axle swap, need help!

merkel25

New Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Location
ft. bragg
I have a 83cj7, I just got finished with my 350 swap and I blew apart the stock amc20 rearend. I need to do an upgrade but nolonger have the money. I am on a very tight budget and need to find something that is strong, has the same blot pattern, can be bolted right in, and what could be found in the junk yard. Any advise is more then helpfull, i just dont know what to be looking for. Thanks
 
8.8 out of a ford exporer? you would still have to do some fab work and possibly gears.
 
what did you blow up in the AMC 20 they are a strong axle I have one in my J10. I would get some inners from a Wagoneer and fix it untill you have some money. get some 1 piece axles and you should be good to go

Im running a SBC and 4.56 gears with a detroit
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
8.8 from explorer is a different pattern... F150 is the same, but wider...
I say 9" Ford or scout 44 as well... both are going to be wider then stock though...
Click to expand...
F150 is metric 5x135 mm wrong bolt pattern.

Scout is you best choice. Full size would be ford 9" & chevy d44 front with ford knuckels & outers. You could go waggy rear & change the bolt pattern to 5x 5.50 & waggy front with ford or scout outters. But would be a lot easier to get waggy axles & six lug rims to go with it.
 
Jeff B said:
F150 is metric 5x135 mm wrong bolt pattern.
Scout is you best choice. Full size would be ford 9" & chevy d44 front with ford knuckels & outers. You could go waggy rear & change the bolt pattern to 5x 5.50 & waggy front with ford or scout outters. But would be a lot easier to get waggy axles & six lug rims to go with it.
Click to expand...

8.8 in a pre-96 F150 is 5x5.5
 
On any of the axles recommended, would the leaf spring perchs line up or would I have to find someone to weld new perchs on? I know the 8.8 is the rearend of choice for most people on a budget, but I am just looking for something to bolt directly under to get it back on the road with minimal work. The amc20 already has the one piece axles, the gears were stock, the axle shafts didn't break, but tearing into it, thats about the only thing that wasn't messed up. Brakes were back too. Thats why for me, something I can directly bolt under to replace the amc 20 and the brakes at the same time works.
 
I got a Dana 60 rear that I cut into three pieces. I could weld it back up to the right width if wanted. I'll take $100 for the axle as is.
 
This may sound stupid but why don't you just put a 20 back in since you have the solid axles to put in it? I run a amc20/ARB/alloy axles and have had no trouble though I feel I need to truss it cause everyone I've talked to has said they are really stout axles since they have big ring gears but the tubes tend to flex. That would probably be you cheapest route.
 
You should get a dana 44 from 1986 cj7. They only put them in the cj7 for that year and it will bolt right in! They are kind of hard to find but worth it! :beer:
 
You said the shafts are not broken, so what is broken in the AMC20?

Are the gears broken?

Like others have said, it is a strong rear end if you upgrade to good quality one piece shafts, and truss the tubes to housing.
 
x3 on keeping the AMC20, especially if you already have upgraded shafts. My first one lasted plenty long, just wished I trussed it before I bent it.
 
Back
Top