91 Jimmy 4 door SAS dana 30/35

[otis_771]

hello I'm new here but i have browsed around here before looking for ideas, I'm currently working on a 1991 GMC Jimmy 4x4, Its a SLE power everything 4.3L Automatic 4 door, i ran it stock for awhile (cranked up the torsion bars and threw a pair of 31s under it) but i wasn't very happy with it so i decided to do a SFA swap on it i have never done one before but i like a challenge, i am a mechanic so it shouldn't be too hard, i got a pair of axles from a 89 jeep Cherokee, there are a high pinion Dana 30 up front and a Dana 35 out back, I know guys don't like these axles much, but they were free and I'm not planning on doing anything too crazy (i only really wheel it 3 days a year)so if i do break them after it is built swapping in better axles will be pretty easy i think, I'm trying to do this build as cheap as possible but i do know a good investment as well, i wanted to show you guys what I'm up to and see if you guys had any tips thanks

[otis_771]

Test Fitting the Jeep Front Axle I'm planing on running leaf springs in the front i got a pair out of the back of another jimmy I'm going to add 2 leafs to each side and take out the flat overload spring, I'm going to do a SUA in the front for 2 reasons 1. it will make my steering way easier and 2. it would be way to high up front with a SOA

[BillaksBlazer]

i vote no v8 with a d30, d35 combo. It will never work with anykind of power

[melon16]

unless he plugs the intake runners to 4 of the cylinders, those axles will last MAYBE a trip to the end of the driveway....unless he runs 26x6" tires...haha!

[jonb8]

What axle joints are in your rubi axles Melon? Aren't they the same as a D30 and that's the weakest spot ain't it?

[DieselS10]

Quote: Originally Posted by BillaksBlazer

i vote no v8 with a d30, d35 combo. It will never work with anykind of power

Good point, I broke the U-joint in my D44 with 36's a lot and that was with a stock '95 tbi.
What size tire are you planning to run?

[solenoid]

I believe the D30 HP is actually a pretty good light duty front for up to 33" tires, with an axle upgrade and 297X joints. You gain alot of strength by being high pinion,plus better drive shaft angle and more ground clearance. However weak housings, and unit bearings are undesirable. If you want to play rough a bigger more robust axle assembly is in order .It pays to spend money up front and not have maintance issues down the road ,just my .02$

[otis_771]

right now i still have the 31s on the jimmy i was planning on running 33s im not going to be really hard on this truck only baby stuff for now. i have a couple buddies with jeep cherokees with these axles and one runs 35s the other runs 36s they havent broke anything YET, and they are much harder on there trucks then i am. not to say im not gunna break anything cause i probally will, i know from reading on here that i should be running a Dana 44 front and something bigger in the back, I'm going to keep an eye out for a good deal. does anyone know a truck that would have good axles in it that i could get cheap from a scrap yard maybe?

[96superflow]

late 86-91 wagoneer. dana 44s front and rear. leaf springs, and they hold abuse of the 360 V8 jeep puts in them. Probably the best and cheapest you will find.

[DieselS10]

My last front axle was out of an '83 Widetrack Waggy. It never gave me any trouble until I went larger than 35's.

[otis_771]

perfect ill see if i can find anything thanks, now i was working on the jimmy today and i ran into a problem im ready to mount my front leafs and axle, my problem is i dont know a good way to get the axle square in the truck i dont think i can use the frame to square it up, i was wondering if anyone has done this and could tell me the way they figured it out? thanks

[DieselS10]

There are holes and slots down the sides of the frame, they are symmetrical from side to side as those are the holes used to measure the frame in the event an accident occurs and the frame has to be straightened. I measure off of these holes, but first I level the frame front to back and side to side, then I level the axle from side to side. Then I run square lines off of these holes up and down on the outside of the frame, then I place a magnetic level (level) running up off of the floor magnetized to the axle tube directly under the frame either in front of the axle or behind as long as you place it on the same side from side to side. I measure from the square line off of the bottom outside corner of the frame to the level that is resting level against the axle tube while keeping the tape measure straight and level. This will ensure that your axle is square.

I'm a little anal about my axles (and everything else for that matter) being square so that the track perfectly down the road, but its worth it.

[pjg1173]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

late 86-91 wagoneer. dana 44s front and rear. leaf springs, and they hold abuse of the 360 V8 jeep puts in them. Probably the best and cheapest you will find.

I would go with D44's if you are going to run a V8. the D30/35 might hold up to a bone stock wooped 2bbl 305 for a little while. I have axles out of a 87 grand waggy. They have held up to 39.5's with no issues (knock on wood).

[pjg1173]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

late 86-91 wagoneer. dana 44s front and rear. leaf springs, and they hold abuse of the 360 V8 jeep puts in them. Probably the best and cheapest you will find.

I would go with the D44. I have run a set out of a 87 Grand Waggy and they have held up to 39.5's with no issues (knock on wood). the D30/35 will not last very long even with a whooped 2bbl stock 305 pushing against them.

[pjg1173]

Quote: Originally Posted by 96superflow

late 86-91 wagoneer. dana 44s front and rear. leaf springs, and they hold abuse of the 360 V8 jeep puts in them. Probably the best and cheapest you will find.

I would go with the D44. I have run a set out of a 87 Grand Waggy and they have held up to 39.5's with no issues (knock on wood). the D30/35 will not last very long even with a whooped 2bbl stock 305 pushing against them.

[pjg1173]

wow holy computer glitches sorry for the 3 posts..

[otis_771]

for now i'm going to stick with the stock 4.3L i figure i'd keep it in till it blows up lol right now im just trying to get it back on the ground and rollin again, this front end geometry is screwing me up

[pjg1173]

thats the same thing I said. almost 2 years later 193k miles my 4.3 is still going strong. as far as the geometry goes I always try to keep my springs as level as possible to keep the suspension from moving at weird angles when compressing and unloading. there is plenty of write ups on it out there. http://www.afcoracing.com/tech_pages/leaf.shtml The last thing i do when mounting the axle is weld the spring perches so I can compromise between wheel caster and pinion angle without using shims. I wasn't so lucky with my truck and had to clock the diff, but it was worth it. It handles like it was stock. good luck

[JollyGreenMini]

Awesome, this means i'll be snapping axles left and right

[otis_771]

OK got a bit more work done on the jimmy yesterday, the new cross member is in and the leafs springs are in place, (only the main leafs) i have to add the rest of the leafs and then bolt on my axle then it can go back on the ground, it looks like m gunna have about 28" from the center of the wheel to the top of the wheel well when its on the ground, i had a question about steering do i have any options for pitman arms? or am i just gunna have to use the stock one? also how much is involved in a v8 swap for down the road, i already have motor mounts i can get exhaust manifolds no problem what about the rad do u have to movie it? i was kinda thinkin bout an electric fan would that help? thank you all

[jonb8]

You can use a jeep pitnam arm and get about 4in of drop, use a wrangler or a cherokee. Some guy's use a ford pitnam arm but I have no experience with them. Depends on several different things. First if you use the serpentine pulley's off your 4.3 or older v pulley's, the v pulley's take up less room by several in. Some guy's hack up there core support and recess the radiator forward to were the condesor sits too gain room for fans. Most guy's are using taurus E fans because they are dual speeds. Hope some of this helps...

[DieselS10]

I have always done the core support hack due to the size of radiator I use. With the 350's I used twin 14" Perma-Cool fans in a shroud I built, but with the diesel I moved the radiator far enough forward to use the factory EDF due to the cooling requirements of the TD. I have always been able to pull trailers at 100*+ weather without over heating, so it is worth the extra effort IMO.

I actually prefer the EDF due to the noise level of the electric ones.

[otis_771]

so a jeep Cherokee pitman arm is the same? it will just swap over?

[pjg1173]

Quote: Originally Posted by otis_771

so a jeep Cherokee pitman arm is the same? it will just swap over?

yes it bolts right up. I have a 4" drop on mine.

[otis_771]

*update* got my steering and front brakes finshed for now, im waiting for my driveshaft to return and i need a cap and rotor then it should be able to drive around, i was wondering what other people have done about the transmission crossmember problem?

[96superflow]

if your spring under, you might not have to do anything to your cross memeber...

[jonb8]

What axles did you go with? I went with the waggie 44's and my jeep cherokee pitnam arm isn't even close to working with my tie rod and I can't find any local shop that will ream it out. I got a friend bringing me a CJ7 drop arm to see if it will work. If not I'll be buying a $75.00 reamer (yea me, I thought J.E.E.P meant JUST EMPTY EVERY POCKET, but this blazer likes too eat money too)...LOL

[otis_771]

right know im trying out a HP Dana 35 (im know im gunna break it eventually) i did all custom steering on mine with the stock jimmy pit-man arm for now. i made 1 straight bar to go side to side then another one that goes from the pit-man arm down to the pass end of the first bar and i used hiem joints on both, oh and about the crossmember im also gunna use the jeep drive shaft with a double joint and the t-case end will that help?

[96superflow]

should, i havent heard of any of the guys on here that ran spring under having to modify their tranny x-member

[otis_771]

ok guys i need more info again lol im thinking of swapping a different body onto my frame i was wondering how easy it is to do and what bodies i can use mine is a 91 4 door jimmy but i was thinking of just using a s10 cab reg or ext and i want to have no options so that will make it easyer any advice?

[chattinfarms]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the front half of the frame is the same on suv truck s series u just have to change body mounts. But the rear half is completly different

[otis_771]

that's kinda what i thought too, Does any body know what motor mounts i need to put a 305 into this jimmy i am finding all kinds of different ones and im not 100% sure which ones i need its a 91 4w4 with a 4.3 and a 700r4 trany can any one help me out maybe show me a pic?

[sewerrat]

I'm using the JTR conversion mounts which require the 2.8 V8 mounts. As far as the trans xmember, I still needed to "C" notch mine because of driveshaft interference with my SUA set-up. You may not have to on yours if you use flatter leaf springs.

[otis_771]

ok now i have motor mounts to put a V8 into a Safari/Astro van and the look the same as the ones on that motor in the picture so do i just need to buy the factory 2.8L motor mounts for the frame side? they must have put the rubber on the frame side in those i guess

[sewerrat]

Yes, jus buy 2.8 mounts from an first gen mid 80s

[otis_771]

ok thanks alot now my next problem is still my body situation, my front body mounts are roughted out as are the front floors and sills its too far gone to try to fix plus i dont like the options this truck has ( it has power everything i want everything to be simple and realible) so i was thinking about getting an S10 cab to put on my 4 door Jimmy frame and i was wondering if anybody has ever done this and whats involved, i measured the distance between the first and second body mounts and compared them to an Ext cab S10 and they seem to be the same roughly 45" so i wonder if the cab would just bolt right on? im planning on making my own box so i dont care how close the rear axle is to the cab any advice or info would be great the scrapyard told me roughly $300 for a decent cab or i will buy a donor truck