1947 Dodge WC - Best rear end gear ratio?

[Forrest]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Forrest from Shelton, WA and am new to the forum.  I acquired a 1947 Dodge WC that is pretty much original including the 218 Flathead.  I'm planning on changing the rear end to get better highway speed and newer rear brakes.  I've found 2 rear ends locally that I can't seem to decide on.  One is a Jeep Cherokee Crystler 8.25 with 3.55 gears and the other is also a Jeep Cherokee Dana 35 with 3.07 gears.  Which would you choose? Thanks a bunch and look forward to picking your collective brains.

[The Oil Soup]

I have the 3.55 in my truck and it could use an overdrive gear.

[Merle Coggins]

I wouldn't go lower than the 3.55. I have 3.73 gears in my truck and it cruises just fine. You may find that with the 3.07 gears it will struggle on any big hills.

[Plymouthy Adams]

8.25  @ 3.55 is hard to beat..they plentiful and will be available for years to come to support your build.

[NiftyFifty]

Since my T5, I actually wish I had 3:73 instead of the 3:55's....just not quite enough rpm in 5th in a strong wind or hills, but 3:55 on a stock 4 speed should work well.

[Forrest]

Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply.  I'll go for the 8.25 3:55.  BTW, any of you using the emergency brakes on the new rear end or still using the drive shaft brake?  If so, curious as to your handle configuration. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

IF you change to a modern rear end...in my opinion you would greatly benefit to connect your original e-brake cable to the cable from the new rear axle...I have done it on all my upgrade and it is slick and easy to do.  ON A NOTE...if you grab this fairly late model axle, do yourself a favor and cut the frame attachment point for the e-brake..the method in which they pull and lock is compound and reliant upon that frame connector...

[The Oil Soup]

My 3.55 axle is from a '96 Cherokee and I used the plate that the e-brake cables mount to on the Jeep and ran a rod to the lever on the trans from the original e-brake, works fine btw I have drum brakes on the rear. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

if top hat disc you would still have rear drum e-brake

 

[Young Ed]

No original brake cable to reuse on a 47. Unless you change trans too I'd just leave the stock brake.

[Jerry Roberts]

I am using the stock drum e brake on the back of my transmission . On my Dakota rear end I saved the rear cables in case I ever want to change things around . Where the cables entered the backing plates I installed  bolts to just plug those holes . 3.55 is good if you have any hills to climb . 

[Dennis46PU]

Jerry, did you change the type of u-joint from your transmission?  What did you change when you put the Dakota rear end in?

[Plymouthy Adams]

  On 7/26/2017 at 2:06 AM, Young Ed said:

No original brake cable to reuse on a 47. Unless you change trans too I'd just leave the stock brake.

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I admit I did not upgrade a truck.....but in the case of the truck where the lever is connected to the transfer case, could it not be connected to a cable by slight alter of the rod at this point to the rear brakes instead of the clevis at the brake on the tranny itself?  I would think this a possibility.

Edited July 26, 2017 by Plymouthy Adams

[Young Ed]

  On 7/26/2017 at 2:30 PM, Plymouthy Adams said:

I admit I did not upgrade a truck.....but in the case of the truck where the lever is connected to the transfer case, could it not be connected to a cable by slight alter of the rod at this point to the rear brakes instead of the clevis at the brake on the tranny itself?  I would think this a possibility.

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Ya I'm sure that would work in case of just upgrading the rear end. In my case I upgraded the trans too so my original ebrake is 100% gone. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed, in that case you can go to about any car in the junkyard and pull a center mounted hand brake assembly and transplant.  When I did the upgrade in the 41 Dodge truck I owned, I used one from a Dodge Omni

[Jerry Roberts]

  On 7/26/2017 at 5:14 AM, Dennis46PU said:

Jerry, did you change the type of u-joint from your transmission?  What did you change when you put the Dakota rear end in?

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I had a complete new drive shaft made up with modern u joints .  My old spring perches had to be welded to the top of the Dakota rear end . Then just fresh shoes and wheel cylinders . 

[Forrest]

Update.  I got the 8.25 rear end from a 1996  jeep Cherokee with 3:55 gears.  Perfect width and bolt pattern.   I had a spare rearend from a 1953 dodge with the same diameter tube as the Cherokee. Welded the spring perches and attached the lower shock mounts from the 53' and it bolted right up to my 1947 wc. The 1947 rear end tube is smaller and tapered so the spring purchase and lower shock mounts would require a lot more work to adapt than the 53' parts. With the new rear end having standard wheel studs, I drilled the front drums and inserted Dorman 610-258 studs to match.  Next step is to connect the parking brake cables.