I've been thinking about regearing my Scout II with D44's that for the moment hold 3.31 and maybe substitute a lock right or Detroit for the trash lock in the rear. The thing is now I got an offer on a pair of Volvo portals with 7+ gearing and vacuum operated diffs. Their width are quite OK, and I've been told that they will be able to stand the power/torque of my V8.

One drawback is that I need minimum 16" wheels to clear the portals. The deal will include some stock 16" wheels with worn tires, so I will need some new 16" tires and probably widining and/or changeing the off set of the wheels (This I cannot do myself :( ). Another drawback is that I will end up with drum brakes in teh front. And off course I will need new drive shafts, drag link, spring perches etc.

The main question is: is it worth $1000 for the axels + $$ for new rubber and modifying the wheels + all the work or is it better to regear the 44's and add a lock right or a Detoit? American parts (eg. rubber and gears) are BTW much more expensive here in Sweden. Guess I could get some $$ for my old axles and rubber, but still...

I know that it probably is impossible to make a decision from these sparse facts, but what do you guys think? Glad for all input I can get, the offer wont stand for ever...

BTW, this is what the donor Volvo model looks like.
http://www.ite.mh.se/~patost/temp/C303.jpg

getting rims made from your old rims is real common here in the states and cost about 35 to 40 a wheel here to get done. i mean just to get them wider. i know that those volovo axles are quite popular in europe. i would say to go for it. sell the 44s for what you can get out of them. go big, there is my 2 cents worth

sounds really complicated and whats up with vacumm operated. KISS.:rolleyes:

with all that stuff that you are trying to shove in to your jeep, and your telling him to keep it simple, come awn. vacume operated diffs lockers are not that complicated and they are factory. so they have to be pretty reliable.

Originally posted by gunracer1
vacume operated diffs lockers are not that complicated and they are factory. so they have to be pretty reliable. I don't worry about the vacuum diffs. The Swedish army had a bunch of these vehicles both 4x4 and 6x6. They have to be reliable. It's more of a question if the axle swap is worth the time and the monney.

The single thing that I think will be hardest to get right is actually the drag link. And since I'm far from a professional mechanic the solutions don't come exactly instantly to me. Might have to settle for a Z-design...

I say go for it. If those things are designed like mog axles, they are a hell of a lot stronger than D44's. Just be prepared to put in some "ingenuity" to get them to fit...

SELL ME the 303 axles! 1000 and they include wheels! Tell me where to send the check and I will get someone to pick them up in sweden.

I will send you back a set of Scout II 44s set up with detroits whatever gears you want etc (I have a pair sitting around right now).

They get 6k and up for a pair 303s in the US. I would kill for a set! I have been looking for over a year.

Actually you DO NOT need to change the wheels. C303s have very inset wheels which are ideal to keep the width narrower. The only thing you might run into is some 303s had offset rear diffs and they are 6.7ish geared soooooo you will not be going very fast :)

You should also be able to find a set of 35in silverstones pretty cheap in sweden.

Mounting them should be easy. You can run spring under with that much lift in the portal

Ron

Ron, now you almost got me convinced I have to get those axles
and do the swap. But maybe I can set you up with a set of axles
too, at the moment there are more where those come from. If
you're really interested I'll check it and come back to you when I
know more...

BTW, I still beleave I have to mount them SOA, since I want to
run stock springs and shackles. Whit the size of lift blocks I'm
running now (not my engineering, was that way when I bought it)
I think the hight would be about the same.