Anyone swapping Jeep drivetrain for Chevy

[Dudewayne]

Hi, I am planning building a complete woods rig, never to be driven on the street.
I was wondering how many people are running Chevy diffs under their TJ,YJ, or CJ?

I am throwing around this idea. I have a 65' CJ 5A Tuxedo Park Delux with a glass tub, and plan on selling the drivetrain to someone who is into restoring.
I have a Dauntless V6 along with the rest of the drivetrain.

I have a couple sets of 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton Chevy diffs and just wondering what drivetrain you are using as well.

I was thinking of using a complete driveline out of a Chevy truck... engine tranny, transfer case, springs and diffs, extending the front horns of the Jeep frame rails and making my own spring hangers to fit the Chevy springs. And running a set of 35s.

Anyone have any photos of what you have done ?

What are you using for steering ? I would like to use the high steer set up.


Thanks, Duane

[joshs1ofakindxj]

Neighbor's Jeep.

Unknown year of frame and tub. 38.5" tires. SB350 and SM465 I think. Don't know what transfercase. Has chevy axles under it. We don't know who built it or what they did exactly so maybe ou can take something from the pictures...

[Dudewayne]

Thanks for the pics !
Duane

[john00TJ]

Chevy front axle dana 44 will be a Low pinion which isnt too big a deal ..using a 3/4 rear like a 14 Bolt is way too big for 35s ..you`ll just drag it everywhere even if you shave it ..

You can run your Chevy 44 front and use some Ford knuckels with the small spindles and shit ..that will give you 5x5.5 bolt for the rear id run a ford 9in with the 31 spline shafts and that will match you5 x5.5 bolt pattern and not be a big boat anchor ..

IMHO small block chevys rock and you can grab a TBI set-up from the junk yard for fairly cheap and run fuel injection ..trans are all proven id run what i could grab TH350 -400 both good trans .transfer case id use a dana 300 and some advanced adapters shit to make it bolt up ..

If you want to run highsteer hit me up i still have those arms ..i used 1.5 x.25 wall Dom with Ballistic fab inserts..i still have enough tube for another steering set-up

[Dudewayne]

Cool, Thanks again John... I'm sure I'll be looking you up again.

[sb406]

The Yellow Jeep posted above looks to have a 10 bolt front, 12 bolt rear setup. Common 1/2 ton stuff.

Anyway, keep in mind that if you set it up for a Chevy 10 bolt or Chevy 44, a Chevy 60 will bolt right in later if you decide to upgrade. The springs will land right on the perches. A 3/4 Ton 14bFF will bolt in place of a 1/2 ton rear axle, but a 1 ton 14bFF has the perches in a different spot, so you'd have to move them. (no big deal)

[HackFabrication]

My $.02: Sell the Tuxedo to someone who want's to restore it, and look for a better starting vehicle.

[Nothingface5384]

hey, if the "dauntless" buick v6 is currently installed, a buick 350 will drop in its place with nothing to change besides maybe a bigger rad and new exhaust downpipes

[gonecheenin]

that looks like a set of 10 bolt's under the yellow jeep, I'd shy away from them personally

the front 10 bolt is actually a little stronger shaft wise in stock form, but the D44 has more upgrade potential

the 12 bolt rear I run under my Bluggy with 38" TSL's held up very well, but be sure to weld the tubes to the center section

[Nothingface5384]

yea, chevy's version of 8.5 10 bolts arent that stong..nowm 71-72 buick/olds 8.5 rears are more strong due to being a bolt-in axle rather then the chevy style c-clips
but either way, moser 30 splines are only like 300

[6DoF]

91 YJ, 4.6L I6 Stroker, ax-15, d-300, '78 d44/12bolt, 4.56, truetrack/detroit, 36x13.5R15 IROKs

i wouldn't trade the full width for anything (except the next rig will be street legal)

came from MI where i would drive this daily and she does 80mph down the highway all day long ... wish PA would let me drive it on the street ... speakin of, i need to wheel it! anyone let me know when and where and i'm there!

hi ya'll i'm new, name's Matt

[MF Steve!]

Nice rig Matt. Drop in to this thread: http://www.pgh-offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416

[gonecheenin]

wish PA would let me drive it on the street ...

Wouldn't take a whole lot to make that rig legal enough for PA roads

Its amazing what a set of stock 6" wheels & Q78 TSL's will do

[6DoF]

Wouldn't take a whole lot to make that rig legal enough for PA roads

Its amazing what a set of stock 6" wheels & Q78 TSL's will do

well its more then that, i could get past the cops ... its inspection i'm worreid about. total height is too tall, no e-brake, missing rear shocks, missing cat, exhaust dumps under the jeep, busted up windsheild, 5-points ...

[Dudewayne]

well its more then that, i could get past the cops ... its inspection i'm worreid about. total height is too tall, no e-brake, missing rear shocks, missing cat, exhaust dumps under the jeep, busted up windsheild, 5-points ...

Nice Rig Matt

[DMG]

well its more then that, i could get past the cops ... its inspection i'm worreid about. total height is too tall, no e-brake, missing rear shocks, missing cat, exhaust dumps under the jeep, busted up windsheild, 5-points ...

And you go 80 with no shocks?

[pennsylvaniaboy]

duane, you could easily use a steering boy in the frame and go high steer. if you get a 44 front you can use flat top knuckles and high steer arms to get the tie-rod up. also with the setup you have you could go with a 350/sm465/205 and that would be plenty stout, but overkill. a t-19 and d300 would work decent..