Yet another Waggy axle swap thread!

I've spent countless hours over the past few weeks researching threads here and sources on the web to get more info before I pull the trigger and drag a donor vehicle home. There are a few things that I am not totally clear on and hope someone with hands-on experience and/or knowledge of this swap can clear up for me.

1. What year Wagoneers used the offset pumpkin in the rear D44 '76-79 or '74-'79?

2. Did all the '74-'79 Wagoneers come with the D44's front & rear.

3. Were all the '74-'79 Quadratrac?

4. Is it correct that The Cherokee Chief was a wide track axle and the regular Cherokee a narrow track....Seems to be some conflicting information out there.

Thanks in advance!


Joe

 

1) they were all offset to a certain extent. The quadratrac models were more offset to the passenger side than the non-quadratrack models.

2) Yes, but many if not all the '74 models were drum brake. Not sure exactly when the switchover happened but I believe '75 was the first year of disc. I know '76 were disc.

3) No. Some used the TH-400 and model 20 transfer case and some had the BW-T-18 and 20 transfer case.

4) I've seen the Cherokee Chief as wide track and narrow track and I've seen the regular Cherokee as both as well. I didn't believe it for years until I saw it with my own two eyes. You can typically tell the wide track if still in the vehicle by the metal flares built into the body. The narrow track didn't have those typically.

 

Thank you!!

 

What Nick writes is generally but not entirely correct.

In the 1974 to 1979 era, all the Jeep wagons came with an open knuckle Dana 44 front axle and a flanged Dana 44 rear axle, with 6 lugs. The J-10s in this era also came with Dana 44s, but with different track widths. J-20s used the HD D44 front, D60 rear, 8 lug; same track width and offsets as the J-10s.

There are two track widths for the wagons. The narrow track (NT) is the Wagoneer and NT Cherokee (both 2-door and 4-door). The wide track (WT) wagon is the Cherokee Chief. There is also a Cherokee "S" that people often mistake for a Cherokee Chief, since it has a badge with an Indian head silhouette that looks like it should be a "chief." All Chiefs have wide flares, wide axles, and the distinctive black cut-out graphics that say "Cherokee Chief."

The WT Cherk has the same front axle as the J10 pickup truck, but with different knuckles that make the front track of the J10 and WT Cherk different. The rear axle of the J10 pickup is wider than the rear of the WT Cherk, by a few inches.

All of these vehicles ('74-79) could be equipped with manual transmissions (the Borg-Warner T-15 3-speed or T-18 4-speed) or the TH400 automatic. All manual transmission vehicles used the Dana 20 transfer case and a (relatively) centered rear axle. In '73, the wagons had the option of a D20 or the new-for-'73 Quadratrac. From 1974 on, all wagons with a TH400 got the Quadratrac. The D20 was available for a while longer in the trucks, but most TH400 trucks after 1974 got the Quadratrac, and all did by the late '70s.

In my experience, very few of these vehicles after 1973 had drum brakes. Almost all the 6-lug wagons and J-trucks you will find will have front disk brakes. Drums were available '74-76, but most buyers chose disks.

For a CJ, the most suitable axles are from the NT vehicles.

hth!

 

I think my brain just caught fire!

 

What about a '72 Waggy?
If I got a good enough buy would it warrant the time & $$ to switch the front spindles out for disc brakes?...Is that swap possible using later model D44 parts?
Any other disadvantages to going with a early '70's Waggy??

Thanks,
Joe

 

A '72 will have a closed-knuckle Dana 30 front axle and drum brakes.

Weak, obsolete. Pass.

 

10-4 guys. However this guy doesn't sound like he really knows for sure what he has and it's close enough that I think I will at least make the trip out & look it over myself to be sure I'm not passing on one I could use.

Thanks for the help!

Joe

 

Remember that the desirable open knuckle axles on Wagoneers have 6 lugs. The closed knuckle axles are 5 lugs. You can tell at a glance, or you could ask the seller.

 

Good info., Thanks! I already asked the seller but I'm not sure he can count that high ( he might be missing a couple fingers? ) I'll be checking it myself this weekend.

Thanks again,
Joe