I will be keeping the 258, putting a EFI system on it, swapping to a T176, and keeping the Dana 300. My question is...I will be running Dana 44s SOA, but want to know pros or cons of Scout versus Wagoneer full width axles. Please do not go on about wussing out by not going to 1 Ton stuff- I do not need it and want to stay light. I am leaning towards Scout because of the bolt pattern. Whatdya think?

waggy front gives better alignment and pinion angle then the scout. Who cares about the bolt pattern, sounds like a new buildup so you will be buying to wheels anyway

Good point-that is the exact kind of thing I am wondering about. My question with that is will it make a big difference in a trail-only Scrambler if I point the pinion down to help the handling?
Thanks.

I'd go with wagoneer due to the caster problem with scout fronts. They are basically the same except for the lug pattern. 5 lug is no better than 6.

And the waggys are cheaper

Originally posted by zachv
Good point-that is the exact kind of thing I am wondering about. My question with that is will it make a big difference in a trail-only Scrambler if I point the pinion down to help the handling?
Thanks. I don't quit get what your asking? if you get a scout axle and mount it to get decent alignment, your pinion will be pointing toward the ground cause the u-joint to bind. If you mount it with decent pinion angle the alignment will suck and the jeep will wonder all over the road whenever driven. You can easily solve this with a wagoneer front end, and you need new wheels anyway right? if you want scout axles to keep the lug pattern you have now it doesnent make much sense.

The problem is i already have wheels, but I am not in love with them so I could easily buy new steel rock crawlers. I am surprised that they would make the axles with so much camber from the factory.

I am looking to get a 60-70:1 crawl ratio, so I am figuring on the T-176's 3.53 first gear, put a 4:1 kit in the Dana 300, and running 4:88 or 5:13 gears. Any opinions?

Originally posted by zachv
The problem is i already have wheels, but I am not in love with them so I could easily buy new steel rock crawlers. I am surprised that they would make the axles with so much camber from the factory.

I am looking to get a 60-70:1 crawl ratio, so I am figuring on the T-176's 3.53 first gear, put a 4:1 kit in the Dana 300, and running 4:88 or 5:13 gears. Any opinions?

OK if its for mud why the 60-70 to one crawl???? if its for mud and light trails the stock low range of the 300 is plenty to give you the extra grunt you need sometimes. Also I wouldnt bother swapping in a t-176 for any reason, its not a horrible tranny but not concidered strong or reliable by anymeans. for a good all around setup get a tranny with a lower first gear (like a ford 4 speed) and keep the stock tranny. This will give you a good crawl ratio and more options (2nd and 3rd gear low range should be good in mud) the 4:1 transfer case just wouldnt give you the wheelspeed you need for mud

I have a Scrambler with a Howell-EFI 258, which had a T-176 when I bought it. It lasted the 30 miles it took for me to get home and then when I got home and dieseled in the driveway. I dumped the clutch and sheared off the output shaft. Mind you this was the day I bought the scrambler. If you want the 4:1 first gear other than crawling gears, you might try to pick up a narrow T-18.

I also have Scout II dana 44's front and rear with 3.54 gears. I am currently swapping to Waggy front because I want to go to SOA. The Scout II 44 definately isn't the axle for a SOA, due to all of the reasons given above and the fact that the diff is so far outward and thres no good location to put on spring pads without grinding the hell out of it.

If you can find axles as a pair, I would just get both and get some new rims. Otherwise you will have to convert the front hubs and rotors to 5 lug. Since I already have the Scout II 44, I'm just going to use the hubs, spindles (redrilled) and brakes from it.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an email. Also you might want to join the CJ-8 list and get some good info from your fellow taildraggers.

www.jeephead.com has the link information.

Originally posted by zachv
The problem is i already have wheels, but I am not in love with them so I could easily buy new steel rock crawlers. I am surprised that they would make the axles with so much camber from the factory.

I am looking to get a 60-70:1 crawl ratio, so I am figuring on the T-176's 3.53 first gear, put a 4:1 kit in the Dana 300, and running 4:88 or 5:13 gears. Any opinions?

I would run an NP435 or T-18a with stock xfercase and your existing 3.54 gears and you would have 62:1 crawl rations and save all the money for the 4:1 kit, and resetting the gears, and get a strong tranny.

I was gonna run the T176 because I can basically get it for free, but you guys are right, for the money spent on a 4:1 for the transcase I can swap in the T18 like I did on my old CJ7. I figure with 4:10s will move 38s OK with that setup.
Can you get Waggy axles with stock 3:73 or 4:10 gears? Probably not.

Also, has anyone here hacked off the rear overhang? Is there a write-up on it anywhere online? And is there a good place for CJ* owners to hang out? It seems like CJ8.com is pretty weak.

Thanks for the help.

Most jeepers are on the Jeep-L. But you will get anywhere from 50-250 emails a day on the list. www.jeep-l.net is the link.

Several people have bobbed the rear of a scrambler, but you could just have bought a CJ-7 and get that.

I personally think the next best thing is to push the rear axle back about 5-6" and move the fenders farther back.

I don't see why the caster angle would be a concern on a non street driven mud runner.

Originally posted by CJ-Jeeper
I don't see why the caster angle would be a concern on a non street driven mud runner.

It wouldn't! But if you drive it too the trail and back again, you don't want to have to drive with both hands on the wheel to keep the damn thing from dancing all over the road.

My Scout II Dana 44, is ok in a SUA configuration and is tolerable. But if I went SOA and the diff was still pointing level, it cause issues with the U-joints binding, pinion being tagged by rocks, and wanders all over the place.

Best to just pick up an axle already set up with the diff pointed upward, and the steering having a good caster to prevent you from wandering.

:confused: I'm asking ya cuz I'mma newbie and knew you guys are in the know. I am going up to the 8-lug 60/14 combo and will be pulling what I got out, soon. I have a matching set of '80 Waggie Wides. The front is a 44 driver's drop and the rear an AMC 20 is a center diff with the good one-piece axles. I ran all over K-Mart and could find the "Blue Light Special" on "Getting a Clue" ... so throw me a :flipoff2: bone would ya ?! What :question: What :question: What was that :question: UUUhhh NO!! I am allergic to seafood! Thanx, :beer: Tigger4X