too much horsepower take II

Can anyone could ballpark, in their opinion, where you are at the point of diminishing returns for horsepower? At what point, considering that it is driven intelligently, would you consider that a vehicle with an sm420/Dana 20/3.54 gearing will have too much horsepower?

 

Guess I'm just a power junky. My definition of too much is when you start breaking stuff off idle. Biggest factors will be tire size, weight, and driving style. Well built 44's and your combo should have no problem with 400 if you keep to less than 35's and do not get carried away with the skinny. It is really nice having 200 ft lbs plus at 1000 rpm, something you usually only get with some reasonably big displacement.
That said, with big enough tires and really low gears, you can probably break anything with a 4 cylinder. Sort of like using a Snap-On 1" drive torque multiplier with your 1/4 drive sockets.

 

I would say that if you have some well build dana 44 axles, the weakest link in that drivetrain would be the transfer case outputs. I am not sure what the stock dana 20 outputs are rated for but I know that you can get a big 32 spline upgrade for the rear output.

 

Here's the specs copied and pasted:
- SM420, Dana 20
- Dana 30 front, AMC 20 rear both with ARB lockers and disc brakes
- Yj seats
- heater
- tilt steering
- power steering conversion
- new Best top Tiger top and doors still in box
- Warn 8274

So not the strongest axles, and lockers to boot. I'm looking for the hp more for the road...with the 34" Narrow SS Super Swampers, it idles through a lot of stuff.

 

Let's say it's a 1979 CJ5....cause that is what the 1948 Willys CJ2A body is sitting on.

 

I must have missed something. What motor?

 

forget hp, torque is where it's at unless your in the sand.run a Olds 455.

 

Depends where and how you jeep.

In my case, anything more than a four banger is at a disadvantage due to excess weight. About 72 HP is just right, strangely enough.

 

:iagree:

V6 oddfire weighs less too.

 

I'm looking at a 4.1 Buick V6 to replace the 3.8. My terrain is normally the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, but it is usually 1-3hrs drive highway. Trailering is not an option, as I don't have room for one. Everyone drives fast up here, so I need to keep it to a safe speed instead of being underpowered. So I am looking at highway driveability as the major factor....the sm420 works well offroad, and I am going to try and do a Bronco/Jeep Dana 20 mod with the Dana 18 gears for even lower.



500hp is too much...but it'd be nice to get more than 125. I hope I am making some sense here. :?

 

I just knew you guys would say that about the weight of an F-head....

 

Helps keep the nose down. lol

 

Here she is:

 

Well I've managed to snap driveshafts and blow up D44 spider gears with a stock 304 v8 through a 3 speed trans backed by a tera-low'd t-case (about 150hp net). I can't see needing more power than that old AMC throws out unless you are doing gigantic hills, running mud, or sand dunes.