I was thinking about a jeep project.

Something simple for general trail work. Not specific for rock crawling or mud bogging, just a good generalist.


Jeep frame...
Chevy axles front & back (Dana44) because they're wider than the jeep stuff... Lock-outs on all 4 corners would be nice...
Tires - 36" or so...
As little lift as I can get away with to clear the tires so I can keep a low center of gravity...
straight six for a motor. Nice big one. Maybe chevy... I'm open on that... Nothing against a crate 350 but it's easier to work on a 6.
Probably a 700R4 tranny, which will likely have an impact on what motor I get.
Milemarker up front, maybe an electric out back.
If I use a non-steel body, then I kind of like kevlar... Do they still make those?)


You get the idea...

So in addition to any other thoughts you might have, do y'all think I'm better off building up an existing jeep or starting with a good frame from a catalogue?

Oh man.........opinions on these boards? You've come to the wrong place! :flipoff2:

My opinion only: SSTUUPPIDDD PPPOSSSSTTT !!!!!!!!!!!

dont listen to those two. sounds like it would work fine... I wish I had the brains to help you

Why not use a 4.0L/aw4 combo?

stroke the 4.0, you can easily build a switchbox to manually control all the gears of the aw4 (and the TC lockup)

AW4's are tough trannies, they're just pretty much impossible to put behind anything but a 4.0, since their controls are so damn integrated into the 4.0's ECM


maybe i just like my 4.0L aw4 combo too much

280K miles of abusing the stupid pedal and still going strong

Anyone feel like giving an opinion?

NO.:zzz:

Originally posted by nakona
I was thinking about a jeep project.

Something simple for general trail work. Not specific for rock crawling or mud bogging, just a good generalist.


Jeep frame...
Chevy axles front & back (Dana44) because they're wider than the jeep stuff... Lock-outs on all 4 corners would be nice...
Tires - 36" or so...
As little lift as I can get away with to clear the tires so I can keep a low center of gravity...
straight six for a motor. Nice big one. Maybe chevy... I'm open on that... Nothing against a crate 350 but it's easier to work on a 6.
Probably a 700R4 tranny, which will likely have an impact on what motor I get.
Milemarker up front, maybe an electric out back.
If I use a non-steel body, then I kind of like kevlar... Do they still make those?)


You get the idea...

So in addition to any other thoughts you might have, do y'all think I'm better off building up an existing jeep or starting with a good frame from a catalogue?

Frame-CJ7 or YJ frame
axles-chevy 44 front,if you want lockouts on the rear a 44 TJ rear with a WARN kit
suspension-spring over on stock CJ7 HD rears all around will fit 36s easy with trimming
engine-4.3
tranny-700r4,d300(need adapter for case)
winches front and rear(brands up to you)
body-CJ7/YJ body would be my choice. stick with a steel body,fiberglass is crap on the trails
sounds like a good trail working jeep

IMO dont go and buy a aftermarket frame-too much money for what you can make for tons less.
if you really wanted to build an existing jeep-sprung over 6cylinder YJ with axles swapped (drivetrain if you wanted to) would be my choice.
:D as for those being dicks(I SEE NEWBIES TRYING TO BE COOL :rolleyes: ), i see this as a legit question:p i think we all wish we would have started out with a body and frame and built from there as oppose to paying $$ and swapping everything out. hope this helps u some dude:)

Thanks Brad.
And, I wasn't paying attention to the nippleheads anyway.

1337 -
I'm trying to stay away from all the electronic stuff.
That's just more stuff to go wrong that you can fix out in the field.

Originally posted by 1337j33px0r
Why not use a 4.0L/aw4 combo?

stroke the 4.0, you can easily build a switchbox to manually control all the gears of the aw4 (and the TC lockup)

AW4's are tough trannies, they're just pretty much impossible to put behind anything but a 4.0, since their controls are so damn integrated into the 4.0's ECM


maybe i just like my 4.0L aw4 combo too much

280K miles of abusing the stupid pedal and still going strong

Could get one of the earlier AW-4's that were behind the Renix injected 4.0's. They have a separate Tranny control module.

Gotta love a noobie clown with 6 posts giving you shit for a legitimate post. :rolleyes: Nice try guys... Come back when you figure it out.

I will keep my advise general: KEEP IT SIMPLE. I saw talk of the AW4 and all. He may have had good luck with it, but they are complicated little bastards. Remember, anything mechanical can break down, might as well make it simple and cheap to work on.

A few (me included) in our club have found dirt cheap, next to nothing T18/20 combo's out of J trucks and old Cherokees. Adapt the bell and you can run a TBI 5.7 or 4.3. Cant get more simple than that. The combo also give you TONS of room for D/S angles and such. The T18 is litterally bulletproof. The 20... eh, not bad. Not great either. I'm runn'n a 5.7 in a YJ on 38's and have had no problems so far.

And go with a YJ frame IMHO. They're stronger than CJ frames and they're falling from trees. Great platform to work from.

Good luck dood. :beer:

straight six for a motor. Nice big one. Maybe chevy... I'm open on that... Nothing against a crate 350 but it's easier to work on a 6.

Just saw that up there. HUH? Easier to work on? There's about nothing on a TBI that you cant fix with a blunt rock.

And if you're going with a Kevlar body? Hope you watered your money tree today. :D

Originally posted by nakona

straight six for a motor. Nice big one. Maybe chevy... I'm open on that... Nothing against a crate 350 but it's easier to work on a 6.
Probably a 700R4 tranny, which will likely have an impact on what motor I get.



Ford 300 I6 with a C6 and an NP205 behind that.

Loppy -
Good thought on the YJ frame.

I'll tell ya though...

I've been kind of checking out the custom built frames I can get from a fabricator and they are really tempting...

I like the idea, for instance, of a frame being designed in advance so that no lift is needed for 33x12 with a standard body.

As far as the six being easier to work on, I'm talking about maintainance. No matter what I use I don't plan on opening it up again once I have it in the truck.
But changing plugs, working on the exhaust, changing a starter, whatever...
Much easier on a straight motor than a Vee motor.

As far as the kevlar body goes...
Like everything else it's up in the air but the point is that while it may be more expensive to start with it will stand more abuse without breaking.

Mo -
Interesting idea. That's a sweet engine.

ok, tf999, 4.0 stroker w/some aftermarket manifold for a 4-barrel
then ya don't need the electronic shit. and ya still have gobs of low-end torque (build them for between 300-350lb ft) and you get reliability on par w/ the AMC I6's


I just think that way, because electronics are my thing, i'd rather sort through electrical problems than mechanical ones, maybe i should get a scout, that would keep me occupied :D

Well, it wasn't the engine (the 4.0) that concerned me, it was the electronically controlled tranny.

I'm pretty good with electronics myself. I used to be a Xerox tech before an auto accident forced me to change careers and get into something involving less walking.

Here's the thing...

If I had a broken electromechanical part I could always apply some, shall we say, "african engineering" to it and get the machine back up for the customer until the new parts came in.
But if they needed a new printed circuit board or other type of electronic component they were shit outta luck until the part came in.

As far as stroking the 4.0, I don't think i would. It's a perfectly good motor as it is and I'm a firm believer that a trail vehicle shouldn't have a lot of power. It should have enough to get the job done and no more and you should use the gearing to do the work.

Come to think of it, I have a 403 Oldsmobile engine in the garage that's basically all there and was a runner when I wrecked that car 3 years ago...

A basic rebuild and a rebuilt quadrajet instead of the holley thats on it now and it could be a pretty good motor for this project.

I do still like the idea of a straight six of course...

Get a Cherokee. The unibody is stiff giving it superior performance and stability on the trail, has a tight turning radius and plenty of room inside for enough groceries and gear to make a comfortable camp at the end of the day. They're cheap and plentiful with most never seeing any duty harsher than dodging traffic along Rodeo Drive. What could be better to build a general purpose go anywhere 4x4 out of?

Not trying to be cool- I thought the " anybody have an opinion" title for his post was stupid. Post titles should elude to the content of the post shouldn't they. Plus it sounds as if he knows what he wants already and is just looking to be jacked by all of you. Yes I am the six post newbie dick!!!!:barf: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

I'm not sure where you are, but have you thought about using a Scout II frame? Up here in the Northeast, you can pick up scouts with very rusty bodies for $200. That will also get you the D44 f/r. I also think that the drivetrane out of a late 70's Ford F150 would be great (360 or 460 with a T18) and then put any body on that you want, or just a roll cage for the woods buggy look. Just some thoughts.....

Actually no, I hadn't thought about the scout frame idea.

I was looking at the jeep frame with chevy axle idea because I believe the axles on a chevy area about 4" longer than a jeep which would give me a wider wheelbase and there's a bigger aftermarket for jeep, making things easier to find and less expensive.

Use a YJ frame, fully boxed and way easier to find than a good CJ frame, plus, you only ahve to move the front springs out 1/2" on each side to bolt up those Chevy axles. I'd use a Corp 10 bolt front axle, very similar to Dana 44, but easier to get and easier to work on, you don't have to take the ring gear off to get the spider's and side gears out. Rear axle with lockouts? why? run a 14 bolt and pull the shafts and bolt up dummies when you flat tow, or buy the $$$Warn$$$ stuff for a lesser axle. If you want the same track width and not the big pig of a 14 bolt, look for a J-truck 44 rear, same 66" track as chevy, and 6 lug, unless you were thinking 8-lug, but not necessary with a 6cyl engine. I try to match my lug nuts with the number of cylinders, but I can't get 4-lug axles for my Jeep.

Whats the best way to line up the springs with the perches on a YJ+Chevy axle combo?

Move the springs out or move the perches in?

It would seem to me that moving the perches in would be easier, but I honestly don't know.

Which is better and why?