Chrysler 8 1/4

[mprhoodlum]

I'm almost afraid to ask! If a Jeep Cherokee has a 8 1/4 Chrysler rear-end, what would the possibilities of it fitting in a 68 a-body? The fella selling it says it has a Dana 35 w/3.55 gear. Also. the flange-to-flange measurement is real close to my b'cuda. The b'cuda measures in at approx. 54". I read somewhere on here the a-body 7 1/4 was 51" F-to-F.
I put together a document of what I could find about sbp to bbp swaps. Here is a summary of what I came up with.

"A body 8 ¾ - 52 5/8" flange to flange. 43" center to center on the perches.

A-body, 65-72 55.6 43.0 4" lug bolt circle, offered in heavy duty apps.

The only true bolt in is a 7.25 LBP unit.

So choices are:

1. 8 3/4 B-Body rear - Have to cut driveshaft. 1.5” difference

2. 8 3/4 A-Body rear - Cut driveshaft.

3. 8 1/4 BBP Rear - Cut driveshaft

4. Keep 7 1/4 rear - Run adapters or redrill axles/drums. Keep driveshaft.

5. Find a later 7 1/4 with the big bolt pattern. Keep driveshaft.

6. Get a 73 up bbp a-body rear. I have seen 7 1/4 and 8 1/4 priced reasonable."

Why can't you swap axles from 73-up 7 1/4 bbp to an early 7 1/4 sbp, if all that you are attempting to do is migrate to a 4.5" bolt pattern.

I'm confused
Jim

 

[RustyRatRod]

Because the axles are made differently. The offset and backing plates are different. I know. It's stupid. But it won't work.

What does this mean?

"The only true bolt in is a 7.25 LBP unit."

A bodies came with 5 different rear ends. Dana 60, 8 3/4, 8 1/4 and the 7 1/4 big and small bolt pattern. So I don't understand the above statement.

 

[grease monkey 73]

The above Statement 7.25 Is The Only True Bolt In Was Made Because Even Thou Abodies Came WitH all Those RearendS To InstalL ANything Other Than A 7.25 Would Also Require The Modification Of Thr driveshaft

 

[Valiant1]

There are a few strings about Cherokee axle swaps on this site. Just search for Cheokee and you should find them.

The Dana 35 is probably not something that you want. It has 2.5" tubes and can't really be narrowed because the tubes are swedged to 3" at the ends. The 8.25 has 3" tubes. That's the easy way to tell them apart. The 8.25 is probably a better axle anyway.

Some people have said the Cherokee axle can be used without narrowing the axle by using wheels with the right offset, but that would just look weird to me. If you do want to try the Cherokee 8.25 swap, the Jeeps with the 2.5L 4 cylinder have 4.10:1 gears in it and can even be found with sure grip sometimes. The 4.0L Jeeps all had 3.55:1 ratios. There is also a point in the 96 or 97 model year where the splines on the axle shafts changed from 27 to 29, I think, so if you do narrow it you could need custom axle shafts.

Anyway, it can be done, but it isn't a bolt in swap and it would probably be easier to just find an 8.25 from a later model A body and build that to suit your needs, or go 8.75 if you have some money to spend. Just my thoughts. Good luck.

 

[grease monkey 73]

that being said the quickest and easiest way if you are going to go for a mild performance build is to use an 8.25 rear end housing out of an a body a set of limited slip gears out of a Jeep Cherokee with the 8.25 best bet for 3.55 limited slip rear gears is a 4x4 and throw in rear disc brakes off a Jeep Grand Cherokee that is what is under the back of my DarT Sport

 

[YY1]

The OP has a "23" body, but on my 73 Duster "29" body, the easiest and cheapest was an 8 3/4 67 B body axle. It literally dropped in and actually made the car look better as it put the rear wheels in the same track as the fronts.

Shortening the drive shaft was about $40 (I'm sure it's a bit more now) and the axle was all of $50 (I've seen them recently for $100-$150 complete- non SG).

I know 23 bodies are quite a bit more restrictive in the wheel well area, but at $100 it might be worth a try. I'm sure you could get your $100 back if it ended up that the wheels rubbed and you couldn't find wheels that didn't.

 

[mprhoodlum]

I started out on this particular quest buying some 16 " Jeep alloy wheels for the B'cuda. If the wheels have a different backspacing/offset, what are the chances that this diff. will bolt up without narrowing? I don't know if the pic uploaded, these are not the actual wheels, but same as.

Thanks - Jim

 

[Hersbird]

A 8.25 and shorter driveshaft is probably the least expensive swap while gaining some strength. The next least expensive is the Ford Explorer 8.8 with on side cut down and a 2nd donor axle added from the other side. That is as strong as a 8.75, and posi and disc brakes are usually included as part of the deal. A LBP 8.75 limited slip for Abody seems to end up over $1000. To get a Jeep axle worth it you probably would need at least a Dana 44 and they aren't cheap because lots of the Jeeps guys want them for their swaps, plus the width still isn't right anyway you'd be better off with an early-mid 60s B body 8.75.