CJ axles for 100?

[Collin the Hen]

Hey guys,
I have access to a Dana 30 and AMC 20 that came from a Jeep for $100. The Dana has 6 bolt hubs, and both axles have been painted before and look very clean. They have 3.54 which should be fine for my 31 on a 2 1/2 lift (currently have 2.73's). I have a Superior one piece that's already on my Jeep, so that could be put on the new axles. The rear is in pieces and has an open carrier as far as I can tell.
Does this sound like a good deal to you guys? I'm just itching to make a nice all around CJ7, so any 6 bolt hub, 3.08 and up axle sounds great ).
I'm willing to bet they're narrow track, and I have wide track (1984), so will that pose any problems as far as interchanging and stability?
Thanks guys!

[David]

6 bolt hubs from a CJ? Should be 5x5.5.

[Collin the Hen]

No, no. 6 bolt lockout hubs with 5 lug bolts. Yeah, your right, all CJ 30's are 5x5.5, but a lot of the Dana 30's have five bolt lockout hubs which tend to be really weak. This one is a 6 bolt. They're harder to come by. Sorry, I didn't clarify.

[jay79cj7]

I think 6 bolt came on narrow track only, so your bet is probably right. Your shock mounts in the front are going to be different. Wide tracks have some sort of bolt on shock tower. I'm more familiar with narrow track which has a short shock mount welded to the frame. No big deal. Buy some spacers and you won't lose any width. 100 bucks is a good deal.

[jay79cj7]

You could swap over the hubs and gears and keep your wide track.

[Collin the Hen]

Originally Posted by jay79cj7

You could swap over the hubs and gears and keep your wide track.

Thanks for the info. If all I need to do is weld a couple things to the frame, I'd probably just swap in the new axles. Plus, I don't have the equipment to pull the pinion gear, I guess I'd be stuck into welding. We have an old buzz box that would do the trick.

Oh yeah, I have a 2 1/2 lift. Could that be still be used? I think it's just a universal CJ Superlift kit.

[Collin the Hen]

I just realized that my one piece is for widetrack only. So I'd have to get a pinion puller to swap everything over.

[Bounty__Hunter]

Pinion puller?

I wouldn't swap from widetrack to narrowtrack. Chances are the spring perches will be way off, and why make the jeep LESS stable?

If you want the lower gearing, buy them and have the gears swapped over. Then scrap what's left for a little $$.

[jay79cj7]

Spring perches are the same for wide and narrow track 76-86 CJs

[Collin the Hen]

What all would I need to swap everything from the narrows to the widetrack? I would probably need a rebuild kit for both axles, wouldn't I? Like new seals and junk? I'd probably go with Superior if necessary. I would also need a puller of some sort.
I doubt anyone would know, but are front disc brakes for the CJ Dana 30 universal? The rotors on the 6 bolt hub look pretty crusty, and mine are fine.

[Collin the Hen]

Haha! I just read an article about ring and pinion remove and installation. I think I'll leave that for someone who has the tools! I could probably take the carriers and pinion out myself, but I haven't the tools or knowhow to set up backlash and stuff. What's it usually cost to have axles set-up like this?
By the way, thanks for the advise guys.

[franked]

Not sure where you are, but here in the Bay area in CA, it was 700 for the guy to completely swap out the 3.73s that came with my Scout axles for 4.10s. As he did that he took the limited slip from the rear scout axle and put it in the front, and put a new detroit locker in the rear. I had to pay more for all the parts, used rubicon dana 44 gears, 100 per set, plus the locker 560.00,and bearing kits, seals etc, about 1000 in parts all together.
If I had completely disassembled everything, he would have done the rings and pinions, locker, and limited slip install only for 400. I would have had to take empty axle tubes to him and all the parts, and then pick it up to put the rest back together. I had this guy installing the axles in my jeep anyway, so i let him do all of it. In the process, I ended up with very bad caster -3 degrees. That is another story, which people here (JEEPZ) helped me figure out.
As it turns out I still have the narrow track 3.54 axles for my jeep, I don't know where you are, but I had bought a detroit locker used for that front dana 30. I paid 200.00 and would sell it for the same if you are interested. It is only good for the taller(low numbered) gear ratios. I think 3.54 is the highest number or lowest gear ratio you can go with it. A detroit locker is a little weird to drive on the street, but in the front, you wouldn't have the hubs locked on the street anyway.
I also have a limited slip diff that appears to be a dana(amc)20 that was in a box in the back of my jeep when I got it, if you are interested in any of this, or a 3.73 limited slip '75 CJ5 dana 44 complete rear axle(narrow also), e-mail me, frankbg68@gmail.com
Sorry,Not really trying to sell you my stuff, I was going to put an ad on craig's list locally for all those parts after I am finished with my house move stuff, but It sounds like you might need something like that locker. Maybe someone else here can verify the different ratios the carriers are good for, I thought on the 30 axle it was 2.?? to 3.54 and 3.73 to 5.??. I understood that the carriers on the dana 44 are 2.?? to 3.73 and 3.92 to 5.30 or so.For the 44, they have thicker ring gear sets to use the lower gears in the 2something to 3.73 carrier, which is what I got, thicker 4.10 gears, to go into the 3.73 carrier. If anyone has some other info, please jump in.

	Locking Differential Provides even more traction than a limited-slip differential by “locking” the axle shafts together when the driver wants to do it. Locking differentials do not allow for wheel-speed differences and must not be used on dry, paved roads.

	Caster Caster angle is the angular displacement from the vertical axis of the suspension of a steered wheel, measured in the longitudinal direction. It is the angle between the pivot line (in a car - an imaginary line that runs through the center of the upper ball joint to the center of the lower ball joint) and vertical.

[franked]

I just looked, you are in Indiana, guess you should shop locally for stuff. It may be less for the work to be done there, california is freakin' high cost. One hour for a plumber to come to the house=165.00, I almost had a heart attack.

[Collin the Hen]

Thanks for the advise, Frank. I haven't picked up those axles yet, but I'll probably do it pretty soon since I'm replacing body mounts, floors... What I plan on doing now is just buying those axles and putting them on. The rear carrier is out, so I don't know if I'll put in a lunch box locker or weld it yet. I'll probably just buy a lunch box locker. After that, I'll eventually buy a Superior one piece for it. I was thinking about having everything swapped over to my widetracks, but I think my right rear flange is bent from when I toppled her over... I had a hole in the floor in front of my rear tire, and I could see a little wobble. It's a Superior, too. Oh well.

Kind of off subject, but what are any of you guys' thoughts on a 3/4 elliptical spring setup? My rear spring hangers are questionable, so I think I'll just do this. It looks awesome!

	Locking Differential Provides even more traction than a limited-slip differential by “locking” the axle shafts together when the driver wants to do it. Locking differentials do not allow for wheel-speed differences and must not be used on dry, paved roads.