71 commando axle,bushwacker,tire and rim combo - Off-Road Forums & Discussion Groups

71arcommando · #1 03-31-2009, 08:43 PM

I have a 71 and want to put bushwackers on it. Also I want to swap the d27 out. I would like to know what combo would work best. Im going to run 33s and I want the tires right at the edge of the flares. I have access to a 78 wagoneer with d44s. How hard would it be to swap those in and would that put my tires where I want them? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Tim · #2 04-01-2009, 12:24 AM

If you want to run a D-44 up front without shortening it to work with your existing spring hangers, then you'll need to move them outboard to work with the cast spring perch in the housing. The rear is simple to change the spring perches on the tubes to align with your existing spring hangers.

While not significantly stronger than your D-27, a wide track D-30 from a '82-'86 CJ will work with your existing spring hangers and measures 56" wms to wms. A lot of people run 33's on a 30 front, but if you wheel hard, you will eventually break and replace parts.

Wide track CJ rear axles, ('82-'86), will be a two-piece tapered AMC 20 measuring 54.5" wms to wms. It can be upgraded to stronger one-piece flanged axle shafts. AMC axle housings tend to flex and be weaker than a D-44 housing.

In late '86, the CJ's got one-piece flanged D-44's instead of AMC 20's, so finding a set from a late '86 would be a major score.

Another possible rear that works well is a Scout II rear D-44 which is 58" wms to wms.

Below are some pics of a '71 with Waggie D-44's narrowed to 56" wms to wms with 255/85R16 tires, (33"x10"), on 16"x7" wheels with stock CJ-8 Scrambler flares.

71arcommando · #3 04-01-2009, 01:42 PM

Tim, do you know the length of the 78 waggy axles? I think they are 58". It looks like I would have to take 4" off the drivers side to make them work. I want those 6" bushwackers and I dont want to have to put such a wide wheel on it to make them even with the flares.

Tim · #4 04-02-2009, 04:44 AM

I don't know how wide the '78 Waggie axles are. I think they are a bit wider than the Scout II axles though, (58").

In case you weren't aware, both Warn and Omix-Ada, (Rugged Ridge), makes a 7" flare that might help some in the coverage department. Here's what the Warn 7" Trail Flares for TJ look like on a Jeepster with 62" wide front and 60" wide rear axles with 37x12.50R17's.

chains20 · #5 04-02-2009, 01:39 PM

I I remember right the 78 waggy front axle was 60-61 inches. ill be going with a passenger drop front axle from a waggy when i do my axle swap. nice jeepster

71arcommando · #6 04-02-2009, 04:27 PM

Are there any negatives to outboarding the springs?Also the rear waggy axle is soa and front is sua. Would I have to soa or sua both for the commando? thanks

chains20 · #7 04-03-2009, 03:25 PM

The commandos suspensions are sua front and rear. Many people have done spring overs tho. heres a post that i recieved a wealth of information. http://forums.off-road.com/jeepster-...ize-axles.html (Full size axles?)

Grantshire · #8 05-01-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71arcommando

Tim, do you know the length of the 78 waggy axles? I think they are 58". It looks like I would have to take 4" off the drivers side to make them work. I want those 6" bushwackers and I dont want to have to put such a wide wheel on it to make them even with the flares.

Use a narrowed WT FSJ front axle, comes out just about stock uncut Wagoneer width after you narrow the long side to fit the Commando frame width. Her are some pictures of mine with the bushwacker flares:

The wider tube beyond the spring mount helps with tire clearance as well (I am running 38.5" XL's that measure 39.4" tall). My rear is a 87-92 GW centered Dana 44.

Richard

chains20 · #9 05-01-2009, 12:00 PM

nice jeep Gantshire. when you narrowed the long side were you able to use a stock shaft from something else or did you have to get a custom one?

Grantshire · #10 05-01-2009, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chains20

nice jeep Gantshire. when you narrowed the long side were you able to use a stock shaft from something else or did you have to get a custom one?

My experience probably won't tell you much as mine is a highly modified Commando. That's a built Chebby 4.3 you see sitting between the frame rails. We modifed the stock 225 motor mounts so it sits a little low (works great since their is so much lift) and it is mated to a CJ TF999/Dana 300 combo via an AA adapter.

Mine is SOA with Tad anti-wrap perches, custom spring hangers and YJ springs in front with a short Wagoneer anti-wrap leaf on the bottom of the spring pack (flexes like crazy but no axle wrap). Rear is SOA using stock springs with a double "V" pattern shock setup. My wheels are the military 38.5x11.00x16 XL's on aftermarket 16'x8" rims with 5" backspacing.

For driveshafts my front is a shortened and rebalanced Wagoneer shaft without the CV joint. The rear is a shortened Commando driveshaft with a CV joint. I am getting ready to upgrade to a custom long travel front due to the flex.

I have a Lomax 4:1 kit and output shaft upgrades in the Dana 300 and my axles are geared 3.73. Thanks to the TF999's 2.74 ist gear and the 4:1 setup I have a 40.88 crawl ratio, plenty of acceleration off the line (thanks to the pumped up 4.3) and can cruise the Interstate at 70 mph turning only 2300 rpm's. I decided to go this route after seeing all the issues Tim had to address to put a 700R4 in a Commando.