72 cj5 4wd problems

Thanks for your reply. Yeah buddy this thing for sure has been rode hard and seriously neglected. I'll definitely be ordering the FSM as soon as I'm able and before I do any major work. I'm not able to do all of this work at once due to funding so this thread will be ongoing for quite sometime. Thanks for the replies and I'll update this thread as I make progress.

 

This is just a suggestion, but I wouldn't engage the front axle until you know what's going on in the diff. Broken teeth is bad and you could do more damage if you use it. The first thing I'd be doing on the front axle is checking the wheel bearings and the kingpin bearings. Once you get those squared away you'll at least be able to drive it around and those items shouldn't cost you too much $. Maybe look for a Jeep or 4WD club in your area and get to know some of the local wheelers. You may find someone who is willing to give you some help and advice about your rig. Most Jeep people are happy to help out a fellow Jeeper. It's possible that if you need a new ring and pinion up front, you can find a complete used axle for less that parts and labor to fix what you have. Also if you can find an axle a couple of years newer you may get disc brakes as well. Before you shop for an axle, determine what your gear ratio is as you will have to match the front and rear. There may be a tag on the diff cover with either the ratio or the pinion and ring tooth count that you can figure the ratio from. If no tag the tooth count is stamped on the edge of the ring gear (too bad you put the cover back on). Or you can search here as there are other ways to determine the ratio. More than likely it is 3.73 Also, if you run across someone who has a D30 and a Model 20 axle and he wants to sell you both, pass on the Model 20. It's nowhere near as good as your D44 in the rear. The Model 20 has an almost round cover on it.

 

Thanks that's real good advice. I hadn't thought about swapping out the whole front axle but I can see where that could save me lot's of $. 41/11 was stamped on the ring gear and I believe that means 3.73. I took the front driveshaft off cause I was going to replace the ujoints, but when I found damage in the diff I decided to leave it off and drove it home like that. It's going to stay parked until I get it fixed.

 

Yep 41/11 is approximately 3.73. The 3.73 Dana 30 axles are pretty common, and were the standard ratio used in Jeep CJs from 1972 through 1975. The cheapest/easiest route will be to find another axle with the same ratio and swap it. Try car-part.com or ask on your local Jeep/4x4 forum. This place says they have one for $250 http://autotrucksalvage.com/ Also here http://www.chapmanenterprisesinc.com/ $300. Pretty reasonable for a yard.

Note that from 1976 on, Jeep still used the Dana 30 front axle in the CJ, but the 3.73 ratio was no longer used. So if you find a later axle, it will probably be 3.54 or 3.31 and you can't use it without swapping ring and pinion. Still may be a cost-effective approach, depending on how much you are able to do, and whether you can reuse the ring and pinion from your existing axle. Setting up axle gears is probably the single most challenging mechanical job that you can attempt on one of these, so keep that in mind.

Assuming you have the hubs unlocked, and leave the transfer case in 2WD, you should still be able to drive it. But no 4WD until the axle is squared away.

hth!

 

Thanks for the info. I know it would be cheaper to swap the whole thing but im real worried about if i do that if i could get everything to line up right and i could possibly get another bad axle/housing. I just covered up my jeep cause we're fixing to get some severe weather and I noticed that all of the gear oil I put in the front diff ran out onto my driveway. It leaked out from around the yoke.

 

How hard is it to swap out the whole axle housing? I know I can get it out without to much fuss, but I'm worried about having it installed evenly from side to side under the frame and getting the pinion angle set back right.

 

Really can't mess up as far as side to side. The spring perches (mounting pads) are welded to the axle tubes. There is a centering pin that goes through the spring pack and protrudes into the perch, thereby locating the axle side to side. As far as the pinion angle, it is also controlled by the spring perches. It can be adjusted by adding wedges, called degree wedges. Shouldn't have to mess with that though, unless your lifted several inches or more.

ed. And new U bolts are usually recommended, though some folks reuse them. I'd opt for new ones.

 

That makes me feel way better! I'm pretty sure it's lifted, but if that's the case there should be wedges in there already right?

 

What are the best donor vehicles for the swap? 72-75 cj5?

 

Those, the 72-75 CJ-6, and the 72-73 Jeepster Commando. If you go to car-part.com and enter the specifications (ie 1972 Jeep CJ-5 front axle) it will automatically resolve the application to the proper range and type of vehicle.

When I went to car-part and searched, there were at least a couple dozen of these axles listed in the Southeast, and many more nation wide. I just picked a couple in Tennessee, but you know wat locations in Georgia and such are close to you. Front axles are usually ok if they don't have obvious problems like broken gears, no or bad oil, or a broken housing. Take the cover off and look at the general condition... you have a pretty good idea of what a bad one looks like.

As Dave mentions, replacement is mostly a straight-forward, bolt-on thing. Remove the wheels and brakes (wire the brake backing plates to the frame but leave the hydraulic hoses connected), unbolt the U-bolts and remove the axle. Put everything back with the new axle and new U-bolts. Once the axle is installed, take your Jeep to your local tire shop with an alignment machine. Ask for an alignment, and tell them you understand that they can only set the toe-in and center the steering. Anything wildly wrong with the axle (like a bent housing) should show up at this time. Tell them you want the printout from the alignment machine. Then post up your results here. Alignment around here costs about $50.

 

Just to add to the good advice already given, don't be surprised if you have to cut the U-bolts to remove the axle. Very common as the nuts can seize during removal, even with a good penetrating oil. Just went through this with my '59-5 and they were new 15 or so years ago and not 40-50 years old. Had to cut at least half of them and the rest the the threads were damaged during disassembly.


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Front Dana 30?........... if your not concerned about re-gearing the axle a would look for a 77-78 CJ Dana 30 that has factory disc brakes and factory Warn premium 6 bolt hubs. It will bolt right in.......... This was an option back in the day that was widely used and is still laying in some wrecking yards.

 

Are my axles narrow track? When searching do I have to specify narrow track/wide track for the years you suggested? And is it 77-78 cj5, 6, or 7 or does it matter? I for sure would rather have the disc brakes.

 

Widetrack i think they are available from 1981 tp 1986, other suppose to be narrow. if i'm wrong correct me.

Also you have to look for a 6 bolts locking hub, some may be 5 bolts locking hub that are weak.

 

This is why I've never been big into axle swaps because it gets real confusing. Tarry99 said 77-78 and you're saying 81-86.

 

Your front if it has not been changed is a narrow track D-30 1972-1981 @ 53" WMS / WMS.........from 1982-86 they introduced the wide track axle @ 56" WMS/WMS..............the reason I made mention to the years 77-78 is because of the "Big Brake" option whereby the rotor was 1.125" thick and vented , Had a large 3 inch diameter single piston caliper and came with the HD hubs and 6 bolt premium Warn locking hubs.......after that year AMC cut back and started using a 5 bolt hub and a solid non vented rotor.........either will work.

 

Thanks tarry99 that's what I needed. Where do I measure from to know for sure?

 

Also you you can swap dana 44 from scout, same bolt patern and 58" rms. But you have to outboard the front spring. I have them under the jeep and i like the extra widn't in the trail.

 

I agree but that's just making things way more complicated for this newbie. I'm enticed by swapping to the Dana 30 already setup with factory disc brakes but the only downside to that is it'll have to be regeared which is kind of where I'm at with what I have anyway. I'm probably going to swap to the one with discs if I can find one relatively close.

 

WMS is wheel mount surface, so if you measure it will be between the surfaces that the wheels bolt to.

Since the axle is 3.73 ratio, it is highly unlikely that someone swapped in a wide-track axle from 81-86, then changed the ratio to 3.73. I'm sure you want the factory axle as a replacement. 1972 CJs are all narrow track.

Keep it simple. Replace the front axle with a good axle that's the same as what you have now. Just doing that will be enough of a challenge.

There are lots of upgrades you could consider, but I would focus on fixing what is broken. Consider your handle - "new2jeeps." Fix it. Wheel it. You don't need a bunch of upgrades to start - Jeeps in factory trim are very capable. Make it run and drive, make it reliable, and go Jeepin'.