1981 amc eagle rear axle parts hard to find help please

[1981amcwagonAWD]

I have a 1981 amc eagle wagon AWD that needs a right rear axle I'm not to sure how or where to find one I've had the eagle for 11 years and I have never been able to drive it I got it when I was 17 I'm asli courious if a axle in a pacer or a gremlin would fit my 1981 amc eagle I'm also not to sure how to Identify my rear end model but it has 10 bolt pattern cover

[MIPS]

"right rear" as in the rear passenger side wheel?

[vangremlin]

You might check on car-part.com. I believe all the Eagles had the same axle shafts and they interchange right and left. Good luck!

[1981amcwagonAWD]

Mips Yes it is the right rear I'm having trouble finding it

[MIPS]

Let me guess, the shaft broke at the wheel hub?
AMC 35 axles are symmetrical, so both sides are interchangeable. The problem is that the AMC 35 was replaced decades ago with the massively more popular Dana 35 which to this day you can still find axle shafts for but are incompatible with the older design. Adding to that as a few of us have rudely found out it seems Eagles have a very very bad reputation for the rear passenger hub snapping off, even if you do not off-road the vehicle. There are many unconfirmed rumors as to why this happens.
Your options are either convert the Eagle to the Dana 35 or you have to find another axle. Car-part.com lists two 1983 axle shafts as available from salvage yards. If my 1982 axle took a shaft from a 1987 I don't see why a 1983 won't fit in a 1981.

[1981amcwagonAWD]

Mips I got it from my high school teacher it was hi father in laws I went to change the break's and low and be hold the hub and axle pulled right out they had brand new breaks in the car when they gave it to me her father in-law drove to the point that the bearing and race were completely gone it has a banei new rebuilt engine in it my teacher gave it to me to crush but I couldn't come to do it

[1981amcwagonAWD]

Mips I'm also wondering how to identify my AMC eagles rear end there's no tags on it

[Mr_Roboto]

Where are you located at? I'm not there yet but I'm swapping a Cherokee 8.25 into my 82. At that point I'd be willing to part with an axle shaft (or two.) I'm in Wisconsin, an axle may be a bit fun to ship though. I also don't know if an SX4 axle would fit a wagon, I'd presume so but not sure.

If you want to know your ratio that's pretty simple. Jack a wheel up, chock the front, toss it in neutral. Put a line on the drive shaft yoke, turn the wheel a full rotation and count the turns and double that number. It'll get you close enough to determine the ratio.

[MIPS]

Mips I'm also wondering how to identify my AMC eagles rear end there's no tags on it

Clean the main casting and you should find a letter stamped into it. The letter denotes the gear ratio. I'd have to double check mine to verify the exact location.

[1981amcwagonAWD]

MIPS it has (a) and 2 stamped on it I was also wondering how to Identify the model of my rear end

[AMC of Houston]

Its an AMC-15 differential.  For '81, it should be a 2.73 ratio; unless the car has the high-altitude option, in which case it could be a 3.08 (manual trans) or 3.31 (auto trans).

And as stated earlier, all Eagles use the same axle, and both left and right axles are identical.

[1981amcwagonAWD]

AMC of Houston.. It has a 258 i6 in it and 3 speed automatic with full time 4x4 It's a 2.73 ratio the only reason I found that out it is because I took the ring and pinion out and counted the teeth and I have a question I thought it was amc 15 and why is it when I always look up a AMC 15 rear end it comes up with Amc 20 it's like the Amc 15 don't exist

Would a axle out of a amc pacer work by chance I live on my grandparents far we also haul cars into crush he has a amc in the brush I'm just hoping it will work I got the car from my high school teacher with a rebuilt motor in it I went to change the break because they brought breaks for it along time ago and went to the passenger rear and the hub axle and all came right out they ran it so much the bearing and race we gone and it wore it down on the axle where the bearing sits on the axle

[maddog]

No a Pacer shaft will not work I tried that myself when I broke a shaft and couldn't find one for an eagle.

[EagleSX4_5Speed]

I have a full rear axle in good working condition. I just pulled it out of my SX4 and swapped in a Dana 35 from a 2001 Cherokee. It has 2.35 gears in it but the axle shafts should be the same. I don't know where you are located but I am in Northern Utah. You can have it for $50 if you can come and pick it up

[1981amcwagonAWD]

I'm in Idaho