Have a 81 CJ7 with 5.7 EFI sm420/dana 300, model 20 mosier axles(narrow track). Doing a frame off restore.

Where I want to go..... 5.7 Vortec/4L60E/dana300, dana 44/60.

Good choice? Or should I sell the 96 vortec I bought and build the EFI motor with a 700r4 (I want auto)? I do mostly trailing and mud, not much rocks. Hawaiian style.

I have been looking into wider & beefier axles. Can anyone simplify the best vehicles to get the Dana44's or 60 out of.? I have access to a 1978 J20 44's front/rear. Is this a simple bolt in? It seems to have smaller u-joints in the front axle (smaller than my model 30).

What is the best truck to get a rear dana 60 out of? Ford? Years?

Thanks for the newbie axle help.

David:usa:

p.s. I have done many searches and am confused

Originally posted by websurfshop
p.s. I have done many searches and am confused
:laughing:

Yeah-44/60 would be a good choice for either engine. 44s front and rear would probably survive a while too if you were careful off-road. The '78 J20 D44s could probably be made to work, but I'd be very surprised if they bolted right on without moving perches and such, and they'd be much wider than your stock axles... But they could always be narrowed. Waggy-width 44s would probably be a better choice in the long run if you want 44s because they wouldn't need narrowing. Whatever 44s you get, Just make sure they're 30-spline before you buy. (Anything newer than mid-70s probably is.)

I think the late '70s, early '80s Ford trucks and vans are where most people are getting their rear 60s. Just keep in mind that anything out of a fullsize will have to be narrowed (unless you WANT full-width axles--then you just need to make sure it matches the front). But I'm no expert on 60s, so I'll shut up. :D

Just keep reading and don't jump into anything until you're pretty sure you know what your doing.

And here's the obligatory:

:flipoff2: WELCOME NEWBIE! :flipoff2:

HTH,
Jakester

If that's the same Vortec 5.7 that I have in my '99 Tahoe then keep it. I love that motor, lots of pop in my big-ass Tahoe, I would love to have it in a Jeep, it would haul-ass.

My advice- Find a 4x4 F-250 or f-350 for sale cheap. Just take the axles and scrap the rest. I had a buddy fortunate enough to find a running '79 F350 4x4 for $800. Needless to say he took the axles, sold the rest, and ended up spending only about $300 total.

Welcome Newbie

ps. If you don't want to use that motor let me know:D

I'm putting mine together right now, 97 vortec 350, nv4500 and d300. Currently I have a set of scout 44's but I'm already pondering 60's. If I were to do it again I would have skipped the 44's and gone straight to 60's front and rear.

OK, keeping the vortec (I really like the thought of crisp power)

Does the f-250/350 have the pumpkin on the passenger side? Or by cutting the long side can I still maintain 60-62" WMS to WMS with a driver side pumpkin?

Big Mahalo (Hawaii or bust) David:nuke:

Andy 911... I may ask you for some help on the wiring harness. I'm also wondering if I can find a bigger brake booster that is a bolt in out of a junkyard? Any ideas?

If you want passenger side drop straight up then get a chevy. Ford will be HP and you will need to cut and/or retube for passenger side drop.

But good call on the motor:beer:

Couldn't he also use a pre-94 Dodge D60 front?:confused:

Couldn't he also use a pre-94 Dodge D60 front

Yep but I'm sure he can figure out the specifics on his own. i was just throwing out an idea. Also around here the most plentiful (and that's a stretch due to the rarity:D ) 60 fronts are chevy.

I found my Ford HP60 and it's originally from NY (and look where I'm at)

The wiring is the only thing I have left to do, I'm really getting frusterated, I'm trying to use all of the gm wiring harness but there is so many wires that go to who knows what. maybe I'm just dumb. I did get it running though, I found instructions on what wires you need for command start and went from there, but the rest is one giant rats nest. I can't even find where the post cat O2 sensor harness plugs in. but it runs without them.

As for the brakes I'm usin the stock jeep master but the vortecs brakes were powered buy the power steering pump, I went to gm and got a fitting for the manifold that would let me use my vaccum booster, yous may already have it if your donor had vaccum brakes, but I think most of them were from the P/S pump.

Originally posted by Andy 911
The wiring is the only thing I have left to do, I'm really getting frusterated, I'm trying to use all of the gm wiring harness but there is so many wires that go to who knows what. maybe I'm just dumb. I did get it running though, I found instructions on what wires you need for command start and went from there, but the rest is one giant rats nest. I can't even find where the post cat O2 sensor harness plugs in. but it runs without them.

As for the brakes I'm usin the stock jeep master but the vortecs brakes were powered buy the power steering pump, I went to gm and got a fitting for the manifold that would let me use my vaccum booster, yous may already have it if your donor had vaccum brakes, but I think most of them were from the P/S pump.

The post O2 sensor(s) plug in to the same 6 pin connector. It is the same length as the left precat sensor harness (at least on my '98) I reluctantly forked over $130 for the helms manual because I couldn't see spending 500-600 for some wires and connectors. The manual was almost an encyclopedia (4 books the size of big ass yellow pages). It has every detail you can think of.