Just bought my first Jeep... few questions

[shimniok]

I went to pick up the Jeep tonight and the weather here is simply not cooperating (Colorado). Here are my questions. What is up with the front axle? It appears to be a Dana 44 driver side drop, ...

It's a Dana 44, open knuckle, yes. That's the case for all FSJs 1974-1991.

Also, there seems to be a shortage of FSJ forums out there that are actually helpful. This one appears to be one of the better ones I've found.

Well, it's not a forum, but there's a mailing list / club right in your backyard that FSJ Guy mentioned, the Colo. FSJ Assoc. http://www.cfsja.org/ is the website and it has a link for subscribing to the mailing list. I think most of us on that list would love to hear more about the 4BT swap.

We're planning a M&G in Castle Rock on the 13th, you should come down and meet some of the crew.

I'm just looking for some info about the Axle setup. It appears to have auto locking hubs because there is no selector on the outer hubs. Is this right?

I've heard them called drive flanges. They're basically solid metal chunks with splines inside and out that keep the hubs engaged always (for shift on the fly). It is a cake walk to swap in manual hubs. Scour the junkyards like pull-n-save or Colo Auto Parts for other FSJs or 1/2T D44 front with hubs in 'em.

I'd love to see/hear more of diesel conversions. I have toyed in my head with the idea of running a 6.2L someday only because it weighs in the ballpark of the AMC motor. Didn't know the BT was 100# heavier. I'd be concerned about emissions issues with that one (isn't it purely a fleet truck motor?) I don't want to have to extensively re-engineer to safely run an 1100# motor.

I'm wondering what kind of reasonable power one could expect... is there a junkyard (cheap) solution to getting turbo on either or both? To make it worthwhile I'd need to be getting 20-25mpg hwy, and have enough power to make the I-70 climbs cruising at 65-75 hwy speed. I figured it out and I am probably geared perfectly for a diesel if I upgrade to 35's.

For custom springs, Alcan comes up time and again... but for an extra 100# I dunno? I'd just run regular 4" lift kit. You can get away with 33's and 4" if you're willing to trim a bit in back. More info on cfsja website under Tech, there's a lift kit article.

Sounds like you got quite a deal.

Hope all my rambling is helpful...

Michael