Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: Dave69 on February 24, 2016, 10:17:54 PM

Title: CJ axles
Post by: Dave69 on February 24, 2016, 10:17:54 PM

Simple question

are YJ axles a simple bolt on affair or is there more work required i.e the spring perches and shock mounting points
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: wildwood on February 24, 2016, 11:21:46 PM
I think CJ çhassis rails are different width....IE smaller

And obviously different PCI of wheels

But other than that and left side drop for front they could be made to work.

Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: 5536paulj on February 25, 2016, 12:04:55 AM
YJ rear is D35, which is  a lot worse than an AMC 20 strength wise, 20's are strong once you upgrade to one piece shafts

Pumpkin is on the wrong side in the front so probably not worth the effort, I'm going with a Wagoneer D44 to replace my front 30

Lots of options, depends what you want to achieve tyre wise

Paul
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: 5536paulj on February 25, 2016, 12:06:50 AM
Looks like you've got a quadratrac if it's an auto so your rear diff is offset too which limits choices

Front spring perches are wider apart on the YJ, not sure about the rear
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: wildwood on February 25, 2016, 08:08:16 AM
Yes,good point..... :iagree:

Waggy axles for a quadratrac CJ would be the best....... (Not the wide trac stuff ! )

Lighthouse had a bunch of axles from the rotting hulks of FSJs that they have stripped.
It would be a different PCI again....
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave69 on February 25, 2016, 09:25:35 PM
width of the springs is not an issue, just the othe points mentioned, which needed practical clarification.

rear axle has one piece shafts and the same at the front (not physically checked yet)

plan was to go for 33s but means a new carrier ring/pinion etc front and rear. so might just be a ring and pinion for the front short term and then start collecting for new carriers and 30 spline shafts. the cost soon mounts up

what year of wagoneer would be best to look for? or is it a case of chatting (briefly) with lighthouse
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave The Sparky on February 25, 2016, 09:39:08 PM
Waggy ones will be too wide unless you want to get some serious fender flares or start cutting them down, plus you would need to do some fabrication work to them or the chassis to make them fit.
On the plus side they would more than likely be 4.10 ratio so getting to 33s territory.

I would suspect a ring and pinion plus bearings is the more economically viable route Monsieur 69...
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Bubba on February 25, 2016, 10:01:35 PM
yj axles are not the way to go
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave69 on February 25, 2016, 10:03:52 PM
ring / pinion & bearings plus carrier maybe easier on the build work but still hit hard on the pocket.

Thanks Kev, you have saved my knuckles but not my pocket

a simple idea always works out to be a bigger project   :banghead:
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Bubba on February 25, 2016, 10:12:43 PM
as someone with no budget i understand exactly  what you mean but still think yj axles would be something you would regret
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave69 on February 25, 2016, 10:38:27 PM
it's nice to throw the ideas out for opinions and confirmation, at least with sensible answers at this point
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: 5536paulj on February 26, 2016, 12:41:16 PM
Hi Dave,

What's up with the axles you've got, is it gearing, you've probably got 3.54s?

I've been using a 30 / amc 20 with 35s for a few years and haven't broken anything, maybe I'm not ambitious enough! I was lucky that mine were geared as 4.11 from factory which helps, although its a bit too quick down steep hills in first gear, but I've managed.

A bigger issue on a narrow track CJ is tyres hitting the springs, which can be stopped by adjusting the steering stops, but you end up with crap steering lock, hence I've now gone to 255 / 85 / 16s which are a good 33" high but a lot narrower, remains to be seen how good they are off road.
For reasons I don't understand my callipers hit my shocks which never happened when I had 31s, hence I'm moving to a 44 front, have a look at next event to see how it works out

Paul

Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave69 on February 26, 2016, 09:19:45 PM


gearing is std for an auto so i assume 3.54 but will have to check, running 31's at the moment and looking for going to 33's so a ratio change to 4.11 will be needed. that requires a carrier change and all that is associated, hence the look at yj axles and possibly a 4.11 ratio as standard but that requires too much work and time which i havent alot of.

steering lock is bad enough and the lock stops at the moment are sort of maxed out, any more and i will need spacers. steering is now rose jointed for strength and power steering conversion is slowly happening. i'd like to keep the wider tyre but thats something i'll have to look into.

As for steering lock, i have to drive through mevagissey at weeekends and the jeep will not go round one of the junctions in the village centre without stopping the trafiic and having two attempts. That really pisses off the emmits and some locals

the other option is to swap in a cj axle with 4.11 ratio but they are a bit thin on the ground. short term is to fit a std ring and pinion then collect all that is required for a major regear at some point.

downside is that the quadratrak cant really be run with a front prop misssing or damage will occur.

Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Brynjaminjones on February 26, 2016, 09:31:59 PM
As for steering lock, i have to drive through mevagissey at weeekends and the jeep will not go round one of the junctions in the village centre without stopping the trafiic and having two attempts. That really pisses off the emmits and some locals


I'd love to see this!! Reminds me of when I embarrassingly got stuck in the middle of Polperro in the XJ when I'd just got my license!  :icon_redface: :003:
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: 5536paulj on February 26, 2016, 10:07:29 PM
Make sure you check your ratio, mine was 4.11 from the factory.

I'll have a 30 with 4.11 gears available soon, but a needs a new pinion seal which i don't think is a major job

You can run without a front prop if you keep it in emergency drive
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave69 on February 26, 2016, 10:12:34 PM
the way it drives and the slow pick up i dont think its a 4.11.  I'd be interested in the axle but in no rush.

Are you sure about the front prop? i will give it a go, at least it will keep the whine down.

Bryn,

in Meva go past the ship inn and i have to take the first right, no way the steering lock will make it even when scraping fenders on the shop fronts.
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: Dave The Sparky on February 26, 2016, 10:16:11 PM
If you can find some Cj5 or 6 axles they will be 4.27 ratio and you get a nice D44 rear with 11" drums as well, but the diff is in the centre.
You would also need to move the rear spring perches and swap your front brake bits about but neither of those are a massive job.
Still on narrow track though  :003:
Title: Re: CJ axles
Post by: 5536paulj on February 26, 2016, 10:20:52 PM
The emergency drive is just a diff lock so should be fine, as long as it's working properly! Be careful, it's not a permanent solution

I'll have a good look at the axle when i take it off, go from there

Paul