Automan2164 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Whats in it now? Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 motor? the 2.8 v6 4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Yikes... Might have a AMC20 rear... but the front can only be a D30... What does the rear cover look like? Is it round, or kinda oval? Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 ah I'm not really sure. i havent gotten the chance to check out the axles and all of that. i feel like a bad comanche owner. this thing is going to turn out to be more expensive than i thought. is that yikes about having a really bad axle set up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Yikes about the drivetrain... That 2.8 isn't the strongest engine... I would rather have the 4 popper. But, you have the chance of having the better axle... Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 looks like he's getting a 283 v8. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 the engine has a cracked block. my dad has a friend that were getting an engine off of. my dad is real mechanical so were going to put a 283 small block chevy v8. power isnt a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 With all that engine, I would think power would be the problem, but axles WILL be. Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 so with that engine do you think the axles will be fine pushing 33 1250s with the 6 inch lift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 with a v8, axle strength is going to be even more vital. you'll at least want to swap in later model dana 30 front axle shafts. And if the rear is a Dana 35, swap that out soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 i can only say one thing. I'm BROKE! i don't like the idea of all this axle swapping and such. can i make it work possible though :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Well, if you can make a 289 work in an MJ, without overheating, axles should be a cake walk. Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 go junkyard shopping. The last Dana 30 I bought was under 150 and the last Explorer 8.8 I bought was $75. knowing what to buy and where to get it can save you a ton of cash (and save you from the headaches of getting your butt towed out of the wheeling hole) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 you mean a cake walk in making the stock ones work or a cake walk in the swap. the only problem with the swap is the money in getting the axles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA814 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Questions like these are always hard to answer. With that much power and weak axles , you will break something. If you do have the AMC20 Rear, it's not as much of an issue as the Dana35 rear. If you have the D35, I would suggest a 3.5hp Briggs and Stratton. Really. The D35 might hold up to light wheeling and minor driving for a few months, but 12.50 wide 33's are heavy tires. Especially thick mud tires. All that extra weight that has to be turned is going to take a toll on you axles. The bottom line in my view is this: Lift it, throw your tires on, and run it til something explodes. In the mean time though, find a good set of axles and save $$ for a regear. If you are lucky, you will have 4:10 gears to start with, then on the front you can swap in one-piece 297x jointed axle shafts from a newer HP D30. In the rear you could run the AMC 20 (if you have it) a Ford 8.8 or a D44. It's really alot of mixing and matching to find what works for you. Be prepared to spend a little moeny, jump on good deals when you can. Make Jeep friends and barter/swap parts you need. Don't be affraid to buy a whole truck. Alot of times you can buy a donor truck for what many people spend on a rear axle. But most importantly in my view is to take it one step at a time: replace things with better stuff as they break, and have fun. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 how do i find out what axles i have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA814 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 OK....based on the Broke-as-can-be budget here, let's consider a new approach: Have you considered starting small? Ever wheeled a small light rig with Low COG and lockers? Budget boost the jeep keeping lift costs next to nothing. Throw on some really agressive 31 or 32" tires...trim the daylight out of your fenders. Invest your big chunk of money you're willing to spend in a good rear axle and a front locker (weld the rear for now until you can get a better axle with a spool/locker) That would be my BARE BONES budget build. FWIW, I consider my truck on 34" tsl's a budget build totaling less than $2250 including the truck, tax, title, and reg. Just another approach to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA814 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 how do i find out what axles i have? You have a dana30 front. there should be a tag on it saying what gears you have. Try this for IDing the rear: http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/ ... index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 how would it hold up with a 33/10.50. ive got a set of 31 mtrs i got for free. and wheels they will go on. but i really wanted to do a 6 inch lift and soft 8s and 33/12.50. but i really didnt want to have to worry about this whole axle swapping ordeal. I'm really kinda confused about all of this anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 alright i will have to look tomorow to see which one it is. will the dana 30 be fine for the front or did you guys tell me i need to swap it as soon as i can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJA814 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 how would it hold up with a 33/10.50. ive got a set of 31 mtrs i got for free. and wheels they will go on. but i really wanted to do a 6 inch lift and soft 8s and 33/12.50. but i really didnt want to have to worry about this whole axle swapping ordeal. I'm really kinda confused about all of this anyway Go with the 31's for now. a 2" BB in the front should clear them fine, and they won't kill your axles. Then you can upgrade to better axles if money comes along. THEN....when you DO lift it 6" the axles will be beefy enough to handle 33" tires. Follow me? Build the truck in stages so that things will be OVER built, not UNDER built. Example: 6" lift, 33" tires V8, stock axles.......won't last more that 6 months....then you are forced to do axles. OR Budget boost, 31" tires, a 4.0l, better rear axle.....won't break, and you won't lose any money when you go to 6" lift. The 31's are free, and a budget boost can be had for under $100. I hope that makes sense? To answer the D30 question. I am running an open carrier non-disco D30 with 34" TSL with the newer 297x joints. (bigger stronger joints) While I haven't had any trouble with this setup, I did bend my stock front axle and it chewed up a spider gear really fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 6" lift, 33" tires V8, stock axles.......won't last more that 6 months.... possibly six seconds. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 :agree: Make that .6 seconds. Rob L. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj-comanche Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 :help: this sounds like so much money and work. i really just want to do it right the first time around. i dunno but ill be back tomorow to let you guys know what happens. thanks for all the help. i will maybe go junk yard shopping or something. i don't know if i have the funds to do all this and to know if i should do it now or not at all yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 car-part.com may be of some help in finding junkyard parts. search for, say, a 96 XJ front axle with 4.10 gears, and a 96 Explorer rear axle with matching gears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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