Swapping Selectrac Dana 44 for QT Dana 44

[Schlagger]

I looked around the archives and could not find an answer to this particular problem. I have a '79 Cherokee Chief with Quadratrac, and an '84 Grand Wagoneer with Selec-trac. I have the vacuum operated front axle, and want to put the front QT Dana 44 from the Chief into the Waggy.

I realize that I will lose the 2wd option, but otherwise, is this possible? Do I also need to swap the t-case? The rear axle on the Waggy is an AMC 20, and I could swap the Dana 44 from the Chief if necessary.

Will the low range selector work the same?

Any advice would be welcome. Although I am newly registered, this site has helped me greatly in the past couple years. Thanks in advance for your help!

[incommando]

The first problem is that the "pumpkin" or differential from the '79 will be on the passenger side while it is on the driver's side on the '84. So you would need a pass. drop x-fer. As the Q-trac probably (?) won't bolt up to your current tranny, now you are talking tranny & x-fer to do that axle swap.

I believe that there is a cable kit to do away with the vacuum? I know there is for some of the disconnect axle options.

[Schlagger]

Is there a better choice of front axle I should look for, or should I just be happy with the vacuum operated one? It is currently working fine.

[incommando]

If it is working fine, I'd go with it. You would not be gaining any strength with the swap, and as one thing would lead to another, it would be quite involved. I also forgot to mention that most Cherokee axles are wider than Waggy axles, and you would also have the time/expense of re-gearing the '79 axle, as they are most likely different gears than your '84 has.

Just for hypothetical info sake: You would not lose the 2wd option mentioned in your first post if you did not change x-fers. All it would take would be lock-out hubs on a QT front axle, if it did not have them. The selector would not change as long as the x-fer did not change.

I am not sure about the "newer " FSJ's, and I do not know if any of the later axles ( '80 and up) would offer a better bolt-in replacement ( say driver's drop & lock-outs w/o axle disconnect).

[Schlagger]

Well, strength is all that matters I guess. I had a 4" lift and 1.5" shackles on the Chief (which is totally beat), and I just put that lift on the Waggy. The first thing that happened was that all 3 vacuum lines to the front 44 snapped when I dropped the jack. Oops!

I'm sure I am the very first person to ever do this!

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like its not worth the effort. I'll fix the vacuum lines and be happy with the rig.

While I'm at it, do you think I'll have a problem running 33x12.5s on the waggy with that setup? It was fine on the Chief but it has the widetrac axles.

[incommando]

Well, strength is all that matters I guess. I had a 4" lift and 1.5" shackles on the Chief (which is totally beat), and I just put that lift on the Waggy. The first thing that happened was that all 3 vacuum lines to the front 44 snapped when I dropped the jack. Oops!

I'm sure I am the very first person to ever do this!

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like its not worth the effort. I'll fix the vacuum lines and be happy with the rig.

While I'm at it, do you think I'll have a problem running 33x12.5s on the waggy with that setup? It was fine on the Chief but it has the widetrac axles.

IIRC, the Waggy might require a little more to run 33's. I'm sure that someone who knows will pop in eventually with the answer to that. Also, I am not sure what gears an '84 had. Your '79 was probably 3.54, but some of the latter years went to about 2.70 or so. You would sure feel a loss of power with 33's and that kind of ratio.

[Schlagger]

Grrrrrr. In that case, what about removing all the anti-smog crap? We have NO laws in New Mexico about that stuff, but from what I've read its not as easy as it might seem...

[joe]

Is there a better choice of front axle I should look for, or should I just be happy with the vacuum operated one? It is currently working fine.

I would leave it. It's a good axle. Granted more complicated than it needs to be but it's tough. The only trouble most folks have other than vac hoses going south (rubber hose does that after a couple decades) is the vacuum motor freezes up from corrosion. Main cause for that is just lack of use. Monthly or so switch it a few times to keep things working.

[armyfsj]

I had 33's on my 84 with a 4in lift and it rubbed bad eevn just driving on the street it would rub sometimes you could trim the fenders to help this I just went with some 32x11.5's and now there is no rubbing. As for gearing does your rig have the factory tow package if so then the gears should be the 3.31's they are fine with the 32 and were even ok with the 33's but if not then it should have come with 2.73's I think. Those were the only options for the later years.

[Schlagger]

Ok, good advice all around. I already have the 33s, so I'm going to try them. I also get the minimal lift from the shackles, so maybe thats enough to make it work. I'm worried about the rear shackle rubbing on the body crossmember right above it, so I'm thinking a 1" or 2" body lift will solve all the problems. Thoughts?

I will post pics later today with the lift is finished and the 33s are on.

Hey army-thanks for doing what you do so the rest of us can stay home and play with our jeeps. We all appreciate you.

[Dirtball]

You'll need another couple of inches to run 33s... you can do the two inch body lift, or you can do a one inch body lift (causes fewer hassles) combined with the one inch lift shackles and a one inch block in the rear... I don't imagine you'll be happy otherwise.

As always, YMMV...

[Stuka]

I have seen the front disco axles withstand abuse from 35's without any real issues. You can mod it so that its always locked if you wanted, and do away with the vacuum stuff. But no real point and swapping it. Unless you happen across an 80-82 or an 85-91 front axle to slap in with the same gearing and everything.

As for 33's, you can run them with a 4", but you need to cut at least 1.25" off the front and rear fenders. Even with a 6" a little trimming in back is needed.

[Schlagger]

OK, I'm new to this forum. The pic uploading is weird. Let me know if you can see this.

DSCF1474.jpg

I can tell immediately that I need to trim some of the body crossmember above the rear shackle. I guess I'll need to reinforce it somehow afterwards. Other that that, road ride is fine-no rubbing. No rubbing at full turns either.

I'm not real into the idea of trimming the fender flares. Do you think a little body lift will sove it?

[armyfsj]

Nice looking rig, A body lift will help some but then you will run ito haveing to extend shift linkage for the trans and t-case. The tires will still probably rub at full stuff though.

[KaiserMan]

Why do you need to trim some of the body cross member away? If you have the stock length shackle out back it should not ever touch the body. You didn't put the lift shackles on the rear springs did you?