Axle / Lift / Flare Question.

Hello all,

I have the ability to get a good deal on a Dana 60 front and 14 bolt rear from a Chevy running lockers and 4.88 gears. With the 14B, I heard I need larger tires than what I was hoping to put in (was hoping 34" but will need 37" I was told). What do I need to know about the right amount of lift to clear it and what issues I will have with the lift?

I am building a 1982 CJ7 Jamboree and if I get these, I will do a coil conversion (not outboard, I will fabricate to make it straight) and the main purpose of the Jeep is to be a Sunday driver and a rock crawler. I have a T-18 and a Dana 300 as well as a 258 I6 (will upgrade to Chevy 350 in the future as my 10 year plan).

So, I guess my question is, with these axles on my CJ with the listed drivetrain, what lift do I need and what alterations would I make with such a lift?

Cheers

 

You probably won't need any lift as the tires will be so far outside of the body they won't rub anywhere on the fenders. The rest of the drive train sounds great, not too thrilled with the axle choice. In some cases, bigger isn't necessarily better. By the way, have you priced 37" tires lately? Just my opinion though and you know what they say about those.

 

$1,800 for 38 inchers with 14B rear w/locker and 60 front with locker all full floating and 4.88 gears.

 

That's a good deal, if that's what you want. What kind of lockers?

 

Gov-lok.

So, what would be the cons for this set up? I was originally looking for wagoneer dana 44's but stumbled across these...

 

You might want to Google Gov-Lok. It's not a true locker. It's more like the Electrac, a clutch based limited slip, not a true locker. There is a lot of info about them on the Net. Not much praise though. Just my .02, but I think it's better to have a plan for a build, then get the parts you want rather than base a build on "good deal" parts you run across. Unless you are doing mud or sand and need big horsepower the D60/14B is way overkill. For starters your I6 isn't really going to like those 38" tires, even with 4.88's In your first post you talked about going with 34" tires. Now because of the axles you are already up to 38's. It's a slippery slope from there. Waggy 44's would be a much better combo IMHO. Just my opinion though.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131278

 

I'm using a D44/D60 set up and I know a bit about putting full size axles under a CJ. Were it me, unless you wanted to run 37's and up, I'd stay with a set of D44's. If you want to run 33 or 34's, I'd be tempted to run the stock axles, built up.

Decide on what you want to do then build the jeep for that. And with that locker, don't think that is such a good deal. The front D60 is the only thing the axles have that is worth any money for me. If the tires are new or close to it, there is some value there as well. 14 bolts are inexpensive, all axles come with gears and the lockers add no value to me.

 

I intend to make it a rock crawler and occasional Sunday driver. It should be able to straight up the side of mount hood and play in the rocks or snow and make its way through Moab.

 

Hum i really don't like the set-up you're going on. Dana 60 is for 38 and more purpose, less than that it doesn't worth it.

Doing a coil suspension under the frame won't be good. You will lose a lot of stability and you won't be able to drive it on the road specaly is you're going to put 38". Outboard is the only sollution to me. I did a complete coil conversion, complete f/r dana 44 ou my 1975 cj5 and for having study the project a lot before i can say that outboarding the spring was the best upgrade i did to my jeep.

 

Dana 44s from what vehicle?

 

Ok guys, I have decided.

Dana 44 front from Wagoneer.
AMC 20 rear from Wagoneer.

Say what you want about the AMC 20 but they were one piece and thicker tubes in the Waggy so they are better.

 

I learn something every day on this site. I didn't know there was a Model 20 in a Wagoneer.

 

They are wider than the CJ AMC20 Wide Tracks and are a full one piece with thicker tubes. The only issue, Warn makes a full floater for narrow and wide track cj AMC 20's but not the Wagoneer. I will have to get with an engineer buddy over there and get a set uncut then machine it and spline it myself.

 

Warn has been out of the full floater conversion business for a lot of years. I'm curious about what spindles will work on a Model 20 as I've never heard of anyone full floating one. Although I'm sure anything can be done with enough time and money.

 

Yeah, all the full floater stuff I come across are old and I would have to special order it as a one time thing (according to my buddy over there) whether that is true or not, I don't know yet. As far as full floating my AMC20, With my CNC and MasterCAM, enough time and thinking, maybe I will be the first one.