A TF999 would swap in, if you want to go to the trouble with installing an automatic. A TF727 would also swap, but you'd have to install a 4" lift kit, or modify the ATF pan for front drive shaft clearance.

Did you re-read the thread you posted in September of last year? You got some pretty good advice on manual swaps in that thread.

 

Thx leve, Any Std trans options?

 

From my research, I'd have to ask how much are you willing to spend on the swap. Alot of the manual swaps are going to require an adapter ring to the Dana 300 transfer case. Those sometimes ain't cheap. If you had to also get an adapter for the I6, you're into the swap some pretty significant money. The only bright spot I can think of is that with a TC adapter, you could also clock the TC and install a flat transmission/TC skid plate.

Another question is why are you moving away from the T5? It's lasted the last 25 years. I'm sure since September you didn't rebuild it and the problem has gotten worse. Another alternative is to get a T5 Rebuild Kit and rebuild the existing transmission. At first, this may seem a waste of money; however follow my logic for a while.

Rebuilding the T5 will be among the least expensive alternatives, with kits running about $250. It's something you could do over a week-end, or so. Then you'd have the Jeep back on the road again, that's worth something. Since the Jeep's driving up and down the road, and it's reliable, you could then pick your poison (so to speak) and get the transmission you want. Then get the adapters at your leisure. You'd not be rushed as the Jeeps broken down sitting there rusting. You'd have time to plan your work and work your plan. When you're done with the swap, if it's in a reasonable amount of time and within a few thousand miles of the rebuild, you could also recoup your cost in the rebuild kit by selling the T5. That beats throwing it away at a boneyard or selling it for scrap.

I don't see you swapping the T5 for any other manual for anything less than about $800, and that's with a used transmission. This is a serious chunk of change to drop on an "experiment." I don't care how much the guy you buy the tranny from swears it's "like new." Buyer Beware!

Until you pick a transmission and know your costs, I'd think twice about dumping the T5.

 

Thanks Again Leve for the sound advise. I found out at lunch today that my problem may not even be in trans, but more in my axles. I could not even get it to move at lunch, but when i went 4wd, worked fine.. local jeep guys are thinking stripped or almost stripped axles.. the speedometer was spiking as it was banging and slipping..

 

Where was the noise coming from? It could have even been in the transfer case.

 

While in the drivers seat, it sound like it tranny or tranfer case..
i'm going to jack it up tonight and check it out while on Jack stands. I'm hoping for Axles vs Trans. As noted when i out it in 4wd hi, work fine the guys at the jeep graveyard, told the, dana 30 or axles, they were kinda Leaning toward axles, since they are original and I am running 33 12x50’s with a ~3.42 gear set up.
Based on the symptoms may either. If I jack it up 2wd try to run it or spin the wheels it should show

 

First determine if it is in the axles. Remember, your '83 has an AMC 20 in the rear, and a Dana 30 in the front.

So, if you put it 4-Hi and not lock the hubs then the front TC Drive shaft would not have been turning. The rear axle would have been doing all the work.

Did you lock the hubs?

If you didn't, that proves both axles are likely OK, and the problem could be found in the TC. Have you checked the TC lube to see if it's full, or have grindings in the lube?

 

i did lock the hubs. Actaully went back and forth. 2 wd lots of noise and would barely move in any gear. 4wd worked really well, with only the sligthest noise in 4wd. When i jack it up, i'll need to only run 2wd right?
I should even be able to turn the wheel with it gear nmaybe w/o the drive shaft even spinning?????

 

Do you have one piece shafts in the back or are they they stock two piece axles??? Might just be your shafts if you have the stock shafts in it.....

 

I'm going to pull these out tonight. I'm guessing i have the 2 pcs,because they or OEM and i have a nut on the outside..

if i do'nt go with 1 pcs i would still have to replace the hub and axle wouldn't I?

 

If the axles are your problem then yes, you would have to replace both so you might as well upgrade to one piece shafts. With 33's you would be looking at the same problem again in the near future. Now if money isn't tight for you, this would be a good time to throw in a locker and save some time and labor. I know that's a big chunck of change to throw out with gas prices and everything else going up, just a thought!

 

Easy way to check if you have someone watching is to pull the caps on your rear axle shafts (at the ends in the center of the wheel) and see if the nut is spinning and the wheel staying still.

 

33"'s with 3.42 gears? YUK!.....

With that size tire you need to be running at least 4.10 gears. With the current gears, don't expect the clutch to last too long....it's about like starting out in second gear all the time....

And yes...you have the 2-piece axle. If money and time is an issue....take an arc welder and weld the flange to the axle....in some cases you can tighten the nut to limp around. But with the tires you have with that ratio, those axles will not handle it for long.

The T5 is a decent tranny...medium duty...but with our gear ratio, you are going to wear it out sooner....One good thing about the T5 is the nice range of ratios.

Assuming that one of your axles is spinning, you can expect to pay about $300 for a set of solid axles.

Considering your issues with gear ratios, I would suggest looking at the big picture and consider an axle swap with a better ratio....with a D35 NOT being a good option. You might get lucky and find a rear axle that has the gears you want and solid axles. This will of course require that you change the front as well.....but once you do, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

 

take an arc welder and weld the flange to the axle....

Really not a good idea... everyone that has tried that has lost the wheel within a few miles after.... are you before JoeyCJ55's time here? lol

 

Looks like you are finding that your original two piece axles are spun. Not a big shock running 33" tires. You need new axles and with a little luck not much else.

In two wheel drive you can likely set the emergency brake, start it up, put it in 1st, let out on the clutch, then get out and watch the axle spin on the hub (if you don't have any center covers on your rear wheels).

But why did you think it was a transmission problem?

Please go back and change the original topic if the T-5 has nothing to do with it.

By the way.... Maybe it's 3.31:1 or maybe 3.54:1... But there was no 3.42:1 AMC20 axle ratio.

:cheers:
Dale

 

But why did you think it was a transmission problem?

:cheers:
Dale

He probably thought that because the noise had most likley traveled the driveline and sounded like it was coming from there. It, the noises, will travel right up the drivetrain and fool the smartest mechanics. I just fixed a similar problem. 1990 YJ, 5.0 Engine, NV4500 trans, atlas low gear tansfer case, twin stick, 18" CV driveshaft, and 4.10 gears in a dana 44 rear. Well my son had a heavy foot one evening and he blew 2 teeth off the pinion. The bang-bang was such that it sounded like my NV 4500 (20K miles) was making the noise. I took it to the most qualified man in the area and he thought it was the trans, I pulled it, he had a look/see and everything was fine, then he wanted to look into my Atlas, welllllll, seeing it was almost new I asked him to wait I wanted to check something else, and when I had my son remove the pumpkin cover and heard that plop-plop and noooooo fizz-fizz I knew where the problem was, after a re-build all is now good and everything is working.

BOOGER

"Sometimes Insanity and Genius walk the same side of the street"

 

Thx guys.
Last night I jacked up the rear end, put it gear, only the left rear tire was moving. The right rear tire jerked a little bit, kind of like it was possessed. Neither the hub or center shaft also was moving. So does this mean I have problems elsewhere?
With a spun axle should the axle and moved?
I might need to mount the tire back on it an recheck it.
Looking for the axle to be spinning and the tire to not??
Correct?


Thx for all the help guys. Now I having problems finding someone that can do the work?

 

Sounds like you have an "open" differential, only one wheel will spin.
To actually see if it is the axles you need to have the jeep under a load (wheels on the ground) and then have a look at the rear axles and see if the axle or axles are spinning and the wheels don't move. You have to be able to see the end of the axle protruding from the center of the wheel to be able to see this so you will need someone to help you. I can't explain it any other way, if you were here I can fix it.

BOOGER

"Sometimes Insanity and Genius walk the same side of the street"

 

thx, found a guy to install new 1 pcs axles = $693.00

 

Ouch. You know you can buy the shafts for $200-300 and do it yourself, don't you? It isn't that difficult.

 

If it's narrow-track you can have my set of two-piece axles for the shipping cost. Can't remember when they went wide, but it's probably before '83.

 

thx guys mine is a 83 wide track, but thx fellow jeepers for the offers. I was seriousily considering doing it myself. Just do not have the pullers, nor the press or have any experience working on axles.
Some things i just have to farm out..

 

Here's a couple threads to read concerning welding axles.

http://forums.off-road.com/jeep-short-wheelbase/76765-can-you-weld-amc20-shafts.html

http://forums.off-road.com/jeep-short-wheelbase/113763-can-you-weld-amc-20-2-piece-axles.html

 

Some things i just have to farm out..

I'm still wondering why you're jumping at conclusions? You've been given a lot of opinions as to what the problem could be, everything from the transmission back to the rear-end. But I haven't seen any concrete proof that you've found as to where the problem lay. Heck, you could even have an LSD in that '83 CJ...lots of them did.

You're not doing the work to find just where the noise is at before you take the Jeep to a shop? IMHO, you're throwing good money away for something you should easily be able to narrown down.

If I could give any more advice, it would be to sit down and list all the symptoms you've had over the last little while with this problem. Then list the causes you've come across, some fanciful, some realistic and others somewhere in between. Then match the symptoms to the cause. Those that don't fit...throw them out. The ones that match are the ones you start investigating on the Jeep. It's amazing how when you sit down and logic out the problem you'll come up with the correct diagnosis almost every time... or be darned close.

Oh, and remember Occam's razor:

One should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

or the simplest answer is usually the correct one. It's really the foundation of the KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) principle.

 

Well last night I confirmed my problem.
With the rear end jacked up on stands, Wheels all mounted, center cap off so I could see the center nut. Once in Gear, the right rear wheel never moved, or tried a very little bit. Had a helper (my reluctant wife) to rev the engine while I was holding the wheel. As she rev’d it the center nut started to spin created a grinding, squealing noise.
At this time I feel comfortable that have found the problem. In fact I wish I could change the subject name from Transmission to axle, but I could not see where to do this in the main index..

 

At this time I feel comfortable that have found the problem. In fact I wish I could change the subject name from Transmission to axle, but I could not see where to do this in the main index..

Jim can do that. :grin:

One piece axles are not very hard to put in yourself if there isn't any other damage. Actually easier than putting new stock two piece axles in. If you don't feel comfortable taking it on then don't.

:cheers:
Dale

 

Jim can do that.

Actually I don' think so. I've looked at it a couple of times but can't see a way.

 

Actually I don' think so. I've looked at it a couple of times but can't see a way.

:shocked: OK, but someone can.

:cheers:
Dale

 

thx again guys for all the feedback and help. This web site is GREAT...