Axle questions!

[The_Turd]

Ok... I have access to the F & R axles out of a 77 Dodge Power Wagon which I believe are D44 and D60 8 lug. The truck has full-time 4wd and of course with that being said, no manual hubs.

Since my Jeep has manual hubs in it now with a D20 t-case, would all I need to do is bolt some new manual hubs on the Dodge axles and then i'll be set for part-time 4wd??? Or is there some other conversion that i'll need to do?

From what I read, if your using the stock Dodge 203 t-case with the Dodge axles, you'll need to do a conversion at the t-case along with the hubs, but since mines already part-time, I dont need this, correct?

And the reason i'm doin this is b/c i busted the shaft that holds the spiders in place in my front axle and dont feel confident enough to repair myself, and dont have the money to have someone fix it.

So, basically, what will it take to make full-time axles fit in a already part-time Jeep??

Any help is appreciated!!

Devin

[Blue & Gray]

With that generation of Dodge front axle your looking at Unit Drive Bearing I think. These are sorta peculiar is some ways and require some converting at the knuckle to make it act more like a standard D44. It's been a few years since I messed with one, and that one was a half ton variant of the species. For dodge tech you could always check out www.powerwagonadvertiser.com (http://www.powerwagonadvertiser.com). Read The Philosphy section, He is an incredible writer.


Thats a lot of axle swapping, tire swapping and grunt work for a spanked front end. I think I would be looking for tech that gets you comfortable with fixing the busted front end. Someone here probably has the part you need and no doubt someone here has done the repair. Pictures will help you greatly in getting it fixed right the first time. Measure those Dodge Axles and measure yours, your dealing with a Narrow track Body and the cost could run pretty high if your looking at an Spring Over just to keep the tires out of your sheetmetal. Either way your fabbing something somewhere, driveshafts, steering and what not.

[The_Turd]

Thanks for the reply!

I will check out that link!

And some more info as to why I want to use those dodge axles... Well we currently have the whole truck here... We were gonna use it as a tow rig for our 5th wheel but it has came very unreliable so we bought a 02 Chev duramax to take on that challenge. We tried selling the dodge just to get it out of the driveway but no bites at all. So I figured the next resort as I need to do something with the Jeep, and I have a 100% complete dodge drivetrain. The axles, brakes, steering all function properly. I was thinking about this swap with the intention to use whatever i needed from the dodge to accomplish what i need. I figured I would still need driveline work. The dodge is already sprung over but i'm prepared to move the perches to fit the jeep. I'm not too worried about cutting sheet metal as that was one of my original intentions to fit the biggest tire I could, safely.

So back to the Jeeps busted axle... I really dont mind trying to fix whats wrong now. I believe I could get away with just fixing that pin in there but im not sure how much longer the R&P are gonna be good. They still looked ok, the pinion had one tooth that had a decent chunk out of it but there was still probably about 85%+ of that left.

So, thats my dilemma.... I want to lift the Jeep, SOA preferred, and I have a good chunk of parts to start off with at the moment with the dodge. And since we cant seem to sell the dodge, i decided to use it as my donor... :confused:

So with that being said.... Im still confused. I dont want this dodge anymore and I want my Jeep 4wd worthy for winter....

Thanks again for your reply!

Devin

[PavementPounder]

Since my Jeep has manual hubs in it now with a D20 t-case, would all I need to do is bolt some new manual hubs on the Dodge axles and then i'll be set for part-time 4wd??? Or is there some other conversion that i'll need to do?

<snip>

So, basically, what will it take to make full-time axles fit (work) in a already part-time Jeep??

Edit: Addressing the functionality, not the fit.


Technically, nothing. Adding lockouts is not required at all if you have a part-time case. It'll be no different than a TJ, non-disco XJ, or any non-disco Ram. The front axle will be live and will always spin as it rolls down the road, but it won't be driven by the D20.

Lockouts can be installed if you don't want this to happen (in the interest of reducing rolling resistance, saving wear, and/or saving gas), or have a non-selectable traction device that won't play well on ice, or a welded front diff.

If you have a unit bearing axle, I would just leave it as-is. Converting to spindles/wheel-bearings for lockouts is possible, but not easy or cheap. The Dodge Tech Forum on Pirate shows some good solutions, but many are D60-specific, such as swapping on complete 97-down Ford ball-joint, spindle/wheel bearing D60 outers onto Dodge D60's. I believe I've also seen people redrilling the Ford spindles for the 4-bolt Dodge unit bearing bolt pattern so as to not disturb the factory Dodge knuckle & steering geometry.

A D44 is a D44 as far as ball joints go, so I imagine you could do the same if you found a donor D44 with the right configuration and lug pattern.

[Blue & Gray]

I see the temptation of a good donor vehicle that has it's bits and peices in place and ready to harvest. I faced a similar temptation with similar on hand goodies , an 8 lug 10 bolt and 14 bolt to swap in my cherokee. I went pretty far into it, removed and sold my front axle etc. I had a personal change of heart on the matter, I was throwing so many chevy parts at my jeep it might as well have been the K5 I traded for it. I figured after awhile I wouldn't have much of the Jeep I had driven for so long left. I went back to stock Jeep up front and sold the axles to some chevy guy.


You can do the spring over on your axles just the same. There's so much tech on here for that you'll be reading for years. What I think the main deal is how much cutting and lifting you'd be doing to fit those axles.


By the way it sounds like very sweet Cherokee you have there. I'd love a manual in a 4 door.

[The_Turd]

Ya i wouldnt mind just doin a SOA using the stock parts now... and ive done tons of research of whats involved... the only thing that really held me back was the steering (xover or hi steer) and divelines... it wouldnt be so bad if i had flat tops already, but those arent cheap. the hi steer arms arent cheap either, but i think i can have a buddy fab some up as well as driveline work... The Dodge already has flattops, and i dont think i will be doing anymore cutting then if i were to use the stock axles with SOA... I plan on using the stock springs from the jeep as well and then buying Tad's shackle reversal for the rear.... I honestly think it'll be a "relitively" smooth swap to get the axles in and mounted. Yes the steering and axles will be another task but between the 2 rigs and my buddies offering to help with the steering and drivelines i should be ok... Im ok with cleanly cutting the fenders to fit a decent size tire...

Also, I wouldnt be so motivated to use this parts truck, but I WANT to do something with me jeep (SOA) and altho the front axle isnt much of an upgrade, but the rear is. If I could sell the truck i wouldnt be thinkin about this swap (as we dont need this truck at all, its just taking up space and being an eye sore) but we've had it for sale for about a month now and NO takers at all..... We NEED to get rid of it and this is the only way i can really get it outta my hair... Parting it.

Thanks for the props! I REALLY dig my Jeep. The 4 door is just sweet, and i love me a manual trans! :drivin: I just want it to be about 7 inches taller... and then i MAY be happy..... :rolleyes:

Devin

[Blue & Gray]

It's pretty hard to beat that cross over knuckle at BJ's Offroad. Tads perches are very sweet making it the whole deal go pretty quick and relatively easy. With a mild SOA it looks like you swap the knuckle and be in b'ness with minimal fab work.


That dodge axle steers off the drivers knuckle if I recall, like a chevy.

[J10Mike]

To the best of my knowledge, the Powerwagon of those years were 1/2 ton.
I wouldn't do the unit bearing D44 either. I just pulled mine and swapped in a pair of D60s off a 1 ton 78 Dodge. The Dodge boys are swapping in the axles from the 80 thru 85 RCs and trucks. The rear is the ChryCo 9.25 and a front D44 with real spindles and locking hubs. In 86, Dodge went to a CAD D44...Not as desirable.