Help finding an axle

I have a 56 M38A1 with an offset rear axle and D18 t-case. Right now the diff is so close to the backing plate there is no room for adjustment of the spring perch. End result is that the whole axle is offset to the driver side 2 inches or so.

I have been looking at the local pick and pulls, but have not been able to find an off set axle. Looking for ideas on what to look for to find the offset axle, or way to adapt a centered axle to work the the D18. Thanks for your help.

 

Where are you located, what gear ratio? probably a offset 44 with 19 spline axles and 5:38's ?

 

:iagree: I'm :?

 

Here is the axle you can see how the axle is off. The whole mounting set up is FUBAR, I think there are 4 different size u bolts on it and over all very scary looking. My end goal is to go full width. In the time being how much of the housing can I clearence so that I can get some new spring perches on it an center the axle?

What I mean by adjusting is hacking off the old perches and mounting new ones in such a way that the axle is centered ( or as close to center as possible)

 

Oh, your picture is upsidedown. My springs are under the axle ... otherwise, I have just the same lack of space between spring and diffy as you do

 

That's an offset 44. You can't center the pumpkin. One wheel would be sticking out and the other would be rubbing the tub. That's the way it's supposed to look sprung under or over

 

Homebrew where are you located? I know of 3 places to get you an axle here in Michigan.
What exactly are you doing to your rig?

 

Im in Socal. The wheel on the driver side sticks out almost 2 inches further than it does on the passangerside. I want the axle itself to be centered under the jeep. X2 on a poor SOA I want to replace the springs on there with CJ springs. Found a guy out here that has all four springs and 4 revolver shackles that he'll sell to me for 180, may take him up on that, I'd have to get/make new spring mounts. But I plan on that anyways.

 

I see what you mean with the pumpkin up tight to the spring pack. I would take a quick measument on both sides from the spring pack to the backing plate also check the offset of your rims to.
Hope this helps, Joe

 

Gee krebs... that needs taken apart and gone over. For now I'd pull all the u bolts off and check to see if the center pins in the spring packs are still there and if they are long enough to make it through the wedges and into the spring perches. This might be why the axle shifted in the first place. They look like some pretty thick wedges to me. After all that is squared away, gitch yer self some new U bolts and put her back together. Oh and make sure whoever welded the spring perches to the top of the axle for the S.O. put them in the right spot and the welds are good. Something doesn't add up the way the axles sticks out farther to the drivers side but the right side ubolts are shifted the opposite way. Good luck

 

Not sure what that axle is out of. Looks like it might have larger brakes.
I agree with Patrick that it looks like a poorly done SOA. Looks like rear only I hope.

It also looks like you have an open knuckle front end. (Non-Original on the A-1, I think)

Figure out what you have in the front (type, width, gear ratio). That will help you match up a better rear end.

 

I'm guessing it's an offset Wagoneer axle that was used with the Borg-Warner Quadratrac in the '70s. A Wagoneer axle is 59" WMS (wheel mounting surface) to WMS.

Have you measured to see if this setup is centered?

The only other offset axle that I know of is from the CJ, and that will be 50.5" WMS-WMS. This will look goofy if you have a Wagoneer front axle. However, if your front axle is about that width, it will work well.

One possibility, other than swapping to another axle, is to outboard the rear spring mounts. Instead of mounting the hangers to the bottom of the frame, you'd mount the hangers to the outside of the frame. Wider spring mounting will also increase the stability of your Jeep without changing the flex.

 

The whole suspension needs to be redone. It looks like the PO welded the perches on at too steep of an angle so he added wedges/shims to bring it back to where it should be. My plan for the time being is to get this axle mounted properly and to ditch the current springs and switch to CJ springs. All I need for that swap in new hangers/brackets right? are those fab parts or can they be found as an after market kit?

 

I referenced some part numbers for spring hangers and such in my buildup here http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60125