suggestions on a yj build

which axles

  • full size chebies, d 44 ft 12 bolt rear

    Votes: 1 14.3%

  • set of yotas

    Votes: 2 28.6%

  • tried and true d 60's

    Votes: 4 57.1%
  • Total voters
    7
cardudenc

cardudenc

jeep a holic, resident assho;e
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
morganton
most know I have hoarded back a load of parts and some unfinished project jeeps. so I have a few builds in mind. along with sometime building my dream v8 1 ton wrangler/ jeep or whatever u call them after we are done cutting and welding. anyway the next 1 on the chopping block is a 94 yj trail rig. It has been pretty much stripped and now has a 4.3 350 turbo and a 203 with twin sticks. yep, first Ive seen a twin stick 203. and a set of chevy axles d44 ft and 12 bolt rear. on leaf springs and 35s. the current axles are geared 3.08. so that's what im trying to decide on now. Ive always wanted to try building a jeep, 4.3 and have a fairly light weight drivetrain to go along with power to weight the 4.3 has. to see to how it performs versus the heavier 1 ton v8 wranglers.
I have 3 different options that I have sitting in the garage now.
1) regear what I have under it. I have 3.73 here. may need to find some lower gears. Being the easiest
2) a set of yota axles geared 4.10 and the rear already has disks. I figure the lightest
3) a set of d 60s also geared 4.10. and of course the strongest and heaviest

then next on the list. is 2, 4cyl 5spd. yjs bought off of here. then come to think of it. this 1 did too, but bought it from a friend. the whole parts list I posted was bought or traded for off of here. both jeeps are red. lol. the lol is for all these yrs. and all the jeeps I have bought. never had a red 1. last yr, ended up with 4.
 
Alright, first off, why not sell the two 4cyl YJ’s, the D44/12 bolt, and all the other parts you have laying around and aren’t going to use to fund building the 1 ton V8 Jeep you said you really want?


To answer your question though:

Chevy D44/12 bolt:
- I’m not a big fan of these axles due to the low pinion Chevy front, and C-clip in the 12 bolt, but out of the three choices you posted these would be the ones I’d go with if you are going to run the 4.3 and some 35” tires. I’d re-gear them to 4.10.
- I’d go Ford D44/9” instead if you want full width half ton axles.

Yota axles:
- Too narrow for a YJ in stock form. They are 55” WMS compared to 60” I believe. (You could use a Tacoma rear and buy a wider front housing and longer front shafts from Trail Gear)
- A healthy 4.3 will probably be too much power for the Yota gears.

D60’s:
- I wouldn’t run D60’s with 35” tires. If you want to use those axles, I’d run a minimum of a 38” tire.


An NP203 has a 2:1 low range which will COMPLETELY suck for typical trail riding and rock crawling. I’d sell it and buy a D300 with adapter for the TH350.
 
FJ80 axles will give you the width you want and more than enough strength too. Very light compared to D60/14 Bolt combo.
My next build will include a set of them for sure.
 
drkelly said:
Alright, first off, why not sell the two 4cyl YJ’s, the D44/12 bolt, and all the other parts you have laying around and aren’t going to use to fund building the 1 ton V8 Jeep you said you really want?
Click to expand...

This is what I would do.


People swap 4.3s and V8s into yotas all the time and dont have problems with the axles. Some people have problems with the axles on the stock 100hp 22r. All depends on how you drive.
 
drkelly said:
Alright, first off, why not sell the two 4cyl YJ’s, the D44/12 bolt, and all the other parts you have laying around and aren’t going to use to fund building the 1 ton V8 Jeep you said you really want?

and that's how this started. lol. the dream of building rig.
some know of my new biz venture im trying. since un for seen things have came up. and I had to quit my real job to take care of them. I guess im 8 to 10 mnths n . I have always messed with selling a few vehicles on the side. so I had a friend ask me to help start a car lot to go a long with his service biz. and I want to build a few turn key rigs, from stock or mild built. to big full time rigs. right now I would hate to say how many are waiting to be finished. and of course my personal rig on the back burner. at the ride this weekend I was actually talking about having another friend that has a shop finish up my own. while I work on the ones for the biz. lol
anyway , I was just wanting to get peoples input to see their opinions on these combinations . I was leaning to just regearing.
Click to expand...
 
lol. I should've thought about that. there isn't any excuses n that. other than the 1 we all have to fight. I run out of hrs in the day.
yea Rodney, that was the plan when I bought it. lol. other than an engine and trans swap. then after beating on the rig I have now at the Dixie Run 2012. decided I wanted links versus leaf springs.
now back to the build.
 
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Put a set cromo's in the yota axles and find some wheels that only have 2" back spacing and wheel it. I have seen plenty of 4.3 powered yotas with bigger tires and no axle failures.
 
guess I will save the yota's for another build. Plans for a 4.3 amigo, straight axle swapped. this 1 will just get a regear.
 
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