Axle swap? (1 Viewer)

[Arleaux]

As you can see from my sig line, I have two 80's at this time. I have owned the unlocked one for a while now & the only reason I bought the other one was because it was locked & the price was right. After much debate I have decided to keep my original one & swap the axles, switch & locker ECU out.
I have done a few searches, but I still need some input.
1) Any suggestions (or links to other threads) as to the procedure.
2) Any maintenance suggestions for when I have these out.
3) I plan on regearing in the future, would now be an opportune time? (I do not plan on regearing myself)

Thanks

 

[-Spike-]

It's fairly straightforward. Everything bolts up exept for one short wire harness you will have to make up from the left rear (driver's) quarter panel to the kick panel in front of the driver's door (inside). There are several posts about it here, search for Boston Mangler (screen name), you'll find lots of good info.

Service both axles. Much easier when they aren't in the vehicle.

Also, the PHH is easier to get to without the front axle in the vehicle.

Yes, that would be an excellent time to regear.

-Spike

 

[Arleaux]

Thanks Spike,
I have read all I could find on Boston Mangler's swap, but didn't he fit the lockers on his original axles? Also, I only found what he wrote on the rear.

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Arleaux,

Swapping axles from on LX to another LX is pretty simple and fun. You will need to take the short 5 wire harness from the rear left quarter panel to install it in the connector under the jack mount. You need this harness to connect to the differential motor and switches.

If you are planning to regear, the best time is when the locked diffs are out of the truck and before you install them on the unlocked LX. For the rear axle, you may want to change the emergency brake pads, rear pads and rotors.
You can do the birfield repack at that time for the front axle.

Have fun swapping axles, they are heavy and make sure to support your back.

I'm just waiting for a nice decent price axles for my LX soon to get lock.

 

[Boston Mangler]

I have read all I could find on Boston Mangler's swap, but didn't he fit the lockers on his original axles? Also, I only found what he wrote on the rear.

Hey Arleaux

Thats correct, i fit the rear locker into the stock housing. Installing a COMPLETE Elocker rear end would be even easier, but all of my pics and such of the wiring would still be applicable for you if you do this.

As for the front, i have the housing sitting in my garage and will be installing it within a few months. Got other more pressing stuff right now and the rig is damn near unstoppable with just the rear, so the front isnt really needed for the type of stuff i do!

Any specific questions, hit me with a PM

 

[Arleaux]

Any suggestions on how to physically move the axles.
Our shop is big enough to have both of the vehicles inside, but we have no lift.
I am about to call the local rental place & see if the have a transmission jack.
How heavy are the axles?

Thanks

 

[ginericLC]

I did this over Christmas. Two floor jacks will move the axles fairly easily. I jacked the rig up on jackstands and did one end at a time. Ratchet straps proved to be very valuable in getting them aligned correctly. Are you lifted? The more you are lifted the bigger the pain it is if you haven't corrected the panhard bars. That front panhard bar was a nightmare for me. Js and a 1" spacer. Too short of an arm. Follow Boston Manglers wiring instructions. I added the 5 wires rather than swapping the harnesses. Once you see the harness you will know why I did this way. I did the 7 pin mod at the same time. I already had the center diff lock switch.

 

[aim]

Any suggestions on how to physically move the axles.
Our shop is big enough to have both of the vehicles inside, but we have no lift.
I am about to call the local rental place & see if the have a transmission jack.
How heavy are the axles?

Thanks

I swapped the axle in a driveway covered with sleet using a single floor jack. Two options: you can leave the tires on and wheel it around. Or you can balance the axle on the jack using the pumpkin and hold the long side with your hand.

As long as you have your vehicle supported with jack stands that are tall enough, you wheel your axle underneath, and keep jacking it up and down and rocking it forwards and backwards until you align all the arms, one hole at a time. Then the shocks, the springs, the brake lines, diff breathers, locker harness, ABS harness, etc. The axle is heavy, but lifting, by hand, one side of a complete axle is quite possible, and lifting the housing and diff (without hubs, calipers, axles, etc) only is also possible. Make sure the diff is drained, or you'll be smelling the &*^#! gear oil for a while... The complete axle is probably in the 200+ pound range, bare housing, 100+. One or two floor jacks should be more than ample.

Of course, you might as well take the opporunity to paint the axle housing, overhaul the brake lines, overhaul the diff, do the bearings (rear) and knuckles (front), extend the breathers, do the u-joints, clean and grease the driveshafts, change the shocks, upgrade the springs, fix the squeak in the steering wheel, do the PHH (heck, the axle is out of the way), the starter, the fuel filter, the head gasket, take care of the water leaks in the rear (aren't you messing with the grommet for the rear locker harness? (I have a FZJ, so I had to extend mine), lubricate the tire winch, fabricate or install a new rear bumper, change the engine mounts, What else am I forgetting? The axles are out anyhow...

 

[Arleaux]

I swapped the axle in a driveway covered with sleet using a single floor jack. Two options: you can leave the tires on and wheel it around. Or you can balance the axle on the jack using the pumpkin and hold the long side with your hand.

As long as you have your vehicle supported with jack stands that are tall enough, you wheel your axle underneath, and keep jacking it up and down and rocking it forwards and backwards until you align all the arms, one hole at a time. Then the shocks, the springs, the brake lines, diff breathers, locker harness, ABS harness, etc. The axle is heavy, but lifting, by hand, one side of a complete axle is quite possible, and lifting the housing and diff (without hubs, calipers, axles, etc) only is also possible. Make sure the diff is drained, or you'll be smelling the &*^#! gear oil for a while... The complete axle is probably in the 200+ pound range, bare housing, 100+. One or two floor jacks should be more than ample.

Of course, you might as well take the opporunity to paint the axle housing, overhaul the brake lines, overhaul the diff, do the bearings (rear) and knuckles (front), extend the breathers, do the u-joints, clean and grease the driveshafts, change the shocks, upgrade the springs, fix the squeak in the steering wheel, do the PHH (heck, the axle is out of the way), the starter, the fuel filter, the head gasket, take care of the water leaks in the rear (aren't you messing with the grommet for the rear locker harness? (I have a FZJ, so I had to extend mine), lubricate the tire winch, fabricate or install a new rear bumper, change the engine mounts, What else am I forgetting? The axles are out anyhow...

I'm still trying to make the time for the swap!


As far as the jack stands are concerned, how high is high enough. What size tires were on the 80 you did?

 

[aim]

I'm still trying to make the time for the swap!


As far as the jack stands are concerned, how high is high enough. What size tires were on the 80 you did?

I had 33"s on. No lift, standard springs. A jack stand tall enough to allow you to swap springs is definitely tall enough. If you maneuver one side at a time, any jack stand will work, since you can have the axle drag on the ground. The taller jack stand allows you the option to leave the wheels on for some of the operation. I managed to find a spot where all the bolt holes on the arms matched up - one bolt hole at a time. I don't see how a lift would matter, since I didn't put the springs, shocks and stabilizer bars on until after the axle was in place - but YMMV. Dealing with the brakes and doing the knuckles took far longer than actually swapping the axles.

Good luck!

 

[landtank]

one of these might work great, positionit so the pumpkin is in the center

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38970

You can get them at HomeDepot I think, not sure of the price tho