Over the weekend, I sold the half cab hard top (and doors) to a gentleman that had asked for it all the way back in '21 or '22 when I first started posting pics of the jeep. Off it goes to live a new life atop a different jeep! It's a little bitter sweet, but I know it will serve him better than it will me. Also, it's nice to see Marla in her best configuration; Topless!
I finally opened up the axles I picked up a few months ago to get a closer look, and...oh boy!
both axles have 5.38's (huzzah!)
the Dana 25 has a Power-Lok and looks pretty darn good inside. The diff cover is HEAVY. Might be cast iron? it's thicker than the 44 cover by almost double and much, much heavier. Makes the 44 cover feel like aluminum soda can!
the Dana 44 rear has a Gleason Torsen Differential, so I'm super excited about this find! (I mean, these axles would've been great on their own, but this is like extra scoops of ice cream, nevermind a cherry on top!)
The gears look phenomenal in both. I didn't see any pitting or blemishes in either, with the exception of some small amount of surface junk on one part of the '25 ring gear that scrapes off pretty easily. Someone has definitely been in the 25. There's a polished part on the back of the ring gear with a set of etched initials and some paint splotches likely used to help track a starting point when counting bolts or some such. One thing is for sure though, the clips on both axle's ring gear need to go, with the 25 looking much worse than the 44, but not by much. I found broken clips (teeth?) in the bottom of the housing.
I'm left deciding how to proceed on these axles (but deffo won't be letting them go! Sorry yall!
) . Neither has brakes, or backing plates, or any plumbing. The knuckles are removed from the front axle (I did grab them from the seller, though), and both really need to be blasted and painted. Someone welded the steering stops
. With the 25, I really only want the traction device (well, and the cover!). I'll keep the rest of the axle for spares (believe they're spicer joints buy will look tomorrow or someday lol). I'm not sure what's involved with getting that LSD out and into the axle currently under the jeep....
Ideally, I'd like that 44 under the jeep. But as far as how to build it remains a big question....Vintage Jeeper offers a pretty serious strength upgrade for the 44 that takes it from 19 spline two piece tapered shaft semi-float to 30 spline flanged solid full floater. You know...for monies lol. Not sure how heavily I'll wheel it enough to warrant that amount of upgrade, though. Also, going to 30 spline means the torsen diff won't be usable as it's 19 spline (I think? I haven't been able to slide the shafts in...). So, I may end up just running it as is (after a small refresher, probably). I don't foresee treating Marla so rough on trails. Having LSD front and rear for piece of mind is very nice, in the light wheeling I've done in West TX, I've wanted for at least one axle with a traction device.
Finally, I'm also not the most experienced shade tree mechanic, and rebuilding or reconfiguring axle parts seems daunting, but like anything else I've done with this jeep, it's a fear/anxiety/unknown I'm looking to overcome! I'll probably have TONS of questions, but this will not be a speedy build.
Anyways, that's where Marla's at today!
