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Axle Swap Grinds To A Halt


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I've obtained an '88 Dana 35 with 3.55 gears from a Cherokee, removed the shock and spring seats, welded in new spring plates. All ready to go, except; my u-joint bearing caps do not fit the yoke on the Jeep axle. Caps are 1.145" diameter, and the yoke looks to be 1.062". Anyone ever had this happen?

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Did you get the driveshaft from the Jeep?  A good driveshaft shp may be able to fix you up with what you need.  Mike

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You may want to look at the driveshaft length as well. When I converted the rear in my 50 Plymouth to a jeep dana 35 I had to get a new driveshaft made. Not sure how the trucks are for pinion shaft length. If that is good to go the conversion u joints are available. May want to search on line for a part number,finding a good counter person at a parts store is getting rare.

This may help.

http://www2.dana.com/expert/wc.dll?hvtss~dedsec~partlookup~5-153X

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If you have normal u-joints, you can get a conversion joint. If you have ball and trunnion nightmare u-joints... you may need a custom shaft built or run the yoke from your old axle in the new one. Odds the ancient yoke fits the modern Dana rear end are slim to none though. You may be taking a trip to Hagen's in Puyallup to get it sorted out, take both axle assemblies and your driveshaft with you. If Darrel is still there he'll get your puzzle solved.

 

Worth the trip anyway, if for no other reason than getting  bunch of neat period correct trinkets for your truck. Time it right and you can make it a side run during the Puyallup Fair.

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the parts store...

 

Gosh, never even thought of that

Did you get the driveshaft from the Jeep?  A good driveshaft shp may be able to fix you up with what you need.  Mike

I did not think I'd need that since all the conversion threads I read never mentioned it

 

I believe that the earlier PH trucks used a different yoke than the later trucks. On my 52 a pair of the Cherokee retainer clips were all that was required.

 

Jeff

That is the impression I was under, my yoke would fit right up. That is what I was hoping for anyway

 

You may want to look at the driveshaft length as well. When I converted the rear in my 50 Plymouth to a jeep dana 35 I had to get a new driveshaft made. Not sure how the trucks are for pinion shaft length. If that is good to go the conversion u joints are available. May want to search on line for a part number,finding a good counter person at a parts store is getting rare.

This may help.

http://www2.dana.com/expert/wc.dll?hvtss~dedsec~partlookup~5-153X

A member here sent a PM with a NAPA part number, I am on it now! Thanks for the link

 

If you have normal u-joints, you can get a conversion joint. If you have ball and trunnion nightmare u-joints... you may need a custom shaft built or run the yoke from your old axle in the new one. Odds the ancient yoke fits the modern Dana rear end are slim to none though. You may be taking a trip to Hagen's in Puyallup to get it sorted out, take both axle assemblies and your driveshaft with you. If Darrel is still there he'll get your puzzle solved.

 

Worth the trip anyway, if for no other reason than getting  bunch of neat period correct trinkets for your truck. Time it right and you can make it a side run during the Puyallup Fair.

They are the standard type thankfully. A round trip to Hagens is about 150 miles for me, but maybe someday I will check them out. I rarely get down that way

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I grew up in Graham, lived in Puyallup and Buckley when back out there from 10/01-3/11. Still rarely went there unless I needed some braided wires the same day. Never did make it back in after the fire. I will say that they had same or at the latest next day availability on some cool stuff. I even got parts for my 1916 Packard phaeton from them. Kind of wish I still had that car, my road is so bad it broke my baby Ranger...

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figured you never gave the local parts store a thought...they do have a few things in stock...conversion joints is one of them..and if not in stock will be available next day am sure..I walked in and bought the ones I need right off the street without a call ahead as they are common items..and rarely are things on driveline upgrades a true bolt in on these cars/trucks....

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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figured you never gave the local parts store a thought...they do have a few things in stock...conversion joints is one of them..and if not in stock will be available next day am sure..I walked in and bought the ones I need right off the street without a call ahead as they are common items..and rarely are things on driveline upgrades a true bolt in on these cars/trucks....

I did not know you could get a conversion joint. What I need is 1.144" dia cap x 3.188 yoke width and 1.062" dia cap x 3.500 width. The counterpersons around here can't find anything unless it's for a 1995 Honda or something. I'm still looking...

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I did not know you could get a conversion joint. What I need is 1.144" dia cap x 3.188 yoke width and 1.062" dia cap x 3.500 width. The counterpersons around here can't find anything unless it's for a 1995 Honda or something. I'm still looking...

It is shameful, how the parts stores are now willing to hire people with no actual automotive knowlege.

 Another route is to contact a Local or Not so Local Drive Shaft Specialist, They will usually have or know what U-jounts are avialable & their parts numbers. 

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Sultan is still logging country and 4x4 country isn't it? Or has it become a Seattle/Bellevue bedroom community like Everett, Tacoma, Puyallup? I know there used to be a really good driveline shop up that way... Been a few years though. There were a couple decent driveshaft and parts shops in Monroe as well. You may need to run to Everett, you can get just about anything there, including bootleg whiskey... Gotta love Navy towns...

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 Drivelines NW in Seattle or Everett. Also a place in kirkland....Precision Driveshaft,

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It is shameful, how the parts stores are now willing to hire people with no actual automotive knowlege.

 Another route is to contact a Local or Not so Local Drive Shaft Specialist, They will usually have or know what U-jounts are avialable & their parts numbers. 

I guess I'll have to call Drivelines NW, and get ready to bend over...

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Sultan is still logging country and 4x4 country isn't it? Or has it become a Seattle/Bellevue bedroom community like Everett, Tacoma, Puyallup? I know there used to be a really good driveline shop up that way... Been a few years though. There were a couple decent driveshaft and parts shops in Monroe as well. You may need to run to Everett, you can get just about anything there, including bootleg whiskey... Gotta love Navy towns...

Logging has pretty much dried up in this area, Sam's Saw Shop is gone, I never heard of a driveline place around here unless you're thinking of Heavy Duty Transaxle, they're for the big rigs. Not much Seattle here, thought someone did build a house down the road from me, and put up a 6' fence all around.

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you got your measurement of the cross..conversion will allos use of one size bearing on the rear axle and another at the driveshaft..thus the conversion..you have you measurement...look on the web for the part number...Neapco is a major player in the production of these joings..get your number  be it 1330 to 1350 or 1370 or that GM junk if needed and call your local with the part number..in all seriousness if you ging to do this type work you have to be proactive in your parts search..as you know by your own statement..local counter people know only how to punch a kybd and scratch their butts...

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Looking at your pic I think a conversion U joint may not help with the "wings" on yours. I have seen them but very seldom. Those on the truck side may have found an answer so it is worth a shot. I think your best bet may be to take it to someplace that does drive shafts and have them make a new one using the front of  yours and the rear to match the jeep. I think it is a Spicer 1310 .

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Sorry. :( Mine was a straight swap. Has to be because it is a later model Pilothouse. Even the length was fine......and my truck is a fluid drive which tends to complicate most things. I was expecting to have to visit the driveshaft shop.

 

It doesn't help that the vast majority of auto parts shops pretty much suck these days. If it makes you feel any better.....I live in a major population center......and haven't found a single source worth a darn locally. 20 - 30 years ago there was never an issue finding someone local that actually knew a thing or two. Now I think I would keel over if I came across a parts guy that was truly helpful. And believe me I have tried a bunch since I started working on my truck. My local Dodge dealer which I can walk to......is totally useless!

 

Hang in there......it won't be that bad. I feel certain when your done you will be glad you went through it.

Jeff

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Looks like the differences in the 48-49 snuck in again as I discovered when I did mine.  The 50's forward used a  more standard u-joint.  So when I read the posts about the conversion u-joint, I discovered that it was great on the newer models.  I had never changed a rear end in any project that I didn't have to modify the drive shaft.  So my first step was to have the drive shaft shop change the rear to one compatible with a Jeep rear end, that way I had a Jeep to Jeep u-joint.  Then the shop needed the other end of the drive shaft from the transmission to balance it but I said that I would try it without balance to see if I was lucky.  Nope, vibrated at 45mph so then I had to take the parts off the transmission.  That end had the most gosh awfull nut to get off.  Here was the other change in there is a two piece adapter and slip joint so the 48-49 is one piece.  The shop got the two piece unit and welded it in and modified the e-brake drum slightly.  That drive shaft turned out to be a costly and lenghtly process.  I had to drive 25 miles one way, everytime they needed another part or another measurement.  Got er done however.  Good thing I had acess to a 1" drive socket set and breaker bar to get that nut off the transmission,.

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