Thanks guys! So I just need to find a shaft from a 208/241 truck….I’m headed to spring Carlisle this weekend and I know a guy that deals in CUCV parts so I’ll see what he has
CK5
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The Chicken Truck
- Thread starter Chickntrk
- Start date
My 84 crossmember was flat and my 86 is a W. Both have 208’s.
Near as I can tell all CUCVs were built as 84s (so the military could stock the same parts) so my combo should work with the crossmember I have, thank you for confirming….boy am I glad you guys brought that up about the driveshaft, nothing like being mid swap and your driveshaft comes up short
A CUCV driveshaft may actually be too short, as the Dana 60 is much bigger than the GM 10 bolt used in 1/2 and 3/4 tons.
Martin
Martin
I’m swapping in a front Dana 60, which is why I originally thought my 203 shaft would work, I thought maybe the 60 being longer would take up the difference but 3” is a good bit
I also swapped in a Dana 60, and the driveshaft is fine. I have a 4" lift and spaced down the bump stops a bit.
Why not build a square front shaft? I did that on my wheeling rig and I like it.... uber amounts of slip and a lot beefier. I got a weld on yoke for the axle side and cut the CV off a stock front shaft and welded that on.
Definitely not out of the realm, but that definitely requires swapping in the 208 as I don’t think driving down the road with a square shaft would be pleasurable
Found this picture while looking for a picture of a different truck I used to have, back in my younger days I had an 89 Jimmy that I swapped a 465 into, Im being pulled out of that hole because earlier shenanigan's led to 2wd only, that's when I learned a valuable lesson about 10 bolt front axles....
Picking up a front driveshaft tomorrow as well as a skid plate from a CUCV now that I know that works (thanks k10) and may try to get them swapped in on Sunday. Planning to do the axle swap next weekend so if I swap the trans and tcase this weekend that will allow me to adjust my rear spring perches according to the new rear shaft...
Picking up a front driveshaft tomorrow as well as a skid plate from a CUCV now that I know that works (thanks k10) and may try to get them swapped in on Sunday. Planning to do the axle swap next weekend so if I swap the trans and tcase this weekend that will allow me to adjust my rear spring perches according to the new rear shaft...
Well, I got the transmission in today, picked up a driveshaft yesterday and found something interesting….
The shaft on the right is from the truck, the one on the left is the one I got from a CUCV. It seems as though a 400/203 shaft is the same as a 400/208 shaft? Weird but I don’t have the t case in yet so I can’t say for certain either one fits. Had a bellhousing bolt fight me for longer than I wanted so hopefully I can finish up the install tomorrow after work.
The shaft on the right is from the truck, the one on the left is the one I got from a CUCV. It seems as though a 400/203 shaft is the same as a 400/208 shaft? Weird but I don’t have the t case in yet so I can’t say for certain either one fits. Had a bellhousing bolt fight me for longer than I wanted so hopefully I can finish up the install tomorrow after work.
Well the 208 is in, got the linkage all installed tonight and took it for a ride…I don’t dislike a 203, but I like this 208 a whole lot better. No more bucking on tight turns, the low range is wayyyy better and I think the truck feels less “draggy” on the road. I learned a couple things that may be useful to others….the 400/203 front shaft is the same length as a 400/208 and the strut rod from the bellhousing to the transfer case is also exactly the same between the two (I had three others to try if it wasn’t)….hoping to swap axles this weekend…
I bet the 205 shaft is the one that's shorter. Goes to show just when you think you've seen everything on these trucks there's more information lol
Exactly, just when you think you know what hits and what fits you learn something else….I forgot to add, I used a skid plate from a CUCV, the one from the 203 fits but it sits right against the bottom of the t-case, I am going to try to mount it beside this one and weld them together for sort of a cradle around the case. Once I get the axles in I can take it out and play a little and start Moab prep
Well I got the axles swapped this weekend, what a fiasco. Rock auto sent me a tie rod end with the threads all boogered and the two front calipers ended up being someone else’s returned cores 
…only issue ai have now is that the CV on the front shaft ever so slightly rubs the crossmember…which I can’t figure out because everything is basically as a factory 84 truck would be set up? I suppose I could clock the t case up…I’ll get some pictures up here shortly
…only issue ai have now is that the CV on the front shaft ever so slightly rubs the crossmember…which I can’t figure out because everything is basically as a factory 84 truck would be set up? I suppose I could clock the t case up…I’ll get some pictures up here shortly
Clearance the cross member, did you grind the stops out of the front cv?
No I didn’t yet
Some pictures from last weekends shennagins. That last picture is about the time I realized my second “new” master cylinder was also bad
Took the truck out for its maiden voyage since the axle swap, didn’t get as many pictures as I would have liked because my GF normally gets all the good angles and she wanted to try her hand at wheeling so she took my Jeep….was worth not getting many pics to see her enjoying it as much as I do
Overall the truck did well and nothing broke, few things I need to address…need to get some front shackles from ORD, like to redo the rear suspension with a shackle flip and I think my front shock are a bit too long
Overall the truck did well and nothing broke, few things I need to address…need to get some front shackles from ORD, like to redo the rear suspension with a shackle flip and I think my front shock are a bit too long
Sounds like a decent payoff!
One of the things I noticed when I took the truck to the trails was the lack of visibility that I was used to with Jeeps, I considered tube doors but diy4x has pulled theirs temporarily and ORDs are 8 weeks out so I decided to whip up a set of half doors and see if I was okay with them…..
Visibility is much improved as is airflow on those hot days…tube doors maybe later but for now I’m happy with these.
Visibility is much improved as is airflow on those hot days…tube doors maybe later but for now I’m happy with these.
