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T-18 from Jeep pickup?

946 views 23 replies 7 participants last post by  **DONOTDELETE** 
#1 ·
I've got a line on a $300 T-18 from a Jeep pickup (a J-10 I think, year unknown). My Jeep is a 79 CJ5 with a T-150/Dana20. Will this T-18 be a drop in swap (except for driveshafts and maybe linkages, which are easy)? Is $300 a good price? I've searched the back posts but most seem to be about CJ T-18's (real rare) or Ford T-18's (too much work). Anything else I should know?

-Dana

The citizens of the United States are getting the government they deserve. The problem is that I'm also getting the government they deserve.

 
#3 ·
ok.. i am doing this setup.. and will be getting the drive train in this week.. hopefully... but there is one thing i am concerned about.. it seems in the truck versions.. there is a 5" adapter on the front of that T-18.. i have gotten down to the shop to do any kind of measurements.. to see how that puts into effect of where that tranny is located inside the tub.. it might be too far back.. and on a cj-5.. well you might just have one short rear drive shaft.. hopefully i will get down there in the next 2 days and inspect this..

survival is instinct, but living takes guts
 
#4 ·
Here's the info. I think you're looking for...the J truck version of the T18 has a really long input shaft. To long for use in your CJ, so
with that in mind you'll need to change the input the shaft. Everything else will work just fine. The short input shaft can be bought
in a kit for about $180 from partsmike.com or jb conversions. I am sure there are some more places but those are the only ones I
know of.
One more thing...make sure the t18 you get DOESN'T have the new process transfer case behind it. This came in after 81.

Alec

 
#5 ·
Hmmm..... $300 for the tranny, $180 for an input shaft, $180 each for new driveshafts..... this is going from a "that'd be nice" to "well, the T-150 ain't broke yet....."

Jeepgod, please keep us posted!

-Dana

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I'm wasting much too much time on the internet,
and probably, so are you.

 
#6 ·
the J truck tranny isnt really ideal if you get into it above $200

if you can get a J truck T18 and then a cheap Ford T18 too, then you can swap th parts out, assuminbg you can get a Ford T18 cheaper than $180, ive seen them from $25-$400

I found another supposed factory CJ T18 for $400, Im going to check it out in the next day or so..
if it isnt ( my hopes arent high), Ill end up with a J truck T18/dana 20 combo and Ill convert it too.

its still better than the usual $800 price tag, and it isnt even comparable to a T150..get that 3 speed crap out of there!

OzarkJeep
77 CJ5, in a bunch of sanded and primered pieces
 
#7 ·
I'm in the same shoes too. Been looking for a fencerow cj with the t-18. I think I'll probably end up getting one out of a j-10 truck. I didn't know about the 180 kit, which doesn't sound bad. I know a ford parts will swap in, and I think international parts as well, although I'm not positve. You could cut some cost by going to your local fab shop and getting some custom shafts made.

 
G
#8 ·
We swapped out a T-18/Dana20 from a J series truck into our CJ8. The motor was a AMC390 so I know it was not original in the truck but the t-18 had a 5 inch adapter plate on the front to clear the dash of the truck. We had no trouble with lining up the AMC360 and the T-18 with the adapter in our jeep. We did have to fabricate a mounting bracket for the T-18 to the skid plate. The line up is good so I would not be concerned too much about the adapter. The T-18 did not have its shifter or cover so I had to shop around for replacements. I ended up with a straight shifter from unknown source, we made a new floor panel access cover but did not have to cut out any new metal.
-Will

.
 
#9 ·
I forgot to ad

the shaft alone ( not the "KIT") is approx $89 from Hicks
the bearing retainer is like $30.

I dont know what else comes in the KIT though.


OzarkJeep
77 CJ5, in a bunch of sanded and primered pieces
 
#10 ·
Here's a thought, can't confirm it but have heard of people doing this...

Look for a Jeep truck with a 258 six in it with the T18, this T18 has
the short input shaft like the CJ's used and bolt it in...with the obvious
drive shaft lengthing and shorting

Luke

 
G
#11 ·
I am also putting a T-18 from a FSJ into my CJ-7 to replace the T-150. I need to know if the skid-plate needs to be dropped like the stock CJ T-18's are. Are these spacers there to make the engine/transmission line up right, to make the drivshaft angle less steep, or are they there for clearance so the transmission will not hit the sheetmetal? I hope its to make the transmission clear the floor because I have 1" body lift already. Also will the rubber mount off my old transmission work? I have the spacer out of the FSJ that goes between the transmission and X-case where it looks like the mount goes.

Are there any nasty suprises I should know about before I pull out the T-150? I want to get it running as soon as possible.

This is the first transmission swap I am goining to do and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 
#13 ·
WOW I thought the input shafts were longer on the j-10's. All this time i've been looking for the elusive 70's cj with the t-18. So if I understand this right, the chances are pretty good that a j-10 with a six will bolt in without changing the input shaft?

 
#14 ·
As to the spacers on the transfercase thing NOBODY KNOWS the correct answer. I did the swap last year and asked everyone I could find but no one can tell me. I'm leaning toward the "tilt the driveline thing" due to the added length of the T18 and adaptor it makes it easier on your driveshaft so I did it. Clearance did not matter. I had the body lift also.
If you do find the right answer email me and let me know.
Pigpen

 
G
#17 ·
I bought a T18 from a '70 Wagoneer with Buick V8. The input shaft and bellhousing are way too long to use in my 67 CJ5, too long for a cj7 I'm sure. I bought a Frod T18 and am in the process of using the Ford input and Jeep output, don't know for sure which case i will use yet. I had the input shaft bearing retainer turned down in a lathe to fir my GM bellhousing. Oh, my '70 Wag T18 does have the granny low, and it says T98 on top cover but the early T18s used T98 covers. The prev owner told me it was a T98 but I was pleasantly surprised when I got it to find it is T18. Paid $100 $100 shipping.

 
G
#18 ·
WHEN AMC BOUGHT OUT JEEP,KAISER THEY CAME OUT WITH 304, 360, 401, OKAY UP TILL THEN T18,S WERE BEHIND327,S AND350BUICKS AND YES THEY HAD LONG SHAFTS BUT IN 1970 THESE TWO ENGINES WERE DISCONTINUED AND T18,S WERE SHORT SHAFTS , THIS IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND 1974 UNTIL 1979 , AFTER 79 T18,S STOPPED AS DID 304,S AND 401,S

BRADCO JEEPS
 
G
#19 ·
I have three T18's sitting in my garage now. One has the 6 and something inch shaft, one has the 9 and something shaft, and one has a 5 inch spacer which goes between the bellhousing and the tranny case. All three came out of J-trucks and Wagoneers from the mid-70's with AMC engines. I believe the short shaft one lived behind a six-cylinder. Jeep used a variety of input lengths and what I have is proof. You can't make a generalization of what came with what, you have to get out there and look for what you need. The only thing that I have seen that is constant is that from 76 to 79 all CJ's with the T18 came with the short shaft.

 
#21 ·
ok.. said i would keep you posted.. mine is out of a 73 j-20.. has the 5 inch spacer.. and i measured it... its only 2 inches longer than my 3 speed.. looks like it will fit in my 7.. when i put it in this week.. i will post it on my web page next week..

survival is instinct, but living takes guts
 
G
#22 ·
The way to change the gear ratio is to change out the entire first gear cluster. Some of the trans swap places like Hicks can provide that, but it's cheaper to find a Ford T18 and do the swap with those parts along with a rebuild kit.

 
G
#24 ·
keep a dooing its ok mine is a 74 t150 but i have t18 with 632/1 70 mod, yes long shaft, just bought 74 j 4000 with t18 360 short shaft for parts, i still get confused, just passing along what was told to me , Irun cj,s ,trucks new to me, seems they put whatever they had togther on that day

BRADCO JEEPS
 
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