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Swapping a SUA into an SOA


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hmm I just realized the rear axle in the '91 is a spring over axle (this is the one with the blown spider gears) and the '88 has a spring under axle. is it going to be difficult putting the axle from the '88 into the '91? it seems like I just need to unbolt the springs from the axle and I will be able to bolt the other one back on but I don't know. thanks in advance

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if the axle still has the sua perches on it then it will be a direct bolt in. if not, then you will need to weld new perches on.

 

:agree: ASSume both are D35 axles w. the same ratio? Or are they different, i.e. ratios and/or axle type? Just verify the 88 axle ratio will be okay with the 91 engine/tranny combo, and use new U-bolts.

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either you guys or I have it backwards, I'm putting the SUA into the SOA so, I need to weld perches on top of the SUA to make it an SOA...... :huh???: right? lol I'm gonna keep it an SOA

 

Correct. Thought you were going to convert the 91 back to SUA.

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either you guys or I have it backwards, I'm putting the SUA into the SOA so, I need to weld perches on top of the SUA to make it an SOA...... :huh???: right? lol I'm gonna keep it an SOA

 

Correct. Thought you were going to convert the 91 back to SUA.

would there be any advantage to this? don't people usually swap sua to an soa? it makes the jeep sit pretty high it seems, but maybe that is the lift that is on it. Thanks a lot.

 

By the way, I'm building an offroading rig, doesn't need to be stable on the highway or anything, it is getting trailered and trailed.

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well, I'm a noob so I want as much as possible :yes: like I said I'm doing strictly off-road with this, and want to be able to go over pretty much anything. I don't know anything about changing gear ratios with lift or any of that, but am willing to learn just don't know where to start. basically I want as much lift as possible I suppose.

I would really like to keep the SOA unless it is better to have a SUA

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You will have to remove the SUA perches from the axle you want to put in. Then have perches and shock mounts welded back on in the correct position. The axle you want to put in has to have the same gear ratio as the one you are taking out because it has to match the gear ratio in the front axle (ASSuming the jeep is 4WD).

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How big of a tire are you wanting to run? And don't answer " as big as possible". Lifting the front end 6+ inches can be really expensive and really big tires can break your stock axles.

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I know, I don't want it rediculous lol just want it capable which it seems with the SOA. It also has whatever components came with the rough country 3" lift which is "Kit includes front coil springs, 4 Heckethorn 8000 series shocks, and rear add-a-leafs." althought it doesn't look like it has the add-a-leafs in the rear, just a SOA.

 

How big of a tire are you wanting to run? And don't answer " as big as possible". Lifting the front end 6+ inches can be really expensive and really big tires can break your stock axles.

I'm going to run 31 or 33 inch tires depending on what fits with my set up right now, probably 31's to start out and maybe move up to 33's when the 31's are worn out.

 

You will have to remove the SUA perches from the axle you want to put in. Then have perches and shock mounts welded back on in the correct position. The axle you want to put in has to have the same gear ratio as the one you are taking out because it has to match the gear ratio in the front axle (ASSuming the jeep is 4WD).

 

thank you much. both trucks are 4WD so I will need to make sure it has the same gear ratio, the SUA perches take off with a plasma cutter or a torch? and good thing my dad is teaching me how to weld.

 

Thanks a lot guys, you are probably all like "oh man this kid is getting in way over his head" but it's OK, only way I'm going to learn and you guys are a big help so thanks

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I know, I don't want it rediculous lol just want it capable which it seems with the SOA. It also has whatever components came with the rough country 3" lift which is "Kit includes front coil springs, 4 Heckethorn 8000 series shocks, and rear add-a-leafs." althought it doesn't look like it has the add-a-leafs in the rear, just a SOA.

 

How big of a tire are you wanting to run? And don't answer " as big as possible". Lifting the front end 6+ inches can be really expensive and really big tires can break your stock axles.

I'm going to run 31 or 33 inch tires depending on what fits with my set up right now, probably 31's to start out and maybe move up to 33's when the 31's are worn out.

 

You will have to remove the SUA perches from the axle you want to put in. Then have perches and shock mounts welded back on in the correct position. The axle you want to put in has to have the same gear ratio as the one you are taking out because it has to match the gear ratio in the front axle (ASSuming the jeep is 4WD).

 

thank you much. both trucks are 4WD so I will need to make sure it has the same gear ratio, the SUA perches take off with a plasma cutter or a torch? and good thing my dad is teaching me how to weld.

 

Thanks a lot guys, you are probably all like "oh man this kid is getting in way over his head" but it's OK, only way I'm going to learn and you guys are a big help so thanks

 

plasma cutter is just fine. if you don't care about the axle (and I wouldnt, personally) then make sure when you cut it that you cut more into the axle than into the perch...then throw the axle away since it's a dana 35.

 

 

SOA in the rear will give you easily 5.5" of lift and up to 7.5" depending on how tall your perches are. you're not gonna get any lower than that with it. also, if the truck was originally a 4wd, then it will sit even taller with SOA (6"-6.5" minimum) as they have a heavier load capacity. So, your 3" stuff isn't anywhere near big enough. you can't use the 3" control arms...they're too short. the coils are too short, if it even has a trackbar it's too short, and the shocks all around are definitely WAAAAY too short for that kind of lift.

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sooo now I need longer shocks, a bigger lift in the front, longer control arms, and a longer trackbar (if it has one) Everything on the already lifted truck was installed by the previous owner (SOA and 3" roughcountry lift) and that's how he ran it which probably explains the blown CV shaft and spider gears. (I don't actually know if that would have anything to do with it but I'm blaming it on that)

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sooo now I need longer shocks, a bigger lift in the front, longer control arms, and a longer trackbar (if it has one) Everything on the already lifted truck was installed by the previous owner (SOA and 3" roughcountry lift) and that's how he ran it which probably explains the blown CV shaft and spider gears. (I don't actually know if that would have anything to do with it but I'm blaming it on that)

 

 

that wouldn't explain the cv shaft and spider gears. that's just the driver being a dumb@$$. your truck DOES have a trackbar. they all do. I meant that the "lifted" trackbar isn't long enough for it.

 

 

how does the truck sit now? @$$ end way higher in the air than the front?

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He most have broken a shaft before, as CV shafts were not stock in Comanches. They belong in Grand Cherokees, but are a direct replacement fit. And blown spider gears? I've never seen that. I have always had the ring and pinion gear fail before the spiders.

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indeed, the @$$ is sticking up in the air worse than a cat in heat. I have some pics of it in the MJ projects section, but it's a bad one at a wierd angle. the good one I had wouldn't send via my cellphone for some reason. but it has some pretty bad rake indeed.

 

-he said he blew the CV shaft and then after did that, said fock it, and started doing donuts and blew the spider gears :doh:

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He most have broken a shaft before, as CV shafts were not stock in Comanches. They belong in Grand Cherokees, but are a direct replacement fit. And blown spider gears? I've never seen that. I have always had the ring and pinion gear fail before the spiders.

 

 

cherokee wagoneers also had cv shafts in the early years...both on the front driveshaft, and the axle.

 

I've roasted spider gears in a 35 twice, blown a ring and pinion once, and launched a carrier once. when the ring and pinion went, and the carrier went, they blew holes through the diff cover LMAO

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cherokee wagoneers also had cv shafts in the early years...both on the front driveshaft, and the axle.

 

I've roasted spider gears in a 35 twice, blown a ring and pinion once, and launched a carrier once. when the ring and pinion went, and the carrier went, they blew holes through the diff cover LMAO

 

 

There has been some debate as to what this front axle came from, first I was told XJ then I was told those have U joints, not CV. So it switched to maybe it came out of a ZJ but its from an '86 and ZJ's didn't come out till like what '92 or something... so I am almost positive now that it is from an early wagoneer.

 

honestly it may not even be the spider gears, could be something else. the Jeep just doesn't go anywhere. it runs and everything, just doesn't move. I'm just swapping the rear axle out to solve it because I want to know how to do it for when I upgrade to a 44 (when I find one in my area) and also because I figure whatever IS broken (whether it be the spider gears or not) it will get fixed by just taking the whole rear axle out and putting a new one in

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cherokee wagoneers also had cv shafts in the early years...both on the front driveshaft, and the axle.

 

I've roasted spider gears in a 35 twice, blown a ring and pinion once, and launched a carrier once. when the ring and pinion went, and the carrier went, they blew holes through the diff cover LMAO

 

 

There has been some debate as to what this front axle came from, first I was told XJ then I was told those have U joints, not CV. So it switched to maybe it came out of a ZJ but its from an '86 and ZJ's didn't come out till like what '92 or something... so I am almost positive now that it is from an early wagoneer.

 

honestly it may not even be the spider gears, could be something else. the Jeep just doesn't go anywhere. it runs and everything, just doesn't move. I'm just swapping the rear axle out to solve it because I want to know how to do it for when I upgrade to a 44 (when I find one in my area) and also because I figure whatever IS broken (whether it be the spider gears or not) it will get fixed by just taking the whole rear axle out and putting a new one in

 

you could pop the cover and take a look...and just swap the spiders from your spare axle over to this axle if that's all that's wrong.

 

then save the parts and time for when you get a dana 44.

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