JPOR: GW D44's in YJ

[Obi-Wan <bvh@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey kids,

I've been debating for over a year where to get donor axles for my YJ
when the time comes (probably this winter).  I'd kinda been thinking
about a Scout rear & GW front with the Ford hubs, since I normally
run with Jeeps who use 5 on 5.5" wheels.  Then this fell into my lap:
(ouch!)

I think I've found an '87 Grand Wag to canibalize for parts.  I've been
playing phone tag with the owner for a couple days, but the ad says
"engine & trans good, rear drive bad" -- whatever that means.  Asking
$700 for what otherwise appears to be a pretty nice vehicle (I drove
by & glanced at it already).

Assuming that I'm gonna swap in a ARB or Detroit & new gears, how much
damage could the rear diff take and still be usable to me?  Obviously
I still need the housing & shafts to be good.  What else?  If, for
example, the rear driveshaft had pole vaulted on the road, is it likely
that the rear D44 would be worthless to me?  That's just a guess; I've
know idea what's really wrong with the "rear drive."

I know several of you have swapped GW axles into YJ's recently.  Any
caveats I should know about?  I know about the one spring perch.  How
much is the turning radius reduced by?  Just a little?  I've already
lost some of mine because my 33x9.50's clip my springs at full lock.

How far offset from center is the rear pinion?  I've got a CV rear
driveshaft already, so lateral pinion position is critical to my
U-joint life.  Should I hold out for a Scout rear end, which I've
been told is a good match, or is the GW close enough?

My '77 Wag is showing its age, so I may be able to canibalize a number
of parts off the GW for it, too.  I'm not just gonna fix the '87 & sell
the '77, because the '77 has a 401 & 3.54 gears & will act as my tow rig.
I thought about swapping the cabin from the '87 onto the '77 chassis
and engine bay, but then I was overcome by good sense.

Anyway, assuming both axles are usable to me, does $700 sound like a
fair price for an entire mostly-working GW?  What's the going rate
for an average '87 360 V8 or TF727 tranny?  No, I don't want a 360 in
my YJ... yet... my tranny couldn't take it... I said NO, OK?

				Thanks for your thoughts,
				Obi-Wan
				'95.5 Grand YJ, '77 Grand Wag???

-- 
Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth                               obiwan@jedi.com
"You know, he kind of looks like Yoda"  -- Jim Davis, about my baby Micah
            Anybody want to buy a Jeep XJ Dana 44 rear axle?