cj axle options

[djk69]

if you had a choice of swapping scout axles or waggy axles into a cj7 what would you pick and why? is one stronger than the other? or would you build the stock D30/amc 20 setup? all this on a budget?? im running 35's on the stoch 30/20 combo, 3.31 gears in a jeep that is both driven on the street and the trail. i know i have to re-gear no matter what axle i choose, what gear radio would work best, 4.10 or 4.56 or something else?

[LucasFury]

You're gonna spend money regardless. If you're sticking with 35's, just upgrade what you have, otherwise skip all the nonsense and go as big as you think you would ever want to. The AMC20 after some work is a better axle than the Waggy or Scout D44 and you won't have to change anything to make it fit.

New shafts front and rear(including one-piece's for the 20,) truss and weld the tubes on the 20, regear, and done. It'll do fine on 35's. You're lucky you don't have to deal with the carrier break issue, my CJ has 2.73 gears...

[Mr.N]

I'd go waggy

[cdub0451]

Some waggys came with both D44's. Some have the amc20 as the rear. The 20 that came with the waggys have one piece axles in them already. I've been running that setup for a couple of years now and have broke the 44 twice and I haven't had a problem with the 20 yet. I'm running 35's also.

[MonsterSeven]

why are you limiting yourself to only the scout or the wag? are you trying to keep your same lug pattern? some other choices to look under are other IH pickup trucks or J trucks. both can be found with dana 60 rears.
and IIRC, old school dodge trucks had 44s under them in the pass/center setup.

[djk69]

the axle choices i have available to me in my aera are scout 44's, waggy 44's or rebuild my d30 and amc 20. id like to keep the cj lug pattern so i dont have to buy new wheels

[oldjeep]

The scout axles have pretty thin tubes, long goofy steering arms on the knuckles and the front D44 uses the small CJ D30 sized hubs, stubs and lockouts.

I'd go with the wagoneer stuff

[elarsen]

Originally Posted by oldjeep

The scout axles have pretty thin tubes, long goofy steering arms on the knuckles and the front D44 uses the small CJ D30 sized hubs, stubs and lockouts.

I'd go with the wagoneer stuff

Not to mention waggy axles have better caster. 8 bolt spindles on scout stuff is also a pita.

[My1stNiceJeep]

Put a set of 1piece axles in the 20.Weld the tubes.Regear them.It will be the easiest and cheapest solution.If you decide to keep the stock axles I have a set of 4.10s for them.PM me if interested.

[djk69]

ok to recap... my options are now...

scout 44's
waggy 44's
rebuild the 30/20 combo

now, i also have a lead on some 44's out of a j truck. can anyone tell me more about the j truck axles as far as installation? bolt in or mods required? caster on the front or needs to be changed?

[krb]

Originally Posted by djk69

ok to recap... my options are now...
rebuild the 30/20 combo

Dont waste your time or money on that option!

[LCAC_Man]

Are you staying SUA? What kind of power are you making?

[djk69]

staying sprung under. power wise isnt much... got a 258 tith a t-5 and a dana 300. current axles are 30 in the front and 20 in the rear with 3.31's./ tires are 35's

[LCAC_Man]

Then I'd go with the waggy front, I wouldn't bother with the rear swap if you're only looking to go to a 44, truss up the 20 and put in one piece axles...

[oldjeep]

Even the front CJ D30 would be fine. Swap on some chevy D44 knuckles, spindles with the Ford hubs and call it good.

[ToyotaJeep]

The J trucks will be too wide.

The Scouts have issues that have already been covered.

I have Wagoneer axles under mine. You can get a 70's model front 44, and an 87-91 rear which is a centered 44. Main issue here is the fact that you will now have 6 lug wheels. Not a problem for me, but it may be for you.

Or just fix yours. I used to run a CJ with the stocker axles with a healthy V8 and 35's. It was fine, but........I wasn't hopping on rocks all weekend either. Mud and snow it was fine.

Rob

[krb]

Originally Posted by oldjeep

Even the front CJ D30 would be fine.

35's on a D30 = fine?I dont think so.
OK,maybe on pavement only.

[oldjeep]

Originally Posted by krb

35's on a D30 = fine?I dont think so.
OK,maybe on pavement only.

LOL A CJ D30 is pretty strong and if you swap the outters with D44 stuff then it's nearly as strong as a 44. You'll still be breaking Chev 44 stubs before you take out an inner 30 shaft at the splines. Set of alloy axles and it'll be a real good axle.

And I run 35's on a YJ D30 - not on the pavement

[krb]

Originally Posted by oldjeep

LOL A CJ D30 is pretty strong and if you swap the outters with D44 stuff then it's nearly as strong as a 44.

Theres no way i can agree with you.
I had the D30 on my CJ.Built it up with an OX and Warn axles and 33's/35's only to have the tubes bend like the Model 20 and whats happening to the JK 44's.
No jumping,just crawling.

[Jeepy1981cj]

By the sounds of things here, I'd look at waggy 44's.

I have scout 44's on my old cj and the caster needs to be addressed, I didn't and steering sucked. Also bent the front axle tube breaking though ice at slow speeds. The steering linkages are funky on them too and the pass front spring location is a PITA.

[ToyotaJeep]

I know the term Dana 30 is like an expletive. That being said, The Wagoneer 44's are a good swap and really not that hard to deal with.

I see few issues with them outside of bolt pattern and some mount moving.....

ROB

[djk69]

just an update...

this weekend i am getting a matched set of scout 44's free. guy just wants them out of his yard. so heres what im leaning to...

im going to use the scouts rear 44. trying to decide on the front. options ive thought of for the front are

use the scout front 44
find a waggy front 44 (is it possible to convert the front to the cj lug pattern?)

regear/reuse my dana 30 already in the jeep.

what would you do?

[no_bs]

Converting a 44 lug pattern is super easy, don't let that sway your decision.

[jsmith7364]

I always laugh at these discussion. One person says you can't do this, the next says you can. Neither believe the other and it just looks like a cat fight. START PULLING SOME HAIR DAMN IT ! ! ! !

ok, I agree that the D30 needs to be upgraded for extreme wheelin. I have a scout 44 in pieces at the moment with all of my parts ready to go on the rebuild just as soon as I set the caster and reweld the knuckles. But, since I purchased the CJ7 I have been running the stock D30, with 33's, then 35's and now 37's and have wheeled it most recently at the hammers without breaking it. It is not bent nor did I break any stubs or ujoints.

Don't get me wrong, I have not been abusing the driveline in the front becuase I know with V8 power and the situation when I become that "MORE HP IDIOT" it will break.

I will say that I have broke ujoints before, but only the 20+ year old ujoints from the factory.

I will add that I also have a lockrite in it (didn't want to put money into it knowing I was upgrading the front) with a Vortec 5.7 and 4L60E tranny. If it was a stick then all bets would be off. Too much shockload and stress that the auto does not have.

Personally I would not put a D44 in the rear of anything. Not when there are several other choices with one of them being abundant in almost every junkyard you visit.

A Explorer/Mountaineer 8.8 is a much better solution and you can get them cheap. Regearing them is easier than with the Dana products. IMO. Plus with this you get disc brakes in the rear. It is a little wider (59.75" if I remember correctly). But that really isn't a problem as both of the front choices that you are looking at are wider than the stock 54" on the wide tracks. The 8.8 has one downfall with relation to the carrier housing and tubes. They need to be welded solid as some people have reported spinning the tubes. But since you will already have the welder out to put on the spring perches just weld a little more and it is done.

The 8.8 in the junkyards are about $225 and I found mine at the quarterly 1/2 weekend for 100 bucks.

If you take a good look at the D30, D44 and 8.8 pinion gear side by side for a set of 4.56's you won't have any problems making the choice.

The stock gears for the 8.8 with explorers are 3.73's and with the mountaineers they are 4.10's

They are great, cheap upgrades for the axles that upgrade your brakes as well.

Some guys will argue that the 8.8 has a C-clip. Yep it sure does. but with disc brakes, the axles cant come out anyway. And you can alway eventually do what I did with the Super 88 kit that eliminates the C-clip and gives you 33% stronger axles than stock and the ability for 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern.

There are too many choices out there that can be considered. Cheap and available is always the main concern, but so is strength and only having to do it once.

A D60 and Ford 9 would be overkill unless you were going wild with the engine, driveline, and tire combo.

The Scout front D44 has 0 degrees caster. You need about 5-7 so the knuckles need to be pulled off and turned. The Waggy is 6 on 5.5 and wider than the scout.

Just my 2 cents.

[cweed]

I have an 84 CJ7 with 35's and the D30 in the front with an OX and the AMC 20 in the rear. Both are built with the Warn chromo's int he front and Mosier in the rear. The 20's tubes ate welded and it's trussed. Both have served me well. I did break a rear axle shfat a dew weeks ago but the wheel was underneath a rock ledge that provide contact over 180 degrees around the tire.

You will spend $2,500 building building up each axle if you stay wit them. I think it is worth doing that if you plan to stay with 35" tires. If you plane to go bigger or are looking for grear lower than 4.88:1 then change to the 44's.

Myself I have a set of 1-tons I am swapping into mine for the wider foot print and stronger axle. I plant to go to 37's.

I have already been offered $3,000 for my set up when I change them out, yup a $2,000 loss over the three years I have wheeled them, but I never had to worry about anything on the trail.

Best advice, do what your budget can handle and keeping wheeling until you can afford or trade for more.