Front Diff of a WK??

Guest · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2006 6:13 pm

it does indeed joe.

I'm gonna have to pay my buddy at the parts counter a visit

benmar2000 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:29 pm

Well.. Jeep just called me.. It is made by DC at their Detroit axle manufacturing plant..
Here is a link to the specs of the plant..http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0,,0-5-8793-1-12913-1-0-0-0-0-0-91-7155-0-0-0-0-0-0-0,00.html

Ben

ChileanKJ · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:45 pm

This is the sticker on my rear axle (4.10) i think must be the same ratio on the front

2.8CRD

Claudio

dutchman · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:37 pm

ManicMechanicJoe wrote:

Who makes American Axle? I see them used on all sorts of new trucks (GM and Dodge). I have never seen or heard of American Axle untill last summer. Are there any aftermarket parts? I can't seem to find any. Did American Axle formerly operate under a different name?

Having worked in a gear shop for a couple of years I know they are out of Detroit and all of the BIG 3 have made the switch to AAM. GM has used them for quite a few years already but a lot of people still confuse them with what used to be called the CORPORATE diffs.They are very similar but the AAM is built a lot heavier. They are built Heavier than the DANA,s also and are easier to work on and set up they set up like the GM corporates with an adjuster ring for the carrier bearings instead of shimming. With the Power and weight of the new diesel pickups and the heavier loads being carried and hauled is why they switched to the heavier built AAM.Anybody who does a lot of diff work can apreciate the ease of working on these vs. the danas. Down side, not much aftermarket parts YET[u] I,ve seen some already it,s coming.

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:16 am

wasn't the corporate axles (10,12, 14 bolts) manufactured by GM for their light trucks? And if AAM was formed from GM's final driveline plant it would make sense that they share a lot in comman. I liked those old corporates. My old truck had a 10 bolt with a 100,000 miles on it that needed a rebuild (the story I told my dad, I actually wanted to run 4.10's instead of the 2.76 it had). I used it as a shop project in my auto class. I ended up buying a 14 bolt with 4.10s and a locker. I still rebuilt it and the thing was, is, and will always be bullet proof.

If these AAM axles are made at the same factories by the same people as those old workhorse corporates I will have no problem buying one if the swap is doable.

And if AAM is used in all three of the big three (i will skip toyota because i have no interest in their vehicles), then all of the aftermarket parts will be available fairly shortly. Heck I wouldn't put it past ARB to have locker in the works...

dutchman · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:03 pm

Yes they are nice axles but I am not sure if they took over the corporate plant or if they are all new.They are very easy to work on unlike the dana. Also the lack of aftermarket options for the AAM is why Dodge went with the dana axles on the Power Wagon.

warblade666 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:23 am

Has anyone thought of talking to Superlift about the XK/WK front axle?
I would think they have some knowlage about it. And if it would or could be made to - fit into a KJ.

Just a thought.

bump

warblade666 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 18, 2006 2:27 am

I just e-mailed Hellfire from Superlift about the front diffs. When and if he gets back to me we'll find out if they will fit.

warblade666 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:56 pm

still no word

kickit_in4wheel · **Posted:** Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:02 am

So assuming we could get the cnetersection with CVs and all the way to the brake discs, what else might we need, both from the grand cherokee and from the parts store to make this happen??? I have friends at junk yards, eventually a 4X4 grand that has been hit from behind will turn up...

Rick

ManicMechanicJoe · **Posted:** Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:16 am

i am guessing the CV's are going to be custom on this job...we may have to make a Franken CV, GC inners with KJ outers to mate up with our hubs. Or we may have to swap hubs if the splines aren't the same (which wouldn't surprise me).

i also imagine this will require a little fab work to build some brackets to attach this new diff. That is to be expected with any axle swap (even straight axles need new spring perches).

then we need to mate the front drive shaft to yoke on the new center section. any driveshaft should be able to handle this and the CV's.

that leaves only the fab work. Since we are lucky enough to have IFS, we shouldn't have to worry about steering components like we would on a straight axle.

this may be a stupid question-but are we sure that both diffs are on the same side? provided they are and both diffs are relatively similar in width, then this should be a straight forward swap with minor cutting at welding (a lot less then a straight axle swap).

warblade666 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:35 am

From what I could see at the dealer, it looks almost the same. The center is iron (couldn't see the mounts) and the shafts were aluminum (just like ours). The cv's looked about the same length (don't know about the splines), and the front suspension looks the same too.

Still waiting to hear back from Superlift. But the Liberater is said to have the WK front axle in it.

4WheelAholic · **Posted:** Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:37 am

Has anyone researched this further or have any new information on it :?:

ramlebliberty · **Posted:** Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:00 pm

for the cost of all the fabrication and what not to make a different IFS front axle fit up front, why not just throw a HPD30 under there and open up a whole new world of possiblities for yourself? A basic SFA swap can be done for $6-10K. You do NOT need to spend 30K on a SAS

The guys spending $30k are running pro rocks and atlas' the equipment thats on our KJ's is plenty enough to support a rig that does the light to moderate wheeling that 90% of us do.

Have a talk with OHV_KJ and check his thread on the SFA board for new info.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 11:49 am

The reason to do it is because it hasn't been done (that anyone knows of). Forget about cost here. It is about doing what everyone elses says not to do. Why lower a Hummer (H1) and put spinner 22" wheels on it and chrome it out? Why put in a 500w sound system in a vehicle when you only need 50-100watts? Why create Bigfoot monster truck when you can't even drive it on the road legally?

It is funny that we praise people for doing something different but chastise or tell them why do "that" when you could do "this" instead. It has been a constant about upgrading the front diff and "telling" everyone to just do an SFA instead.

Why don't we (actually all you gearheads, welders, and true mechanics - I'm usually comic relief/smartelic) come up with the best possible solution for a IFS front diff swap, together, and then let people make the decision of which way to go?

Inc · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:48 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

Why don't we (actually all you gearheads, welders, and true mechanics - I'm usually comic relief/smartelic) come up with the best possible solution for a IFS front diff swap, together, and then let people make the decision of which way to go?

I think most "gearheads, welders, and true mechanics" think the same way ramlebliberty does. The reason for the swap is strength and performance, both of which come in a solid axle and not in an IFS design. Do I want to see someone do it, ABSOLUTELY, but I really doubt it will ever happen for reasons stated above.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:16 pm

So here lies the problem.

Why buy a Liberty if it is weak in the first place? We all know the front diff is weak. We all know that IFS is supposedly not better than SFA. Not everyone wants to go the way of SFA either.

People say they bought the KJ because of the challenge it presents when off-roading. Having a super modded YJ, TJ, CJ, etc... is easy because everything is out there and and just about everything has been tried.
But, isn't modding the KJ to have a better diff still better than the stock diff? Yes. And guess what, here is the challenge that people seek.

I am not someone with the skills to do something like that so I can't be the first. I praise people like Marty, JeepinByAl, AllJ's, and those independent people out there for trying something different. What they do may not be something I am interested in or like, but they did it. Even Rock Krawler for trying the 7-up, though they failed miserably to R&D it and help those owners with problems.

Soory for going off topic.

Back to the Diff. Are there other IFS axles out there besides the D30 that could be stronger than our D30A? Can they possibly be modded to be used on the KJ?

Inc · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:44 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

So here lies the problem.

Why buy a Liberty if it is weak in the first place? We all know the front diff is weak. We all know that IFS is supposedly not better than SFA. Not everyone wants to go the way of SFA either.

People say they bought the KJ because of the challenge it presents when off-roading. Having a super modded YJ, TJ, CJ, etc... is easy because everything is out there and and just about everything has been tried.
But, isn't modding the KJ to have a better diff still better than the stock diff? Yes. And guess what, here is the challenge that people seek.

I am not someone with the skills to do something like that so I can't be the first. I praise people like Marty, JeepinByAl, AllJ's, and those independent people out there for trying something different. What they do may not be something I am interested in or like, but they did it. Even Rock Krawler for trying the 7-up, though they failed miserably to R&D it and help those owners with problems.

Soory for going off topic.

Back to the Diff. Are there other IFS axles out there besides the D30 that could be stronger than our D30A? Can they possibly be modded to be used on the KJ?

I think it boils down to why are you doing the swap. If you want a rig that can run the Rubicon or most of the hard trails at Moab without taking the easy lines or bypasses, an IFS design isn't what you should be looking for. If you just want to run 33s and still do some moderate wheeling then a WK swap could be for you. But is doing a WK swap worth all that effort to run tires that are 1 or 2 sizes bigger than the D30a already will allow? I don't think it is. Say you run 35s on the WK, it should hold them and work fine I bet, but you still have squat for articulation and that is a major factor in a capable rig. IFS designs don't really allow for articulation. Unless you are talking trophy truck style droop and then you are way beyond a WK swap. I would applaud and congratulate anyone that goes for a WK swap, but I wouldn't hold my breathe for anyone to do it. Seems like most looking for more off road capability are looking for a design that will allow for articulation and not just bigger tires. I hope someone goes for it though and wheels the crap out of it. Different is good but sometimes not ideal.

As far as other IFS axles, every other rig I know that comes with them either isn't heavily wheeled and if it is they experience the same results as a D30a. Or they are swapped out for a solid axle.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:05 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

The front axle in the 5.9 ZJ's was a Dana 44a.

Pretty sure youre wrong about that Jeepster.. :wink:

KJNick · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:00 pm **Posts:** 56

Seems to me that if a D30 differential will fit the D30A, then you should be able to cut down a D30, machine some flanges for the ends to match a D30A, use the D30A axle shafts, and add some mounting brackets for a direct retrofit. As cheap as a D30 is, seems like it would be doable for a lot less money and trouble than a full SFA.

If someone would provide these ready to bolt in, it would be doable by the average joe with just some wrenches and a weekend in the driveway. The added benefit would be gearing up to 4.88.

Front Diff of a WK??

Who is online