i can pick up a j20 with a 44 front and a 60 rear (no motor clean body). are these axles applicible at all to a cherokee or do i need to just drop a new motor in it and drive it around. O yeah, $200

not sure on year, thinking late 70s

 

find a AMC 401 or 360 to throw in it.
The axles are full width most likely and would require modification, not to mention you would have to weld on new perches and stuff.

 

the perches, welding,and who ha ha i dont care about. i was more worried about what side drop the front was and in the rear was centered. And if the perches are cast on or welded on

I am going to build a stricktly offroad unit this winter and need to start collecting parts

 

Front will be a passenger side drop which I'm sure you didn't want to hear. Find a motor and drop it in and you got a tow rig.

 

Thank you. still might be an option though because im thinking full chevy drive train for deticated wheeler. kinda depends on what parts i can find and piece together by next winter.

i most likely will throw a motor in it a drive it untill i decided what i am doing

 

this

 

This what?

 

a simple way of saying i am in 100% agreement with what you previously stated

 

Cool never heard that one.

 

Any third-gen AMC V8 (304, 360, 401ci) will drop right in - the chassis accepted all three, and they're externally identical anyhow.

If it were me, I'd put the engine in and get it running again - but I've always wanted a J-truck.

However, if you're set on wanting the axles for your XJ, they'll be a bit wider (I don't know the WMS-WMS on the J-truck, but the XJ runs right about 60-1/2".) If the front axle "drops" on the same side, you're good - but you'll either have to come up with adapter U-joints, have new driveshafts made (with different joints at each end,) or try to find yokes that take the same series joint as the XJ (since the XJ is D30/35, it may be difficult. The D44 probably won't be a problem, but the D60 is likely to be.)

I'm reasonably certain that both axles will end up being a couple inches wider than the XJ (probably 62-65" WMS-WMS, please confirm,) but people stick FW axles under XJs all the time (the 8.8/44 swap or U-100 9"/44 swap being awfully common.) I'll leave determining the welding and grinding necessary as an exercise for the apt pupil - but you'll probably want to grab the wheels as well (I believe the J-truck in the 1970's could have either a 6-lug [most] or 8-lug [high GVWR] pattern, and you'd find the wheels are probably 16"x8" or 16"x9" (so you can run larger tyres anyhow, once you lift and trim.)

But, if you get into the project, I'd appreciate a confirmation on the year and WMS-WMS width (the front and rear will probably differ slightly - by an inch or less. Please measure both, and confirm the axle models. Danas are easy - it's usually cast into the web of the differential case as the model number. I can also run BoM numbers, if you have the tags or check the right-hand tube for a stamping - looking from the "cover side.")

WMS-WMS = Wheel Mounting Surface to Wheel Mounting Surface. The distance between the hub flanges where the wheels butt up against when they're screwed on. This is more useful than the flange-flange measurement, which is a measurement of the bare axle housing from one end to the other.