Dana or AMC

[WIZZARD]

I am looking at buying a 79 wagoneer, it has a 360 engine that i shot but the tranny, and frot and rear is fine there is some other parts that are good. my question is how do i know if the rear is a AMC or a Dana if it is a Dana i would like to put it in my 81 honcho, but will it fit and should i replace both front and rear to keep it a pair, how can i tell what kind of tranny, sorry to ask dumb questions just started into jeeps
Thanks or any help
Wizard :confused:

[Bob Barry]

The axles on the '79 Wagoneer are both Dana 44's, but they would be a poor choice to replace your J-10's axles, for a couple reasons:

* The ratios may not match (until '79 Wags usually came with 3.08's, with 3.54's optional; after '80 the J-trucks usually came with either 2.73's or 3.31's)

* The axles are Narrow-track, significantly narrower than your pickup's.

* The front differential on the '79 is on the passenger-side, while the differential on your '81 is on the driver's-side, so you'd have to change the transmission and transfer case if you were to use the older front axle.

So overall the '79 would be a bad choice as a donor for your truck.

[Jeep Jeep]

The AMC differential will be completely round were as the Dana will not. As far as installing them in your Honcho. The wagoneer axles are narrower than your Honcho.

[WIZZARD]

Thanks for the info, I am in need of lower gears for my honcho prefer dana but i suppose i could try and find just the gears for my AMC 20, the man wants 250 for the truck but it does not run if any one could use it let me know, again thanks for the help, if anyone can help in the location of some gears let me know

The Wizard :rolleyes:

[scotty]

if youre lookin for new gears try at www.drivetraindirect.com (http://www.drivetraindirect.com) their prices are usually about the lowest.

alos wanted to interject that the amc 20 is a tough axle. the ring and pinion are much bigger than the 44(pinion,in fact is the same size as a dana 60) and a fsj allready has a 1 piece axle,which is the only thing people really complain about in a cj-the 2 piece axle design. ive known guys to beat the crap out of the 20 in a cj for years with aftermarket 1 piece shafts with up to 35 inch tires and small block chevys,and ive personally been wheelin my GW for about 3 years now with 38s and an amc 20. i recently swapped it for a 44,not becasue i was afraid to break it,but cause i wanted to use the widetrac offset 44 to match the offset rear on my spicer 18 xfer.

my $.02 anyway,i wouldnt worry bout the 20,and i wouldnt swap it for a 44,or even a 60,unless it wzs a full floating 60 with 35 spline axles...