project full width
#91
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
From: Hollidaysburg, PA
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
just another update... so this whole last week all i got done was getting two of my wheels on. since the front end isnt done yet i am at a stalemate. but i did order a few parts. o and another thing i found out... i was just sitting around and decided to type in the BOM# from my dana 60 just for $hits and giggles. it came up as a 1986 Dana 61.... now if anyone knows much about a dana 61 they will know that it isnt to favorable. but i may make it work.
a dana 61 is the same as a standard dana 60. except the pinion is offset to allow for taller gears (2.somethin). so the problem is that it is harder to find gears and lockers for this type of axle. BUT... you can get a ring gear spacer for the carrier to allow you to run lower gears like the 4.88s i am going to run. the other benefits to the 61 is that the axle tubes are much thicker than the 60 tubes and the spindles are bigger so i can easily fit a 35 spline dana 60 shaft in it. now here is where i am stuck... do i ditch the 61 and find a rear 60 to make things easier? or do i keep the 61 and use a ring gear spacer and upgrade my detriot to 35 spline (only $50 more) and get alloy 35 spline shafts and run it that way?
hmmmm.... much more pondering and research to do.....
a dana 61 is the same as a standard dana 60. except the pinion is offset to allow for taller gears (2.somethin). so the problem is that it is harder to find gears and lockers for this type of axle. BUT... you can get a ring gear spacer for the carrier to allow you to run lower gears like the 4.88s i am going to run. the other benefits to the 61 is that the axle tubes are much thicker than the 60 tubes and the spindles are bigger so i can easily fit a 35 spline dana 60 shaft in it. now here is where i am stuck... do i ditch the 61 and find a rear 60 to make things easier? or do i keep the 61 and use a ring gear spacer and upgrade my detriot to 35 spline (only $50 more) and get alloy 35 spline shafts and run it that way?
hmmmm.... much more pondering and research to do.....
#98
when i get this done you should come on a run with us
havent really gotten anything done in a week or so. picking up the front 44 today so i will take some pictures tonight after its painted and might throw it under the jeep too.
#100
made some progess today! but no pictures yet.
so a good friend of mine donated a free rear HD Dana 60 to me today. a little covered in rust but nothing a wire wheel cant fix. plans for the 60 have changed once again... this time for sure. sticking with the 30 spline shafts for now and just sucking it up and getting the detroit.
picked up my front end finally. ARB and Nitro Gear 4.88s are now installed in it. got it home and put a quick coat of paint on it and bolted it up to the leaf springs. put the spindles back on and the caliper brackets. then realized i didnt have any grease to grease my wheel bearings so i called it a night. no pictures because it was too dark out. but tomorow i wil pick up some grease and try to get the hubs and rotors and brakes all on and have it sitting on wheels under its own weight!
so a good friend of mine donated a free rear HD Dana 60 to me today. a little covered in rust but nothing a wire wheel cant fix. plans for the 60 have changed once again... this time for sure. sticking with the 30 spline shafts for now and just sucking it up and getting the detroit.
picked up my front end finally. ARB and Nitro Gear 4.88s are now installed in it. got it home and put a quick coat of paint on it and bolted it up to the leaf springs. put the spindles back on and the caliper brackets. then realized i didnt have any grease to grease my wheel bearings so i called it a night. no pictures because it was too dark out. but tomorow i wil pick up some grease and try to get the hubs and rotors and brakes all on and have it sitting on wheels under its own weight!
#101
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Lewis, Wa
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
For as much as I see XJ dana 44's going for I might be able to fund a project like this just by selling mine. So for the front were you able to stick with your old t-case. And without narrowing it down will the axle sit where it needs to without any modifications. Like it wont sit to far to the drivers side or vice versa.
#102
I went to the PNW4WDA region 2 meeting thursday evening ;For you people going "full width" It sounds like the forrest service is making plans to redo some trails in Evans and Elbe back to the Original width they were designated to be .Starting this year during the work parties they have .That might be 74 inches.
#105
so got the front mounted up. its sitting on wheels for good now. no jack stands. just gotta fab up some steering and the front is done.
some pictures of how she sits and my chevy one ton tie rod ends sitting next to my crap ridge steering tie rod ends. they are pretty beefy!
some pictures of how she sits and my chevy one ton tie rod ends sitting next to my crap ridge steering tie rod ends. they are pretty beefy!