Rear shock mount question

[Nightpath]

I was thinking about the swap over to another axle to replace the stock AMC axle. Dana 35 comes to mind, common, lots of support and a decent upgrade.

Has anyone ever thought about swapping the shock mounts on the car itself instead of swapping them around on the axle? It seems that over time it'd be a more intelligent change to the car.

Can it be done successfully?

[carnuck]

You would have to re-engineer the car to use the different mounts. I bought a used pair of shocks with adapters for the top pin to eliminate it. For the Front of my Comanche though.

[Nightpath]

So there's adapters you can buy to use the stock D35 without changing the mounts on the axle?

[eaglefreek]

Sure you could. My big Eagle has steel tubing welded in between the rear rails with the upper shock mounts welded to it. You just have to make sure the shocks don't bottom out before the axle hits the bump stop.

[carnuck]

It's easy to weld shock mounts on but I even saw U bolt style clamp on ones for those with torch fear like Priya's hubby. (just pulling your leg!)

I put an XJ axle in my Comanche and had to cut/move the pads (XJ ones line up for Eagles though) I added one shock mount (passenger's side rear) and just drilled and installed a lower mount pin on the driver's side. New Ubolts with FSJ spring plates and I was good to go.

If I lifted the rear very much I could have used CJ spring plates with built in shock mount between the axle and springs.

[Nightpath]

I have to think forward. Dana 35 with the 3.54 here are a dollar a dozen. It is cheaper to swap the axle than the pinion bearing if it goes lol.

I'll have to take a look into having the mounts for the shocks on the car changed over eventually. I think that it'd be worth it in the long run.

[carnuck]

4.0L 5 speed XJs are 3.08 usually

[Nightpath]

Those are pretty rare around here.

My front axle is geared 2.73, and I have a SX/4 front with the 3.54. I was looking at changing the rear to a newer D35 from an XJ with the 3.54 but I think one of the old Eagles I have access to has the 2.73 rear, same as mine. Just needs refreshing.

[carnuck]

You can put your gears into the D35 axle (they are the same diff except the axles)

[Nightpath]

I'm not sure how to change gears. Wouldn't that entail shimming and measuring and resetting hte pinion and all that shenanigans?

[carnuck]

On that, You would check the pinion depth (there is a tool that measures from the edge where the cover bolts to the center of the pinion gear face) and set that the same in the new housing then with the current shims from (I can't recall old housing or new housing) with new bearings and set the backlash to near zero. As long as you keep the matched gears together with the original carrier you should be good.
   This is the simplified version. You can read more about it on http://ringpinion.com

[Nightpath]

Might just have to switch to 3.54 Dana 35 for the rear and use my sx4 front axle.

Since the front is a dana 30, can I refurb the front by shipping for Jeep seals?

And will any Dana 35 seals work on the stock amc axles?

[carnuck]

They list a different number for the Eagle and XJ D35 for the pinion seal, but the specs are the same. The XJ one is just more robust with double lip. There is a listing for the front D30 seals.

[Nightpath]

So Dana 30 on the Eagle is the same as all other Dana 30 in respect to seals correct?

[eaglefreek]

So Dana 30 on the Eagle is the same as all other Dana 30 in respect to seals correct?

Seals are probably not the same since it is IFS and all other Dana 30's are solid. It may share the some bearings.