my new/first cj7 project...

[carchameleon]

this is my first jeep, and i love it.  its a 76 cj7 with a 258, 3speed.  as much as i can tell everything is stock.  i have lots of ideas and possible plans.  i\'d like some suggestions and tips of any kind.  if anyone would like to lend a hand.  

can anyone tell me what my stock axles/gear ratios are/should be?

i have a parts jeep that i just bought (white 86 cj7, no drivetrain or doors/top).  fiberglass tub and good frame.  my cj7 has a good frame but the body is a little rough.  the parts cj has all kinds of other parts, if anyone needs something let me know and i\'ll see whats there.  

i would like to end up with 33\" tires.  beyond that i\'m trying to figure it out.  i think i need a 4\" lift.  would also like to eventually like to have dana44 front/rear axles w/ different gearing.  the axle swap is more a down the road than the lift.  

let me know what you think, thanks

[gCracker]

wow, they both look to be in decent shape.  The white one looks like it already has a lift even.

[carchameleon]

kind of... i wouldn\'t drive with it, it looks like a crappy shackle lift.  

the tires are pretty aggressive 33\'s  too much for me

he used a couple of 1/2 ton chevy axles for mockup (they\'re kind of on it now...)

[meangreen]

ok lets see if I remember eveything about a \'stock\" one. if you have the 258 then your gear ratio is 3.07 if you have a 3 speed you have a t90 (not sure if that is right.) if you still have the stock axles for the 86 the rear might be a dana 44 (kinda hard to get) the 76 has a set of narrow tracks 20/30 axles the stock axles from the 86 are a better axle due to being a wide track version and you may already have them. I wheeled my cj for 3 years with my 20/30 wide tracks with 33\" tires and they held up just fine. if you are not going over 33\" don\'t waste time on upgrading axles. you don\'t really neeed to because you will have to outboad your axles to fit any of the better axles.  as far as the 258 goes its an ok motor (DON\'T and I repeat DON\'T buy a weber for it.) I blew up 3 258 becuse of the way it will dump fuel in. it blew holes into the number 3 and number 4 pistions everytime. if you want to swap out engines you have alot of options. but some require more work than others. cevey 350 or 4.3 swap you will need to swap out everything (motor, trans, and transfer case) or buy a expensive adapter plate for it. ford 302/351 you can swap in with only getting the motor. bellhousing and the clutch parts. also there is a amc 305 and 360 but they are rare and hard to come by.

[smichaelR22]

the white jeep looks like it has to have more than a shackle lift.... i bet it has a rough country 2.5\" spring lift (by the decal) and shackles, maybe a body lift- hard to tell from the pics, looks like it was built for 35\"s.  did you get the springs from the white CJ or just the frame / body?


or it might be SOA.

[carchameleon]

the picture is what i got minus the top/doors.

it does look like a soa lift with crappy shackles.

also the 86 doesn\'t really have any running gear, the axles are just mock up axles...   chevy 1/2 tons all i know about them is that they roll...  

are the frame/axles pretty much the same on 76 and 86 cj7\'s?

i\'m going to be tearing into the parts jeep tomorrow....

[carchameleon]

i forgot another question...
with a 4\" spring lift (planning on probably a pro-comp lift) will it effect the ride quality of my jeep, or will i have to do drive line modifications?

also do i need the 4\" lift for 33\"tires?

[meangreen]

yes for 33 without any body mods you will need 4\" of lift. when you first get the spring they will be a bit rough for  about a year but after that they will soften up a bit. as far a s the driveshafts I didn\'t leaghten mine but they are right at full exstention and \"should\" be done but for 5 years of wheeling I have yet to break one:-D
this is mine with 4 inch pro comp lift and 33\'s with about a year on the springs

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e303/meangreencj7/kevinsjeep.jpg

[carchameleon]

i\'ll be putting up some pictures of the parts cj as soon as i get a chance to take some, possibly this week,  probably this coming weekend...

got it pretty close to just the frame/tub

i have more to think about after talking to a few people on sunday at whispering pines, beating on my stock cj and having a lot of fun doing it.

[carchameleon]

could i take running gear and everything off a 91 wrangler and use it on my parts jeep?  would that work?  found one on craigslist with rotted frame/body. (http://rochester.craigslist.org/car/674724790.html)
although i have no where to put anymore vehicles.

if i had somewhere to put that one, and if it has a title that would be a option to not take my 76 apart...  so you guys wouldn\'t complaign... haha

[MrMindless]

Looks like a great plan.

I\'d be willing to help you out with that in exchange for some of the interior parts and doors.

I don\'t know if that\'s much of an \"upgrade\" - unless you want to return it to stock.

[carchameleon]

any idea where to put it?

i figure engine/drivetrain is good, don\'t know what stock axles are.  any other ideas?

i don\'t have space to put anything,  i have to park in the street b/c my trailer and my jeep are in the driveway (with my parent\'s cars).... my little sister gets home today too, so there is really no room...

[carchameleon]

what the stock axles are...

[smichaelR22]

D30/D35?

dump it at mikes for the parts, then take what you want :)

[MrMindless]

I can\'t wait to have room.....  ask Keith.  once my trailer is out of the way he may be more inclined to say yes :)