scout axels into cj-5

[hoosierdaddy]

has anyone put any dana44 front and rears out of a international scout onto a 1975 cj-5 and how complicated is it

[WILL]

Originally Posted by hoosierdaddy

has anyone put any dana44 front and rears out of a international scout onto a 1975 cj-5 and how complicated is it

It's been done and not too difficult. You don't gain much though. You get a bigger front ring and pinion but the shafts and u-joints are the same. The rear axle is the same.

Where in Missouri are you?

[Jim_Lou]

Welcome to the board!

Scouts have zero caster and Jeeps need three degrees or so. If you rotate the whole housing to get caster, the pinion is pointing down which gives an unfavorable U-joint angle and exposes the U-joint to trail damage. The cure is to cut the Cs loose and rotate them.

If you're going to that much trouble you're much better off getting a D44 from a pickup. Besides a stronger ring and pinion you get stronger shafts, hubs, joints and brakes. The amount of work is the same if you narrow it but you'll have to have the shafts shortened. That only costs about a hundred bucks at Moser Engineering.

[jdoggmoney]

I have them under my CJ7. Your CJ5 would be very similar minus the shorter wheelbase of course. My thinking was (and I think most Scout axle swappers is very similar) that these are the perfect width to swap and they should come with matching gears if they are from the same donor. The second issue is key.

I swapped the axles and went SOA at the same time. I had time and tools to make the caster right in the front, but did not have the money and-or tools to re-gear the difs and add lockers at the same time. By having a "matched set" of donor axles, I was able to do the swap, then build the axles in steps.

Like I said I first did the axle swap and SOA lift. I used the CJ stuff from the knuckles out and a drop pitman for steering. I did grind the inner C welds and re-set the caster. I also cut out a chunk of the pumpkin for the spring pad to sit on. I also had to "outboard" the front spring hangers on the frame. I installed disc brakes onto the rear.

A few months later I added a Lockright to the rear axle.

I ran this way for a year or two. It drove great, but did have some bump steer and I wanted to beef up the steering. I swapped on some GM flat top knuckles, high steer arms from Sky Off Road and now have beefy 1.5 x .25 steering links. I still had the Scout stuff laying around so ended up doing Scout caliper brackets and calipers and CJ rotors.

Last winter I finally got the funds and tools together for a gear swap and selectable front locker. Found a "thick" set of lower gears for the rear so I could still use the stock carrier and Lockright. Now I'm sporting an Eaton E-Locker in the front too.

I am still running (stock) small shafts, slightly beefier and serviceable u-joints, and the Warn premium external CJ style lockouts. I have spare shafts and lockouts and haven't broken anything yet. I am on 35 inch tires and will never go larger than 37s.

IMHO I ended up with a pair of axles that will suit my rig and driving style well. It's not obnoxiously wide and can be legally driven on the street as well as fit tight trails. With an upgrade to chromos and internal style lockouts, the only weak link would be the thinner Scout axle tubes.

The swap is not too terribly difficult, but requires some careful grinding and measuring. I should also note that you can save a lot of work by staying SUA. Just outboard the front hangers and use an off the shelf CJ lift of your preference. You will also have to move the spring perches on the rear axle, but this is no biggie SOA or SUA.

[hoosierdaddy]

do i have to adjust the caster on the scout axels using the original hubs on a spring under set up

Originally Posted by jdoggmoney

I have them under my CJ7. Your CJ5 would be very similar minus the shorter wheelbase of course. My thinking was (and I think most Scout axle swappers is very similar) that these are the perfect width to swap and they should come with matching gears if they are from the same donor. The second issue is key.

I swapped the axles and went SOA at the same time. I had time and tools to make the caster right in the front, but did not have the money and-or tools to re-gear the difs and add lockers at the same time. By having a "matched set" of donor axles, I was able to do the swap, then build the axles in steps.

Like I said I first did the axle swap and SOA lift. I used the CJ stuff from the knuckles out and a drop pitman for steering. I did grind the inner C welds and re-set the caster. I also cut out a chunk of the pumpkin for the spring pad to sit on. I also had to "outboard" the front spring hangers on the frame. I installed disc brakes onto the rear.

A few months later I added a Lockright to the rear axle.

I ran this way for a year or two. It drove great, but did have some bump steer and I wanted to beef up the steering. I swapped on some GM flat top knuckles, high steer arms from Sky Off Road and now have beefy 1.5 x .25 steering links. I still had the Scout stuff laying around so ended up doing Scout caliper brackets and calipers and CJ rotors.

Last winter I finally got the funds and tools together for a gear swap and selectable front locker. Found a "thick" set of lower gears for the rear so I could still use the stock carrier and Lockright. Now I'm sporting an Eaton E-Locker in the front too.

I am still running (stock) small shafts, slightly beefier and serviceable u-joints, and the Warn premium external CJ style lockouts. I have spare shafts and lockouts and haven't broken anything yet. I am on 35 inch tires and will never go larger than 37s.

IMHO I ended up with a pair of axles that will suit my rig and driving style well. It's not obnoxiously wide and can be legally driven on the street as well as fit tight trails. With an upgrade to chromos and internal style lockouts, the only weak link would be the thinner Scout axle tubes.

The swap is not too terribly difficult, but requires some careful grinding and measuring. I should also note that you can save a lot of work by staying SUA. Just outboard the front hangers and use an off the shelf CJ lift of your preference. You will also have to move the spring perches on the rear axle, but this is no biggie SOA or SUA.

[Jim_Lou]

do i have to adjust the caster on the scout axels using the original hubs on a spring under set up

Yes, if you want your Jeep to work well. If you just bolt the Scout axles in you will have no caster, which will probably cause death wobble. You need three degrees or more. You can re-do the perches or put tapered shims between the springs and axle to rotate the axle, but either will leave the pinion at an unhealthy angle for the U-joint, besides hanging lower than desirable.

Something else to consider is that with the Scout axles you will have to outboard the spring mounts so that the differential can be moved a little to the right from the stock location. Otherwise you'll have more wheel sticking out the left side than the right. If you get a full-size axle and shorten both sides you can keep the stock spring location.

[WILL]

Where in Missouri are you?