Scout II Dana 44 front end

I have a line on a front axle Dana 44 from a Scout II. I am debating weather this would be a good swap in for my '67 CJ5. Is there a lot of fabrication involved? I have done a search on this, and haven't found a lot that helped me. Or...should I just go with a narrow track Dana 30 and be done with it?

 

I do have one on my 75 CJ. But i'm on a coil spring set-up. Those axle are 5 inch wilder than narrow dana 30. To put them under you're 67 you'll need to outboard the front leaf spring outside the frame. You'll gain more stability this way. Only thing about scout axle is that they share the same outer 27 spline axle shaft as the dana 30 from the CJ. But everything eles is bigger than dana 30. Unless you're going bigger than 33" tire with a locker in it, i won't go with the dana 44 front.

I have my scout axle under the jeep for more than 2 years, and i do about 25-30 off-road ride a year and i only broke one axle shaft since.
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The caster on the scout axle is completely out of whack not to mention the fact that it's way wider. If you're going to do it "right", you need to cut and turn the knuckles to correct that for good road manners. Off road only probably won't be an issue.

 

Yes, zero caster and then if you add in some lift leaf springs, you'll be at negative caster. That's what I'm running on my flatty (neg. caster), but it's a trail rig. A cut and turn is in the (way distant) future if I ever want the Jeep to be street/highway worthy. Are you planning on swapping in a similar width rear axle? Something that matches the 58" wms width or something close like a wide track CJ axle?

Narrow track Dana 30 is the easier road! About 53" wms to wms

 

Thanks! Sounds like Dana 30 it is! I appreciate all the input!

 

For the caster thing, it's pretty easy to deal with it.

Just grind the weld on the axle until the " C " part is free. Them built the truck around them and when you're done bring the jeep to a align center and ask them to set the caster a 6 degree positive. I've done it myself and i have a 0.02 degree difference from one side to the other. I run the jeep 65-70 mph and drove it strait with two finger on the wheel.



here's the link to my build thread. Look over page 3 for the result after grinding.
I did more than just set the caster on mine, i give some angle to the pignion to reduce angle of the suspension lift along my coil conversion.
http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/showthread.php?92331-Homemade-coil-spring-conversion

 

I had a Scout II axle I was going to put in my 3B. Yes, all of the above problems. I ended up just getting R&P's wide track 44 housing (also available in narrow track) that is already set up with 5 degrees caster and 5 degrees up on the pinion, not to mention the 1/2" wall tubes. I'm using that with Reid knuckles and the Scout outers. And yes I am cognizant that the 19 spline Ford/Chevys are stronger than the 27 spline Jeep/Scout but I liked the 8 bolt spindles and with 4340 shafts, pretty sure the lockout hubs will go away long before anything else.

And why I carry an extra set of drive flanges.