J-Truck axle under a Chief

[woodsboy00]

Has anybody ever swapped the front axle out of a J-truck into a Cherokee? The reason being the Jtruck is already SOA and steering ready... would be going into 76 Chief.

The things I can think of are
1. Should be the same axle (wt d44) passenger drop
2. Are the spring locations/lengths the same?
3. Would this provide a SOA lift to my Cherokee like a normal SOA? Meaning the height gain?

[Snowstorm]

1. The Dana 44 front out of a J-truck is wider than the WT Chero D44.

2. IIRC, the perches are in different spots, but the lengths are the same...one of the more seasoned gentlemen here should confirm this

3. Again, IIRC, it should give you 6-7 inches of lift.

[woodsboy00]

Well, Dang. I was hoping the axle would bolt up.

[fulsizjeep]

It is my understanding that the front axles are the same between WT Chero and a J10. Maybe I am grossly uninformed. 74-79 is right hand diff and 80 and up is left hand diff. It is the rear axle on Jtrucks that is wider than the rear of a WT Cherokee. I don't know what you mean by "already SOA" unless that means it has been modified for SOA. They are not SOA from the factory. If you are talking about a J2000/3000/4000 front axle, that is a whole nuther animal.

[woodsboy00]

I thought all J trucks were already SOA? This is my understanding. . . I thought I had read it more than one place. I'm sure I am wrong, but its just what I thought I had heard. I must have gotten my trucks mixed up.

[Tad]

J-trucks up through '73 were SOA up front, but they are what we call post mount rigs. Meaning the springs are hung off round posts sticking out from the frame. The perch spacing is wrong for your Chero, they are also all closed knuckle drum brake axles, not desirable except for a stock rig restore.

[tgreese]

Looking at the parts book, it's clear that the axle housings overlap between J10s, J20s and WT Cherokees, '74-79. The track width is different, but I recall that someone on here (Elliot?) claimed that the difference is in the wheels? So, within the passenger drop open knuckle years, these have the same axles.

From '74-77, there were two wide housings: the 8124642 used on the WT Chief and the J20 with 3.73s, the 8124365 used on the J20 with 4.09s and J10s; 2-3/4" tubes. From '77 to 79, there was only one wide housing, the 8128609; 2-15/16" tubes.

[woodsboy00]

Thanks for the help guys! I need to stop trying to be "different" (cheap!) and just do this build right.

[fulsizjeep]

Cheap may just be a set of J20 axles. Prolly buy a whole truck for even cheaper.

[woodsboy00]

I thought j20s had d44s up front and a d60 out back? And dana 60s are like a grand aren't they? Haha I'm trying to lift on like a $600 budget.

[Tad]

Not a rear D60, they are pretty common as are rear 14-bolts.
Rear 60/14's typically go for $2-300 here (Tucson), they will go higher depending on gears/locker, etc.
THey can be had cheaper when you search rural farm/ranch areas where old trucks are sent to the side yard to die.

[Stuka]

Front D60's are at or over a grand depending on the year and model. But rears as Tad mentions are cheap and extremely common. The J20's had HD44's up front, which are 8 lug, slighter larger brakes, big bearing and thicker tubes. Although it has been argued that all open knuckle FSJ's had HD housings with the big bearings and thicker tubes. But I have not seen two compared side by side.

[tgreese]

Front D60's are at or over a grand depending on the year and model. But rears as Tad mentions are cheap and extremely common. The J20's had HD44's up front, which are 8 lug, slighter larger brakes, big bearing and thicker tubes. Although it has been argued that all open knuckle FSJ's had HD housings with the big bearings and thicker tubes. But I have not seen two compared side by side.

The parts book does not support any separation in housings between the different GVWRs. However, it could be that they were different from the factory, but used the same service part.

[woodsboy00]

Hmn. So running a HD d44 and a d60 (or 14 bolt) would provide a lift?

[derf]

Hmn. So running a HD d44 and a d60 (or 14 bolt) would provide a lift?

Nope. They go in exactly where a stock axle goes.

To get lift you either need to change out the springs or do your own spring over/shackle flip.

[woodsboy00]

So the advantage would be stronger axles, but still cost the same... I found a set locally, but for $500. And I am looking to spend not much more than $600 for the time being.

[Tad]

You can buy a abandonded non-running GM 3/4 ton rig for $500 and get the axles but you are still going to spend another $2-300 on steering, there is no $600 6" lift.
Bide your time, do your research,you can make it happen.

[woodsboy00]

Thanks for the help guys.