cj7 trannies: T5, World Class T5, gearing

[GaryMB]

Engine swap????

I currently have a 1984 cj7 258 t5/d300 with about 180,000 miles on it. Needless to say, with the kind of wheeling i do, i can't expect this to hold up too much longer. I would like to go to a 4.0L or stroker, have a lower crawl ratio, still have good highway gearing, keep the d300, and have a dependable setup for offroad and the long ride home. I don't have much money to spend on it, so for trannies i'd like something that won't require driveline modifications. Would a world class T5 be a bolt in, or at least good swap? If i stayed with a stock 4.0L or fuel injected 258 would the stock T5 hold up offroad? (I've found a rebuilt stock T5 locally for $150, so it's pretty tempting.) I'm considering 4:1 for my t-case, but this is pricy. So are most transmission swaps, however. At the moment lower gears are not a must, but prefferable. Any suggestions?

 

[mud4feet]

I currently have a 1984 cj7 258 t5/d300 with about 180,000 miles on it. Needless to say, with the kind of wheeling i do, i can't expect this to hold up too much longer................

Huh??? Why not??

 

[GaryMB]

Re: Swing out tire carrier

Actually the jeep runs pretty strong, I've just heard people saying the T5 won't hold up to heavy or frequent wheeling and am wondering what the scoop is. I just want fuel injection and more power with a transmission that can handle it offroad and go fast on the freeway (and eventually a better crawl ratio). I won't be doing any major mods anytime soon since i bought the jeep a month ago and am just dying to really start driving it around (almost done working on it!), but seeing that rebuilt T5 for $150 has gotten me thinking.

 

[redrooster]

RE: Engine swap????

Well if you want to be able to run it down the highway at the speed you are accustom to then the choice is simple. Get the JB Conversions LOMax 4:1 gearset and a T-176 transmission. You can probably score a T-176 for the $150 you were talking, then add $500 for the LOMAX set. You will still be able to kick it down the highway and then have a killer crawl ratio in the woods without having to regear the axles. You will probably want some bigger tires so the 5th gear of a T5 will be useless anyway. Might as well have the 4 speed T176.
After you recover from the cost of the transmission and gears, you can splurge on a fuel injection kit for the 258. Look up Affordable Fuel Injection, CustomEFIS or Howell.
Sounds like you definitely have the fever.

 

[currupt4130]

nv4500 has a 5.3? first gear but its a PITA to put in but its rock solid

 

[Junkpile]

Can you still find these in stores?

I know the big heavy granny low boxes are tempting....but have you guys ever driven a Jeep with one? Some people love them, and that's cool. To me, it drives like a 93.5" wheelbase dumptruck.

I agree completely with Rooster. Gear down the Tcase for crawling, and run the much better 4speed T-176 with some sensible diff gears for the street.

 

[GaryMB]

Will the T176 swap require any modifications? I found a T176 locally for $150, $50 for the bellhousing. Might need a rebuild, do you guys think it's a good deal?

 

[wm69]

Will the T176 swap require any modifications? I found a T176 locally for $150, $50 for the bellhousing. Might need a rebuild, do you guys think it's a good deal?

sounds like it. If you decide not to use it you can get about $400 for them on ebay (and for that matter you could buy the T5 and resell it on ebay for $3-400 too)

 

[Junkpile]

As long as it's a CJ7 too, get the driveshafts from the Jeep that the T-176 comes out of if possible because they are different lengths than the ones you have with the T5. If it's a CJ5, just grab the front shaft and plan on buying or building a rear one. No real mods though, just some adjusting to what you already have. It's all done with factory Jeep parts that are easily found in junkyards or on the net. The T-176 is not bullet proof by any means, but it's such an upgrade from an SR-4, T4, or T5 and it's so easy, I'm really surprised that it's not done more. That swap has always been one of the first jobs on my list of things to do whenever I get a new CJ.

I've bought several of them. I've paid from $100 for a complete setup including a D300 Tcase, to $450 for just the transmission and bellhousing. The one for $450 was in my first CJ7.....I didn't know any better at the time and I actually thought I was buying the same transmission I had(an SR-4). After realizing it was different, I figured it would fit because it came out of a Jeep just like mine, so I stuffed it in there. Never had any problems again. One of the best mistakes I've ever made on a Jeep.