Like everyone else I am building my CJ7 on a budget.
My goals are:
*Reliability
*Quality
*Longevity
*Retain the 258 and Dana 300
*Run 33"-35" tires
My intended uses:
*General off-roading in the Northwest (trails, camping, hunting)
*Occasional rock-crawling, sand, and mud
Here is what I have:
*Stock 82 CJ7 (essentially)
*258 with MC2100 carb.
*Dana 30 front, AMC 20 rear
*Dana 300 tx case, T-5 tranny
On the garage floor:
*Waggy front Dana 44 and it's matched off-set rear
*Scout II Rear Dana 44 and it's matched Dana 30 front
*Taurus electric cooling fan

I have a general idea of where I want to go with this but I also know that because most of the systems are integrated with one another I need to have all my ducks in a row and then go for it. This of course costs a fair amount of money...So how do I enjoy the summer wheelin without completely throwing money away.

Some options I've come up with are as follows:
*RE 4.5" lift
*Retain AMC20 and swap in 1 piece axle's
*truss the M20
*Retain Dana 30 front (I believe the scout D30 has the same axle shafts so at least I'd have a spare)
*Not sure what to do about drive-shafts.
*What to do about traction? Lunch-box lockers? Spool in the M20?
*easy on the skinny pedal for now and drive it till I break it!


Thanks for the input..

S.

Like everyone else I am building my CJ7 on a budget.
My goals are:
*Reliability
*Quality
*Longevity
*Retain the 258 and Dana 300
*Run 33"-35" tires
My intended uses:
*General off-roading in the Northwest (trails, camping, hunting)
*Occasional rock-crawling, sand, and mud
Here is what I have:
*Stock 82 CJ7 (essentially)
*258 with MC2100 carb.
*Dana 30 front, AMC 20 rear
*Dana 300 tx case, T-5 tranny
Dump the T5 unless you want the overdrive. Go with a heavier tranny...T18, NV4500 or one of the autos
On the garage floor:
*Waggy front Dana 44 and it's matched off-set rear
*Scout II Rear Dana 44 and it's matched Dana 30 front
*Taurus electric cooling fan
use the waggy front 44 and the Scout rear 44. Get rid of the offset waggy rear and Scout 30

I have a general idea of where I want to go with this but I also know that because most of the systems are integrated with one another I need to have all my ducks in a row and then go for it. This of course costs a fair amount of money...So how do I enjoy the summer wheelin without completely throwing money away.

Some options I've come up with are as follows:
*RE 4.5" lift
*Retain AMC20 and swap in 1 piece axle's
*truss the M20
*Retain Dana 30 front (I believe the scout D30 has the same axle shafts so at least I'd have a spare)
The 20's alright if you do what you mentioned... still not super strong, but comparable to a 44 with the upgrades. As far as retaining the D30 and useing the scout D30 for spare shafts.....The scout 30 is approx 3 inches wider then the Jeep 30 so useing it for spares is out of the question.
*Not sure what to do about drive-shafts.
*What to do about traction? Lunch-box lockers? Spool in the M20?
*easy on the skinny pedal for now and drive it till I break it!
lockrights work great for this application. Easy to install and easy on the wallet. If you were building higher dollar axles like 60s, 14b, etc, i would suggest a better more expensive locker. i've been running Lockrights for several years on my 30/20 combo and have been satisfied...no point polishing the turds any farther


Thanks for the input..

S.
:smokin:

nicely put

dump the 30 and the 20 ASAP

Thank you for informing me that I have crappy axles! BTW I know! My question is:
What is the best way to go about enjoying the summer with what I have, making some modifications?!

Dump em' and get D60's with ARB's and 5.16's is not helpful. :-)

throw in the 44s with a lockright in the front and a full spool in the rear
try to find a t-18 in a junkyard
and buy some tsl's

Thank you for informing me that I have crappy axles! BTW I know! My question is:
What is the best way to go about enjoying the summer with what I have, making some modifications?!

Dump em' and get D60's with ARB's and 5.16's is not helpful. :-)

I say run what you have in there until it breaks...
Then come back and ask what to do and wonder why no one helps you...

Because you acted like a juvenile dick when offered good advice:flipoff2:

Thank you for informing me that I have crappy axles! BTW I know! My question is:
What is the best way to go about enjoying the summer with what I have, making some modifications?!

Dump em' and get D60's with ARB's and 5.16's is not helpful. :-)

Dude we are here to help people when they need help on things. So when we give u advice dont be such a dick about it. Cjim7 helped your out. he put everything in red of what u should do.

Okay...Let's get this over with:
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r320/HackFabrication/2WWflame.jpg

I read, then re-read you post...My .02...Build what ya got. You'll really need to swap in 4.56 gears for the 33-35" tires. For what you want to do with the Jeep, I'd run the T5 until it pukes...Then go with a NV3550 or NV4500 if you want the OD 5th gear. Or find a used T176. What something a bit more heavy duty? Then a T18, SM465 (or 420), or NP435 are the way to go if you want to stick with a manual. Or.....Swap in a TH350 or TH400. Want the OD? Go with the 700-R4. But then you start raising the costs with adapters, etc.

Keep the Dana 300, for the 'recreational' wheeling you described, it'll work fine with the 4.56 gears. If not, either TeraLow, or LowMax and get the 4:1 gearing. No need to go to the expense of Atlas or STaK with what you've got plannes for the Jeep.

35" tires can be run with little or no problems on a 4" SUA and a 1" body lift. Perhaps a 'bit of trimming' if you really 'flex' the Jeep.

Dana 30 and AMC 20. It's a crap shoot here. They should hold up to the tires and the wheeling you've got planned. Especially with 1pc rear axles and a truss or welded tubes...Or both. The front...Is what it is. You'll grenade a hub or u-joint before you trash an axle, IMO.

Lockers? Go with an Aussie, TruTrac, if you wanna go cheap. Step up to an Eaton or OX if you wanna spend some more $$$. If you're really flush...Go ARB...But you'll need a source of on board air to activate them.

If you're not going any further with the Jeep...It should be fine.

For those who gave me the good advice and things to work on (Hack and CJim7), thanks.

For the rest of you, well why stoop right?!

s.

I say run what you have in there until it breaks...
Then come back and ask what to do and wonder why no one helps you...

Because you acted like a juvenile dick when offered good advice:flipoff2:

Funny, I always thought the NON-HARDCORE tech forum was supposed to be flame free. Not everyone can drop the duckets to build a D60/14b. If all he wants to run is 35's then he will be ok with the D44's, especially if he is running his diffs open. On the same note dropping money into a Ring&Pinion on a set of axles you wont be using forever is a little bit of a waste, but it serves it's purpose and he may be able to sell them later. Whichever axles you run will probably need a set of 4.88's. So gear it and if you really are needing traction put in a TrueTrac and be done with it. You may not break it at all. Bummer if you do but thats why people drop 5k into axle. Good Luck!