1973 Wagoneer - Full Size Camping Goodness
- Thread starter Dr. Marneaus
- Start date
Jim K in PA
Adventurer
Looks like a disk brake D44 upgrade, nothing too radical. What rear axle is in the truck now?
Uh oh...
Is this the part of the build thread where the owner screws up their beautiful Jeep by hacking the hell out of it to overbuild it?
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Uh oh...
Is this the part of the build thread where the owner screws up their beautiful Jeep by hacking the hell out of it to overbuild it?
While I appreciate your sentiments about it being a beautiful jeep, please, have no fear! Form is about as important as function to me. Keep reading below.
Ding ding ding!
Set of D44's from underneath a 77 wag (narrow track) with factory tow package (3.54's) and most important of all, discs up front.
I'd got a d44 rear, and d30 front (closed knuckle with drums). Running 3.31's so I'm not looking to gain anything gearing wise, i just wanted to make sure i didn't step down to 3.07's. Let me say that while there is nothing WRONG with a closed knuckle D30, it just isnt overly strong, doesnt turn very well, is weird maintenance wise, and literally isnt worth putting any money into. I need to go through my axles (seals, bearings, u joints, king pin bearings, felt gaskets, etc) as they are the last part i have not refurbished. So, i can either spend money rebuilding my D30 and D44, or i can do something else.
I went out and got a better front axle, comparable gears, better turning radius, less maintenange, more parts availability, and most importantly I got disc brakes. This will literally cost me just about the same as if i had just rebuild my D30/D44 combo, forget about upgrading the d30 to disc ($300 for a junkyard swap, $600 for new parts conversion kit), plus i'll be getting the upgrades mentioned above.
I also picked up a luncbox locker for the front, and when running manual hubs it'll be invisible until i need it.
the COOLEST part, is this will look more OEM than it does now when I'm finished. I picked up 5 oem steel wheels, and 4 oem dog dish hub caps, I'm honestly psyched to put white steelies and chrome dig dishes on this thing, it'll look 100% stock with the exception of the fat tires, which is precisely my style. "stock but not"
this is basically what it'll look like, but those look like 31's on this jeep, and the color is a little different:
These not the original wagoneer hub caps from 73, but I like the dog dishes better than the full size ones.
Heres everything in the light....i need to cut those damn tires off with a sawzall and toss em in the dumpster at work
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b4wscrambler
New member
I like your reasoning and plan. Keep us posted.
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
I'm going to go with white as seen on the above wag.
I'll admit black wheels have a time and a place, but I feel like they never really did my rig any justice. I'll be going factory chrome on white!
I'll admit black wheels have a time and a place, but I feel like they never really did my rig any justice. I'll be going factory chrome on white!
Dr. Marneaus
Station Wagoneer
Yup, my 33x10.50 BFG muds will be getting transferred.
marshal
Burrito Enthusiast
see, i always felt that the soft 8's looked killer on it. it was just a really nice small accent
Mark Harley
Expedition Leader
Nice job on the speeakers boxes.
Nice Nova in the garage too!
Nice Nova in the garage too!
