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axles & gears & tires . . .


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Right now i have a n AX-4, Dana-35,3.73's and 225's = 65mph@3,000rpm in 4th-DD.

 

I'd like to run an AX-5, AMC-20, 4.44's and 235's = 70mph@3,000rpm in 5th-OD.

 

Some have suggested i go to 4.56's other say 4.10's well with the AMC-20 axle i can get a 4.44 gear set and be right between the suggested gear sets :clapping:

 

thought's ? . . .

 

I can get the solid 1 piece axle for the AMC-20 fixing its issue with the axles and the A20 has to be a good bit better then the D35 ?

 

thought's ?

 

Mike

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Perch location is the last thing you want to be worrying about when picking up an axle. Not only will they most likely not be the correct width, but your pinion angle will also most likely be off.

 

I seriously doubt the AMX/Javelin 20s are the same width as an MJ one.

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The AMC 20 is a good axle and the two piece axles much like the dreaded "C" clip get a bad wrap. Its mostly unfounded, again, if the axles are properly torqued and watched, they will not be a problem. No one wants to take responsibility and blames the problems on a "weak" axle.

 

It has a good sizes gears and bearings and 29 spline axles. Its housing is its real weak spot in my mind. Its stronger than the D35 and likely on par with the XJ D44.

 

What gear to run is determined by a number of criteria. Tire size, transmission and motor. Then what your doing with it and if you have done anything to the T case gearing.

 

With a 4.0; 3:73 to 4:10 are good for 31"s - 4:10 to 4:56 for 33's - 4:56 to 4:88 for 35's. Lower number for a stick and taller for the Auto.

With a 2.5; 4:10 to 4:56 for 31's - 4:56 to 4:88 for 33's - 5:38 to 5:89 for 35's the Lil 4cl really looses it with the big tires.

 

CW

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They have a larger ring gear . . .Specs i found,

 

Model AMC-20:

 

Ring Gear Diameter: 8 7/8"

 

Pinion Shaft Diameter: 1.625"

 

Ring Gear Bolts: 8

 

Right Hand Threads: 7/16" x 20

 

Pinion Splines: 28

 

Cover Bolts: 12

 

Bolt circle: 5 x 4.5"

 

Year range / Vehicle :

68-74 Ambassador.

 

68-79 AMX.

 

68-74 Javelin.

 

70-76 Gremlin.

 

70-77 Hornet.

 

72-78 Matador.

 

68-69 Marlin.

 

78-79 Pacer.

 

68-69 Rambler.

 

68-69 Rebel.

 

79 Spirit.

 

76-86 Scrambler.

 

80-86 Wagoneer.

 

80-86 J/10.

 

79-06 Hummer H-1 center section IFS/IRS.

 

It appears to be all the same unit, only there is no mention of usage in the MJ's ? :dunno: ?

 

i can't imagine there all that weak considering AMC used them behind V8's as powerful as the 390 & 401 Crossram's . . . which laid down 11-9 second 1/4 mile times.

 

used in 2,800-3,800lb Car's.

 

used in 4,500lb-6,000lb truck's.

 

which ya know them truck's got loaded some what heavy and towed trailers & got wheeled rather hard with over sized tires.

 

Mike

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Those 71+ Javelin rears (AMC 20's) are the same exact width as our XJ/MJ rears: 60".

(I posted this in a thread here last week :dunno: ).

 

It wasn't a coincidence either:

 

Hornets & Concords (same body) used 58" wide axles.

 

71+ Javelins used 60" wide axles.

 

When AMC wanted to make the Concord a 4x4 (Eagle), they needed to rethink axle width & backspacing.

 

The ft WMS to WMS would have to be substantially wider to fit the drive axle components & unit bearings,

so they'd have to increase the rear axle width to match (and use deep back spacing wheels ft & rear to put the track width back to near where it was).

 

To the rescue comes the Javelin width 60" axle (in this case the AMC-15 aka: 7 9/16", aka: Dana 35).

At the same time they made it SOA to lift the Eagle over the Concord's ride height.

 

 

When it came time to design the XJ, they started with what they had (Eagle),

you can pull an Eagle rear axle out, and sling it right under an XJ.

Same width, same bolt patturn (XJ's were the first 5 on 4.5" Jeeps for a reason), same perch location.

IIRC, the only difference is the shock mounts are staggered the opposite way.

 

The Eagle ft (IFS) bearing hubs are almost an exact match for early XJ's (XJ's have an additional cover on the back of the same exact bearing), and the rotors directly swap (I got some Eagle rotors cheap at an AMC show and used them on my MJ for years).

 

 

 

So, to answer the question, yep 71-74 Javelin rears are 60" wide, 5 on 4.5", and SUA (tho I think the perch width is different, I could measure it :dunno: ).

 

They also have craptastic 2-piece axle shafts (which is why I started this thread last week:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21315 )

image_209027.gif

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4.44 Gears was an AMC factory offered gear for many years and can be had in New Old Stock, used, and in rare case hot off the press new by AMC vendors here n there . . . also offered is a 3.91 ratio which i'm going to in my AMX to replace the 4.44's i already have . . .

 

If i could find an AMC-20 that fit my MJ with 3.91's I'd do a switch o change o of the gearing between the 2 axles AMX get's the 3.91's MJ gets the 4.44's and have both Vehicle's rear end's re-geared and rocking the same diff's with Moser 1 piece axle shafts . . .

 

 

 

Mike

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4.44 Gears was an AMC factory offered gear for many years and can be had in New Old Stock, used, and in rare case hot off the press new by AMC vendors here n there . . . also offered is a 3.91 ratio which I'm going to in my AMEX to replace the 4.44's i already have . . .

If i could find an AMC-20 that fit my MJ with 3.91's I'd do a switch o change o of the gearing between the 2 axles AMX gets the 3.91's MJ gets the 4.44's and have both Vehicle's rear end's re-geared and rocking the same diff with Moser 1 piece axle shafts . . .

Mike

3:91 and 4:44 are all well and good in a 2WD... but you gotta be able to match (Or come damn close) for the front axle... These are NOT available in or for the D30....

 

CW

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3:91 and 4:44 are all well and good in a 2WD... but you gotta be able to match (Or come damn close) for the front axle... These are NOT available in or for the D30....

 

CW

 

x2; furthermore running a 235 tire with the ax5, I would imagine 4:10's would get the job done just fine. As genovast pointed out, I got my AMC 20 rear and matching 30 front with 4:10's (or is it 4:11's?) from a '86 metric ton MJ V-6 2.8; It'll be a direct swap...no guesswork, those seem to pop up every once in a while.

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