this CJ?

 

[kidd79]

With 33 inch tires I say once again Dana 60's are overkill. You will loose too much ground clearance.
If you get dana 60s (let alone Rockwells) I say you will want tires over 35 inches tall.

Edit: Actually better get 38 or 40 inch tires if you end up with Dana 60's.
Are still talking about a AMC 232 i6 powering this CJ?

AMC 304 for right now.

 

[kidd79]

with SOA set-up 35's will clear.
Here's some good axle info..Mr.N's Dana Articles to Include 44, 60 information.

Gonna spend a lot of time reading through this. Appreciate it!!

 

[Old Dog]

Full width axles will look like this

 

[CJim7]

Another thing to consider is getting on some of the 4x4 website classifieds. You can almost always find a set of axles already set up for a CJ.

The one drawback to stock 1-ton running gear is the amount of work needed to get the front 60 to work (steering linkage). It's not cheap. Another issue is the shafts themselves. The inner shaft is 35 spline where the out stub is 30 spline...virtually the same strength comparison as a Dana 44 at the outer stub. Also the rear 60 in stock form is 30 spline with the exception of some rare 35 spline GVW Chevy vans. An upgrade to 35 spline axles is a good investment. Hence, the 14b recommendation.

That's not to say stock 1-ton gear is weak, it just could use some upgrades for larger then 37" tires.

Some of these project axles people are selling on classifieds have the 35 spline upgrades, I've seen them for sale before...but it's hit or miss.

One more issue, it is difficult to run anything smaller then a 17" rim because of the size of the brakes on one-ton gear. You may be looking at getting rid of the tires you have to use something with a 17" rim capacity. Not entirely sure if 16" rims will work...that needs some research on my part.

 

[CJim7]

With 33 inch tires I say once again Dana 60's are overkill. You will loose too much ground clearance.
If you get dana 60s (let alone Rockwells) I say you will want tires over 35 inches tall.

Edit: Actually better get 38 or 40 inch tires if you end up with Dana 60's.
Are still talking about a AMC 232 i6 powering this CJ?

Agreed fully.
You open up a can or two of worms when considering axles, especially staying full width.
....it's one thing after another

 

[BusaDave9]

I think the bottom line, and the reason for the conflicting advice is that full width axles and 33 inch tires are not a very practical combination.

Ask yourself:
A) do you really need axles that wide?
B) do you really want to stick with tires 35 inches or smaller?

 

[Old Dog]

I think the bottom line, and the reason for the conflicting advice is that full width axles and 33 inch tires are not a very practical combination.

Ask yourself:
A) do you really need axles that wide?
B) do you really want to stick with tires 35 inches or smaller?

I agree,
also as jim brought up, no full width axle swap, or SOA is cheap.

 

[CJim7]

I think the bottom line, and the reason for the conflicting advice is that full width axles and 33 inch tires are not a very practical combination.

Ask yourself:
A) do you really need axles that wide?
B) do you really want to stick with tires 35 inches or smaller?

Right. And tires are easier to swap out then axles. If you go medium duty, you are stuck with medium duty...

I also would like to know why the OP needs axles that wide. The ONLY advantage to axles that wide is stability with large tires and lift...and the larger tires become a must to maintain clearance.

 

[kidd79]

I agree,
also as jim brought up, no full width axle swap, or SOA is cheap.

Assuming i have a set of full length 1/2 ton axles, like the ones i posted earlier in the thread. What would you guys consider not cheap. I understand i would need to buy some spring perches and re weld them to fit the spring location. Would need new U bolts, and a mounting plate for the shock/ubolts, brake lines, and probably build my own drag link and steering arm. So around 5-700 for the swap, if i had a set of axles all ready in hand? I have never done anything like this before, but aint skeered to try..Gotta start somewhere right..

Jim.. I just like wide axles, and the way it looks. If it's not a great idea to do this for just going out to sling some mud on me and my kid, then maybe a set of 15x10" wide rims with very low back spacing to stick the tires out from under the fender would give me the look i want, add just a lil bit of side to side stability?

 

[kidd79]

Right. And tires are easier to swap out then axles. If you go medium duty, you are stuck with medium duty...

I also would like to know why the OP needs axles that wide. The ONLY advantage to axles that wide is stability with large tires and lift...and the larger tires become a must to maintain clearance.

Medium duty is as good a starting place an any...I'm still a novice

 

[CJim7]

I understand the 'want for width' Im keeping my D60's full width...but Im going with 43" tires also.
And that's kind of my point. If you stay full width, plan on larger then 35" tires just for clearance....But what that does if you go with the ½ ton axles is leave you a very Limited window: Limited to between 35 and 37 inch tires, and then you need the 1 ton axles just to keep from breaking if you go larger to get some ground clearance back.

If you were to cut down the ½ ton axles, you could get away with smaller tires as your wheelbase would not dictate the need for larger tires.

Do you see what Im saying?

 

[kidd79]

Yep...Completely understand what you said. At this point, just with the 31's and stock axles i have, completely clear everything that i drive over and through. So clearance at this point if i went with 1/2 ton axles and 33's should be somewhere in the same clearance range? I really have no desire to go climb up on a pile of rocks... TBH. I really don't see the point in doing that. But to each his own. What makes me smile is just getting down and dirty... Not going to the mud nationals or running mud traps for money. I am one of them guys that knows the limits of what i can and can't do with a vehicle, and if i build it right, with some great advice from you guys of course, i won't take it past the limits of which it was built (HOPEFULLY) and tear it up..Not trying to sound cocky or demeaning. I'm sure that i will end up breaking something..It is after all a 30+y/o jeep. This being my first build that i am taking on, "medium" duty sounds good. I hope this (jeeping) can be a hobby, as well as a passion, that will last me for a great many years to come. Hopefully this won't be the first and last jeep i ever build.. Also don't want to go out and buy a whole lot of parts with good intentions of doing something with them, and then lose interest, and waste a bunch of money by just scrapping the parts, or giving them away for way less than what i have invested. Playing it safe for right now and see how it goes...You know..Gateway drug.

 

[fishinfool98]

If your staying under a 36" tire I would recommend Dana 44 's
You can get a set of scout 2 axles which are wider than factory CJ5 and have close to the same steering set up.



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[kidd79]

If your staying under a 36" tire I would recommend Dana 44 's
You can get a set of scout 2 axles which are wider than factory CJ5 and have close to the same steering set up.



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Those would probably be pretty hard to find in my area. Thanks for the info. Appreciate it

 

[CJim7]

Gotcha. we'll back you any way you want to go, just want you to be aware of the options, drawbacks, benefits...

 

[fishinfool98]

Where are you located?
I have 2 sets of scout axles
might be willing to part with a set since one of my jeep projects is about to be a rat rod

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[kidd79]

Gotcha. we'll back you any way you want to go, just want you to be aware of the options, drawbacks, benefits...

I appreciate that Jim...That's why i like this site, and all the guys on here..No one seems to have a superior attitude towards the new guys that want to learn, as I have seen on some car forums that i'm on. I hate that. At this point I'm thinking about going with the blazer axles I saw on good ol craigslist, and running the 31's that i have now. Might go up in size later on, or if i start running into clearance issues as my tenacity increases. So no more than 35's if i go with the 1/2 ton axles... Thanks for the options, drawbacks, and benefits!!!! Got it.

 

[kidd79]

Where are you located?
I have 2 sets of scout axles
might be willing to part with a set since one of my jeep projects is about to be a rat rod

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Corn field country....I mean Northwest Tennessee..LOL

 

[fishinfool98]

Find a reason to come to Panama city Fla to pick a set of axles up

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