'71 build plans

Here are my build plans for my '71. Please give them a look and let me know what you would change or anything I might not have thought of. This is my first real Jeep build.

Custom frame made of 2x4" box tube
3.5" YJ lift springs
narrowed Scout 44 front (I know about the caster issue and will fix it)
stock d44 rear
34" LTBs
:v6: /sm465/d18/warn od combo for power and a wide range of gears
4.88 axle gears with a full detroit rear and either an arb or lunchbox locker up front
power steering
6pt cage

I probably left something out, but that's my general plan. Anyone have experience with a '5 of similar size? Anyone try something I listed and have terrible results?

 

I'm working on a 71 also. I would like to use the 4.88 gears and the Warn overdrive. I'm going to stick with the 2.5 inch lift and CJ springs.

 

Engine is a V6 as stated in the first post.

 

Why the custom frame? Is there something wrong with yours?

I've got 4.88 gears with the V6 and really like it. Good low range, and can keep up with 65mph traffic fairly easily.

 

I have only one suggestion, if you don't have the scout Dana 44 then consider this. I used a narrow track Dana 44 out of a Waggoneer, so that you only have to cut down the long side to fit the spacing of the springs on the CJ, with spring under. And, if it comes with the correct spindle then you can use Ford hubs and rotors to get the 5x5.5 bolt pattern for the wheels. Looking on Napas site, buying Ford rotors with the hub is cheaper that it costed me to buy discs for my dana 30 conversion. My cut down Dana 44 came out at about 58 inches.

 

My frame is broken and twisted. Plus I need a boxed frame to support a 6 point cage since I have a glass tub. I'm not going to chance only tieing the cage to the tub. I also want to stop the frame from flexing while wheeling. This rig will see some hard use and I don't want to deal with the frame again.

I've got a Scout front housing, but I'm on the lookout for a Waggy front axle. I could end up with either.

 

Pardon my asking, but what will remain from the '71 besides the VIN plate?

 

engine, tcase, rear axle

 

Just to throw it out there, unless you already have the square tubing, I would use 2x3 instead of 2x4. I've done frames in both, and for Jeeps the 2x3 just seems to work better. I know that extra 1" doesn't sound like much, but when you get it together there is a huge difference.

Just my .02 from what I have worked on.

 

I've already got the tube and it is all bent up to follow the regular frame lines.

 

Okay, so I have another suggestion. I went with a Dana 20 because they run quite and last longer (intermediate shaft does not spin in 2 wheel drive) and I did not want another gear box to worry about (over drive unit). I will install a lower gear set in the Dana 20 at some point. I will gear the axles to run at 65 mile per hour without an overdrive, so with the truck 4 speed and low gears in the TC I should have the crawl ratio I want. I also built my own Dana 44 rear axle with heavy wall DOM tubing and built it off-set to the driver’s side so the pinion is pointing dead center with the output yoke of the Dana 20. I did not want any compound angles in the drive shaft; So, I hope this helps with any drive shaft vibration issues. I have to have custom axles made for this axle anyway, so I built it this way for my Jeep (maybe different, but that’s me). These suggestions are posted here, so that others can see what different people are doing and give you ideas on your build. This is why I like this site, very good information and ideas here.

 

I'm not terribly concerned about the life of a Dana 18. This rig will only see a few hundred miles per year in all likelyhood. I also like the idea of having both diffs on the pass side. That's just preference though.

Thanks for sharing your build ideas and some reasoning with us.

 

It looks like I found a set of NT waggy axles for a good price, so I should be using them instead of narrowing the scout front.

 

A little off-topic, but there is no such thing as a compound angle in a u-joint. Driveshaft vibrations are caused by other reasons.