White Elephant
07-06-2001, 06:19 AM
I'm new to the board, though I've been checking out the web site for couple of years. Haven't needed much help 'til now!
As a quick fix to take care of many issues all at once, I've decided to undertake axle swaps on my '66 Wag. These issues include: perpetual brake problems, front drum brakes, the wimpy D27 front axle, 3.31 stock gearing, and a slightly bent right-rear axle shaft. With all the money I've spent on brakes alone, and will probably continue to spend, it's probably more cost effective to do a complete axle swap anyway.
So, I found a ’78 Cherokee with front and rear D44’s, front discs, and 3.54 gears. However as you all may well know, the Cherokee axles are wider than the Wagoneers. But- and this is very strange- the rear axle from this thing is the narrower Wag size. It looks like a replacement and I figure that, for whatever reason, the guy swapped it out with the wrong axle, then used wheel spacers or deep-offset rims.
So at this point I’m in a quandary about my next move. I’m appealing to you guys for any input or ideas you might have. I got a good deal on these things, so I don’t feel too SOL yet. Depending on which direction I take I may also have some buying and selling to do, so let me know if any of you have something that may help, or if any of my various parts/ axles sound like something you need. I figure my options are:
1. Have the front D44 narrowed. Don’t know how tough a job this is with a front axle, nor how expensive.
2. Use the front D44 as-is, cut my fenders and add Cherokee fender flares, thus achieving a wider track, and owning a “Wagokee”, or a “Cheroneer”.
3. Sell these things and try again. I assume that there’s narrower D44’s for Wagoneers from the same era that have discs? How common are they? I was really hoping for something like 3.73 gears anyway, so maybe if I look harder I can find what I really want.
So what would YOU do??? Any and all comments, suggestions, solicitations and crackpot schemes are welcome.
Cheers,
Kevin
As a quick fix to take care of many issues all at once, I've decided to undertake axle swaps on my '66 Wag. These issues include: perpetual brake problems, front drum brakes, the wimpy D27 front axle, 3.31 stock gearing, and a slightly bent right-rear axle shaft. With all the money I've spent on brakes alone, and will probably continue to spend, it's probably more cost effective to do a complete axle swap anyway.
So, I found a ’78 Cherokee with front and rear D44’s, front discs, and 3.54 gears. However as you all may well know, the Cherokee axles are wider than the Wagoneers. But- and this is very strange- the rear axle from this thing is the narrower Wag size. It looks like a replacement and I figure that, for whatever reason, the guy swapped it out with the wrong axle, then used wheel spacers or deep-offset rims.
So at this point I’m in a quandary about my next move. I’m appealing to you guys for any input or ideas you might have. I got a good deal on these things, so I don’t feel too SOL yet. Depending on which direction I take I may also have some buying and selling to do, so let me know if any of you have something that may help, or if any of my various parts/ axles sound like something you need. I figure my options are:
1. Have the front D44 narrowed. Don’t know how tough a job this is with a front axle, nor how expensive.
2. Use the front D44 as-is, cut my fenders and add Cherokee fender flares, thus achieving a wider track, and owning a “Wagokee”, or a “Cheroneer”.
3. Sell these things and try again. I assume that there’s narrower D44’s for Wagoneers from the same era that have discs? How common are they? I was really hoping for something like 3.73 gears anyway, so maybe if I look harder I can find what I really want.
So what would YOU do??? Any and all comments, suggestions, solicitations and crackpot schemes are welcome.
Cheers,
Kevin