What Would You Do?

[mjben]

Hey All,

Picked up my 6th Comanche this weekend. This one is an 86 2.5l, manual trans (unsure if 4 or 5 speed - disassembled at the moment). Floors are gone, but the rest is mostly rust free. I'd love to save it and put it back on the road, but the PO decided to start taking things apart before it was abandoned, and a lot of it is now missing. Also no title, so this one will most likely be a parts donor and the bed will become my new trailer.

 

This truck does have D30/35 combo with 4.10 gears, which brings me to the question in the title.

My (brown) 88 has stock D30/35 with 3.55 gears, and I'd like to swap in the 4.10's. 

 

Would you swap the entire axles and gamble (or spend the money) on new brakes/bearings/seals?

Or just swap the pinions and carriers?

 

Any cautions or advise you can offer on the swap?

 

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

(Obligatory Jeep pics) 

[Pete M]

not having a title is not a death sentence.  

[dasbulliwagen]

You can't just swap the gears and carriers without setting them up properly. The housings have minor differences and the gears need to be set up to the individual housing. Just swap the whole thing over and inspect/replace whatever you see is bad. 

[Eagle]

3 hours ago, dasbulliwagen said:

You can't just swap the gears and carriers without setting them up properly. The housings have minor differences and the gears need to be set up to the individual housing. Just swap the whole thing over and inspect/replace whatever you see is bad. 

 

^^^ Agree.

[89 MJ]

I’d do a Ford 8.8 swap in the rear. 

[mjben]

Thanks for the input.

I was leaning toward swapping entire assemblies, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing an easier solution.

I've set up gears before, but always new parts. It's a pain for sure. Was (wishfully) thinking maybe the housings would be close enough for a drop in type swap. I'm assuming the differences you speak of are more casting tolerances than anything? Just curious...

 

[mjben]

And I'm well aware the D35 is not worth spending much on. If I had an 8.8 laying around it'd already be in it! 

 

[omega_rugal]

was the truck running when you got it? are you sure the 4.1 axles are good? if so, swap them whole...