I came across a seemingly good deal. $750, with a locked up rear end. The previous owner didn't tighten up the plug and all the fluid leaked out.

I would simply swap the rear end entirely.

It has the V8, with which I am unfamiliar, and also a AWD transmission. The fella that is selling it claims it is a Dana 373 w/ drum brakes.

Go or No?

It has 155k on the clock and the engine sounds and looks great. All fluids are acceptably used and have no foul smells.


ETA: Is my understanding correct here? I beleive that I just need to make sure that the rear end gear ratio matches the front, and then it is a straightforward swap.

 

I believe that rear axle is the Dana 44a (aluminum center section) and has a 3.73 gear ratio. In most cases, that's the ratio supplied with the tow package, the other being a 3.55 for standard models, HOWEVER jeep would let the original buyer order it with whatever he wanted. The tow package includes a trailer hitch, an aux trans cooler, and a trailer lighting package.

There should be a tag on the diff cover under one of the bolts that tells the gear ratio. If that's gone, check the front diff. If that ones gone also, you'll have to count teeth. Ring gear teeth divided by pinion teeth = ratio.

The transmission should be the 46re which is more rugged than the 42re supplied with the I6. The engine is a 5.2 liter Dodge (318). Quite reliable and easy to work on. The AWD is in the transfer case, probably the NP249. This has a viscous coupling that often has problems.

And yes, it should be a straight forward swap, unless you get an axle with disc brakes, but that only entails messing around with the proportioning valves and parking brake cables.

$750 for a V8? I'd say go for it.

 

Is that engine worth a dang?

All of mine have the I6, and if this was so equipped, I would have come home with the title.

 

Ok... you talked me into it.

The guy is going to tow it over here tomorrow. I can put it out back until I get a little time to handle it.

I need another project like I need a hole in the head, but "make hay while the sun shines", right?

 

I don't think the Dana 44a was available in 93, I think it came out in 96 on the V8 ZJs. A 44a will bolt in pretty easy though.

 

the diff is a 3.73 according to the tag. Which I have in my hand.

the number on top is 52068143

under that is says

3.73 5507

What do I have here? I think it's a Dana 44

 

It's a Dana 35 more than likely. No ZJ came with a D44 and the D44a was not used until 1996 in the V8 equipped models.

 

Here is a shot of the various diff covers for the jeep axles I'm not quite sure what years had what diffs available but this should help you figure out what diff you have

Just a question why would you swap the axles? Diffs are not hard to rebuild if you have the right tools I've rebuilt axles in every jeep I've owned mostly due to very high mileage on them all? Like I said just asking the question anyhoo hope this picture helps you figure out what diff you have and good luck on your new project 👍

 

it has a rubber plug in the cover.

it looks like the 8.25?

 

I have no problem, nor lack of tools to rebuild, but I believe it will be cheaper to just swap it with a junkyard diff.

 

They all have rubber plugs the dana 35 and corp 8.25 are the same shape just different sizes but look on the cover of your jeep if it's dana it'll be stamped dana spicer I believe or something along those lines near the oil fill I don't recall the 8.25 having a stamp in the cover and ya a junkyard swap would be cheaper as long as the one you get doesn't need new internal bearings or anything like that I personally have always been leery of jy parts that have moving internal parts just for that reason you don't know how long it's been sitting in the weather dry not oiled or turning

 

Is that clear enough? If not I can go take another picture.

 

 

 

It's a D35.