[Arcticcat843]

Im bookmarking this thread, there is a TON of info here. Very nice build-up BTW

[Sierra Drifter]

Just a picture showing how it sits.
No drive shafts yet, cant even drive it out of the driveway yet.
BTW, thanks all.

[Sierra Drifter]

Driveshafts:

Both of my driveshafts had enough travel in the slip joints to work with the new axles. The front shaft is the original stock drive shaft. The rear is a Rubicon Express double cadan CV shaft that I installed with the RE 5.5 lift. However, the stock Dana 30 and Chrysler 8.25 axles both had spicer 1310 yokes. The Ford Dana 44 front has a 1330 yoke, and the Ford Dana 60 rear has a non-standard 1330 yoke (1 1/8 inch caps instead of 1 1/16). This meant that my stock drive shafts with thier 1310 u-joints would not work.

Replacing the yokes on the axles, or modifying the yokes on the driveshafts is expensive and funds are low.

So... I started looking into conversion u-joints. These are u-joints with different size oposing crosses and caps wich would allow a 1310 shaft to bolt up to a 1330 diff yoke.

This picture shows the 3 different size ujoints involved.


This picture shows the 2 conversion u-joints I need to use my stock drive shafts with the Ford axle yokes. Conversion u-joints have different size cap diameters, and/or different overall widths.


The first conversion u-joint, 1310 to 1330 is a standard u-joint made by spicer. The spicer part number is 5-134x. This u-joint is sold under various brands. I bought this one for the front drive shaft. The two parts of the cross have different overall widths. One side is 3 1/4" and the other side is 3 5/8".
Here is a picture of this u-joint installed on my front stock driveshaft. The horizontal part of the cross is wider then the verticle.



The second conversion u-joint for the Dana 60, I could not find. They are suposed to exist but I spent a good hour at a spicer distributor looking through thier books and could not locate one. However I was able to put one together by purchasing 2 different spicer u-joints. I started with the same conversion u-joint that I used in front, 5-134x. I also purchased a 5-1201x. The 5-1201x has the 1 1/8 caps that I needed, and the 5-134x had the different cross widths I needed. So, I simply swaped caps on the wider cross and I had the conversion u-joint that I needed. I don't know why Ford felt the need to use a non-standard ujoint. In any case I now have both of my original driveshafts installed and this is way more than you ever wanted to know about u-joints.

Now I just need to put Gear Oil in the diffs, bleed the brakes, align the front end, and my XJ is driveable! (I hope)

[Sierra Drifter]

It's been about a month since I finished the axle swaps and I thought I would update this thread with some of the issues I've discovered, and changes I've made. I purchased a steering stabilizer with hardware that attaches to a high steer setup.


Also, I purchased and installed a JKS track bar relocation bracket and moved the axle end of the track bar up parallel to the drag link. Here is a picture of the old track bar location.


And here it is with the new mount and the new stabilizer installed.


My bumpsteer has been eliminated, and the steering stabilizer makes the steering feel much better. I had to cut and shorten my track bar as it was too long for the new bracket. I was a littel nervous about my welding skills on the track bar, but it held-up just fine.

I also replaced my old crappy Rancho RS5000 shocks with some cheap soft Monroe Sensatrac gas shocks. The on-road ride is much better. Next thing I did was to get rid of these 1.5" inch lift blocks in the back. It was a bad idea, and I really didn't need that much lift.



Blocks gone for good. I also installed some 2 degree shims, as the pinion was a little too high.

[murrayman23]

holy **** ...this thing is intense ......keep it coming

[Sierra Drifter]

Removing the blocks and lowering the rear caused the tires to be too close to the front part of the wheel well. The leaf spring perches that I am using include three center-pin holes so that the axle could be moved forward or backward 1 inch. I moved the axle backward one inch to provide more clearance. Then I cut and folded the rear quarter panel and trimmed the Bushwacker flare.

My rear quarter panels looked pretty bad. Part of the stock bumper corner was still attached, the bottom was beat up from hitting rocks, and now it was to close to the tire and the flares would rub if left like this.


Here is a picture after I cut and folded the quarter panel.
I'm going to trim the Bushwacker flare a little more.


Other issues that I've come across:
Replaced leaky rear pinion seal that was only a week old.
I can not lift my spare tire up onto the roof rack by myself.
When I loaded everything for a weekend of wheeling and camping I discovered that the XJ felt top heavy.
I'm going to move the spare off the roof and onto a rear bumper. I need a rear bumper anyway. I'm also going to re-install my front sway bar and lower the front by 3/4 inch. That should be all I need to do to dial in the suspension.
Next I need to install the TnT frame stiffners and the TnT Y-link long arm kit.

Niagara Rim trail head. First real wheeling trip since the axle swap. The rig worked well, no issues other than a little rubbing on the rear flares.

[Shoobie]

Amazing.

[sundevilkid]

Thank you so much for doing this. I almost begun thinking to myself, I'd really like to switch over to a full width set of axles... then I read this. And thought. Wow I really don't want to do that. Thank you for living my dream for me at least.

Oh and I also wanted to see what 17's looked like on a Jeep....

one word:

Sick!

[jeepjack1995]

dig it. it helps alot.

[Sierra Drifter]

Nice job dad!

[dragginwagon406]

Great contribution to the site and that is one stout XJ. I didn't see it anywhere in your posts, but did you do a before and after of outside to outside tire dimensions?

[Sierra Drifter]

Originally Posted by dragginwagon406

Great contribution to the site and that is one stout XJ. I didn't see it anywhere in your posts, but did you do a before and after of outside to outside tire dimensions?

Thanks. Outside of tire to outside of tire before the axles swap was 73 inches. That was with 35x12.50 Nitto treagrappler all terains on 3.75 back spaced wheels. The Nitto tires have a very square profile and are acutally wider than the 37x12.50 Goodyear MTRS. After the the axle swap the measurement is 80.5 inches outside tire to outside tire measured and the tread blocks, not a the sidwall buldge. So I gained about 7.5 inches in width and about 1.75 inches in height.

[bmyohn]

ive been waiting for this thread to pop back up

did u ever get the TnT kit together??

[NickThePyro]

Nice thread and beautiful jeep! I have a RE 5.5 short arm like it said you have and you actualy fit 37's under it? What all did you do besides bushwackers?

[JohnnyX]

Originally Posted by Sierra Drifter

Just a picture showing how it sits.
No drive shafts yet, cant even drive it out of the driveway yet.
BTW, thanks all.

i hate you haha