CJ5 Axles

matt1u2

New Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Location
florence,sc
I have a 77 cj5 stock drive train with a 304 and 3 speed drumb breaks at all four corners. I would like to upgrade to discs. I want to build to be able to do moderate trailing/crawling but still be able to drive it around town. I have installed a 1" body lift. It currently has 32x10.50. I plan on doing a lift with either suspension or SOA to run 33-35". But not till over the winter. My qustion.

I have a chance to purchase a wide track 30 with disc breaks for the front axle with 4.10 ratio. Also have an oppurtunity to purchase an 8.8 with disc and 4.10 for the rear.

I realize the bolt pattern is different on the 8.8 so I would have to get spacers to change pattern. Also the 8.8 is wider than the 30 so I would have to specer the front axle also.

I can get both axles for 225.00.

Am I correct in my thinking? Also, is this going to work and is it worth doing?
 
matt1u2 said:
I have a 77 cj5 stock drive train with a 304 and 3 speed drumb breaks at all four corners. I would like to upgrade to discs. I want to build to be able to do moderate trailing/crawling but still be able to drive it around town. I have installed a 1" body lift. It currently has 32x10.50. I plan on doing a lift with either suspension or SOA to run 33-35". But not till over the winter. My qustion.
I have a chance to purchase a wide track 30 with disc breaks for the front axle with 4.10 ratio. Also have an oppurtunity to purchase an 8.8 with disc and 4.10 for the rear.
I realize the bolt pattern is different on the 8.8 so I would have to get spacers to change pattern. Also the 8.8 is wider than the 30 so I would have to specer the front axle also.
I can get both axles for 225.00.
Am I correct in my thinking? Also, is this going to work and is it worth doing?
Click to expand...
You may have to outboard your front springs to use the wide track axle. When I converted my '76 I used an axle fron a '78 which already had disc brakes. Can't help you on the 8.8, but I'd probably use a 9".
 
you're gonna haveto run really thick spacers to equal the rear with spacers... Id recommend running an AMC20, or get an NT D44 with discs/spacers.... or narrowed 9" like Ray said...
 
Ray VanBuren said:
You may have to outboard your front springs to use the wide track axle. When I converted my '76 I used an axle fron a '78 which already had disc brakes. Can't help you on the 8.8, but I'd probably use a 9".
Click to expand...

huh? The widetrack should be direct bolt-in. I put widetrack CJ axles in my '77. For the front, you'll need the widetrack tierod and draglink.

Shock length might change up front since the mounting points are different; the widetrack has brackets welded to the axle tube whereas the narrow uses a stud on the U-bolt plate. CJ's with widetrack axles used the taller bolt-on upper shock mounts; with the narrow axles they got the little ~3" welded on version. I cut the narrow towers off my CJ and also cut the brackets off the axle tube, using the tall widetrack towers and lower U-bolt mouted points and ordered new shocks.

If you find a widetrack AMC20 for the rear, the hard brake lines will need to be longer. Instead of converting to discs, I just used the 11" drums from my '77 instead of the 10" drums on the widetrack.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
you're gonna haveto run really thick spacers to equal the rear with spacers... Id recommend running an AMC20, or get an NT D44 with discs/spacers.... or narrowed 9" like Ray said...
Click to expand...

I think he wanted to go with the 8.8 becasue he has access to one for a reasonable price and the gear ratio matches the wide track he found. I don't understand the spacer thing it looks like the wide track is about 3 inches narrower heck if that is a problem put 2" spacers in the front.

The extra width will only help with the stability of the jeep, if he doesn't like how far the tire sticks out he can change the back spacing on his wheels.

spring Wheel
width width
28" 53" '72-'81 Dana 30/CJ Narrow Track
28" 56" '82-'86 Dana 30/CJ Wide Track


8.8 width 59.5" wide (between wheel mounting surfaces),


The only major problem I see with the 8.8 is it is 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern, but if he has to buy spacers for the front any ways I would convert the front to 5 on 4.5.

By the way he is my brother and I will be the one helping him install this stuff so if there is an easier way let us know but right now it looks like he will be able to do a complete 4 disc conversion, add some width and put a stronger axle in for about $500.00 bucks. That isn't bad for a budget ride.
 
my only concern is if you can get a 5x4.5 adapter & wheel that will clear the lockout on the front? so if he has to convert the rear to 5x5.5 then the front will need super wide spacers... or he could redrill the rear axle shaft & rotor for 5x5.5
 
Make sure the front axle is at least as wide as the rear, a couple inches wider up front is prefrered for it to trrack correctly.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
or he could redrill the rear axle shaft & rotor for 5x5.5
Click to expand...
I would explore that option. It shouldn't be any more than the price of adapters, maybe even cheaper.
 
Met a guy one time that had an S10 Blazer and put a YJ D30 in the front. He bought a set of wheels that had dual bolt patterns. I had never heard of such a thing, but if you can find a set of wheels like that, then you could just get a set of 1.5-2" spacers for the front to match the width of the 8.8.
 
drkelly said:
Met a guy one time that had an S10 Blazer and put a YJ D30 in the front. He bought a set of wheels that had dual bolt patterns. I had never heard of such a thing, but if you can find a set of wheels like that, then you could just get a set of 1.5-2" spacers for the front to match the width of the 8.8.
Click to expand...


That would be cool the option probably better thaen what I told him to do which isn;t the best but as I said he wants this to be a budget toy. Told him to keep the 5 on 5.5 in the front and 5 on 4.5 in the rear and just make his spare a 5 on 5.5 and just carry an adapter just in case pops a back tire.

Like I said he is not wanting to put thousands into this thing it basically going to be a couple weekends a year toy to go down and ride the trails in URE.

Sorry for hijacking you post Matt but I know you lazy arse is sleeping today.:flipoff2:
 
have you thought about getting a set of rear drums for an older f150 to match your front bolt pattern and redrilling the wheel flange to 5.5 on the 8.8? then just run a small spacer on the front or get different offset for the front rims.
 
fatboyf150 said:
have you thought about getting a set of rear drums for an older f150 to match your front bolt pattern and redrilling the wheel flange to 5.5 on the 8.8? then just run a small spacer on the front or get different offset for the front rims.
Click to expand...

I'd go with a spacer so the 4 rims are identical. Come to think of it, I have a set of 5on5.5 wheels with 30"s tires FS, cheap.
 
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