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Question: I have been planning a build for some time, and recently took some advice from your segment "Junk Hunter" (July '07), and purchased an '80 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. I plan to take some time and build this up right. Mostly this will be used off road (mud and moderate trails), although occasionally it will see pavement. I am looking for some advice on how to build this Jeep.
Chris L.
Blue Springs, NE
Answer: Up in South Dakota there is an underground group of wheelers who go by the name Wagoneers. They all drive Jeep Wagoneers and they all beat the living snot out of them. I asked them for a few different recipes for building your truck:
Cheap plan: Being an '80, it should have a front diff 44 and a centered rear AMC 20. The rear spiders will need to be welded. A simple spring-over axle conversion on the front, and a full length add-a-leaf in the rear with a smaller steel lift block, will work for the suspension. If the wagon is a narrow-trac (no fender flares) and you add the block to the back, you will need a set of wheel spacers or 2-inch backspacing wheels to keep the tires from rubbing the leaf springs. Throw any old set of 33- or 35-inch mud tires on an 8-inch-wide wheel and cut the rear fenders up to the bottom of the rear door. The front might also need to be cut.
Not so cheap plan: Find an early '90s Ford front 60 (driver side) and a Chevy 14-bolt rear. Build both axles with 5.38s and Detroits. Leave them full width. Do a spring-over in the front with the stock Ford perches, and add a good J.C. Whitney HD double-wrap spring pack. In the rear get a custom-built 5-inch-lift spring. For the drivetrain, add a Chevy-based TBI EFI to a rebuilt 360 or 401. Put a new Advance Adapters four-speed Atlas in also. This will give you really low gears and it will stretch out the front driveline. Throw on a set of 38-inch Swamper SXs on eight-lug bead-lock wheels of your choice. You will have to do a lot of trimming to get the 38s to fit, but it is probably rusty anyways.
The Street Wagon plan: Find a good early, nonrusty Wagoneer. Sell the front axle to a CJ guy and replace with a two-wheel-drive axle, lower the wagon on bags 6-7 inches, add white walls on steel wheels, and cool paint. Huge stereo...done.
Question: Why are all the front axle differentials now located on the driver side? Is there an advantage to this?
Tom P.
Oak Ridge,TN
Answer: I believe it is due to convenience of packaging and the fact that many manufacturers are going to a driver-side fuel filler for safer maneuvering at gas stations, and thus it's easier to put the fuel tank on that side as well. Then with the fuel lines running up to the engine on the driver side, it makes sense that the exhaust runs down the passenger side to keep the heat and fuel separate. With all the exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers on the passenger side, there may not be room for a transfer case to protrude and a front driveshaft to spin, thus it gets relegated to the driver side. Plus some transmissions have more room on the driver side for a driveshaft. Another thing is many manufacturers push the engine slightly towards the passenger side for more foot and pedal room for the driver as well as more engine bay room for the steering shaft, and this also opens up room for the front driveshaft.