Just got a new toy!! '74 CJ5!!

So I got an unfinished project from a friend last night since he is moving and can't bring it with him. He also got it as an unfinished project about 2 years ago and never did anything with it. I only have some limited information on it right now I need some help getting more info on it and how to achieve what I want with it. Right now I wheel a Nissan Xterra with 33's and a 3" lift it does great but I am new to jeeps and don't know much about how to mod them especially the CJ's. So here are some of the specs that I know.

1974 CJ5
AMC 304 Engine
I think it has the stock T-15 transmission and stock Dana 20 transfer case but I am not sure...how can I tell?
Ford 9" Rear Axle
Dana 44 Front Axle
(I am not sure of the width of either, how do I measure that?)
Custom welded roll cage including one in the engine compartment.
Custom front and rear bumpers.
I know it has an aftermarket gas tank as well.
4 different bald 31" tires.
Not sure if it has any lift...if it does it's not much.

So I would really like to know how wide the axles are. I am also wondering if I can put a t-18 or a t-18a transmission in this and if it does have the stock Dana 20 transfer case,is there an option for lower gears? Another transfer case that works?

Other than repairing the engine, possibly replacing the transmission and transfer case, and painting the truck I have a few other mods I would like to see. I would like to put 33 or 34 in tires on this and I don't know what size lift I need for that. The biggest I have seen is a 4" skyjacker lift which is only the leaf springs...I assume I can get another 2 inches or so out of a new set of shackles. But do I need that? What other mods are needed with the lift? Steering, etc? Also since I have the d44 and the 9inch will these standard lifts fit? I have also seen a lot about shackle reversals, what do they accomplish exactly?

I know it's a lot of questions and they probably wont be the last so I give my thanks in advance.

Tom

 

Welcome from Boston!

If it's a stock '74 with a 304 V8, the original transmission and transfer case will be a Borg-Warner T-15 and a Dana 20. A T-15 has casting numbers on the passenger side near the top back that say T15 or 1307. The D20 is a cast iron transfer case that has a centered rear output and a cast iron output housing (aluminum == Dana 300).

Unless you really want the granny gear, the T-15 is plenty strong. You have several options for a T-18, either finding a T-18 from a Jeep truck or adapting a F*rd pickup T-18. In either case you will need a bellhousing from a later CJ with a T-150 or T-176 transmission. These bells have a F*rd pattern. You either have to modify the bell to match the Jeep T-18 and use a short F*rd input shaft, or buy a commercial adapter for the F*rd T-18 to D20, or combine a Ford case and Jeep T18 output shaft and T-TC adapter to make a combo that's compatible on both ends.

I believe all you need is a 2" spring lift to run 33s. Biggest concern with more lift and a longer transmission is rear driveshaft angle.

Steering is already excellent, if in good condition.

Stock axles would be a flanged 30 (?) spline D44 rear, open 30 (?) spline D30 front. Original final drive ratios were 3.73:1 or 4.27:1, but who knows since you have new axles.

If you want really low gears, you can adapt a Dana 300 with Tera gears to a F*rd truck T-18 and get a 6.32:1 1st and 4.0:1 transfer case, which with stock 4.27 axles would give you a very respectable 108:1 crawl ratio. Expensive though ... depends on your budget.

hth!

 

So during my day off in front of the couputer I have found some answers and raised some more questions. If I change the Transmission/T-Case it'll be after the other work is done.

For lift I have been reading that the smaller the lift springs the better the articulation...so a 2.5" spring lift will be better than a 4" spring lift. Now I see that a lot of people do body lifts as well to give an exta inch of tire clearance. I generally don't like body lifts...you don't get much out of them except the ability to fit bigger tire (no extra ground clearecne). So would putting a 1" shackle lift in in addition to the 2.5" springs work fine?

Tom

 

Yeah, I would stay away from much body lift. If you use hockey pucks or such that'll give you about 1/2". Longer shackles work up to a point - with leaf springs you only get half the lift of the increase in length. Go too long on the front and it will affect handling.

 

Welcome Tom, from Cape Cod.

Re: Shackle Reverse, in my opinion it’s best when not used on short wheelbase vehicles, better for trucks.