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Scout D44 front and rear axle swap?

Lee Robertson

Basic User
City
Lutz
State
FL
Hi, I am new to using forums, and have purchased a 1983 Scrambler project to work on. It came with 2 D44 axles and a shackle reversal set-up on a 4" lift. Has anyone put the scout axles in a Scrambler, since I am not sure that it was set-up properly? Thanks.
 

John N

Addicted....Ex-SOA VP
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Rockville
State
VA
Welcome. The Scout rear axle is easy, just relocate the spring perches. The front takes a lot of work to be done right. I haven't done one, so I'll let someone else chime in with the details, but the steering takes work, the inner knuckles need to be turned to get the caster right and springs need to be outboarded or the front narrowed.
 

YJ-8

Basic User
City
Austin
State
TX
It is my understanding that factory caster on the scout is close to 0* installed in a Jeep so you need to cut and turn the knuckles. I too have not done it so...
 

AK-RWC

Legacy Registered User
Gold Member
City
south central
State
AK
I've also done it; kinda/sorta twice. The first time I stayed SUA. I took the bare housing to a machinist, and asked him to mill the stock Scout spring perches to give me . . . 3? maybe 5? degrees of pinion angle. (I'd have to go back through and check my notes.) Then I had him cut the yokes and turn them for 8 degrees of castor. This gave me the stock wide-track CJ pinion and castor (maybe I went with two more degrees of castor).

I outboarded my springs.

For steering, I had him mill two additional tapered holes into the top of the knuckle arm, measured from the ball-joint out to mirror the same distance as the stock CJ Dana 30 drag-link. I moved the stock Scout drag-link into these two holes.

This freed-up the closer of the two stock Scout holes. I used a stock CJ tie-rod, with a special MOOG tie-rod end with the Scout taper, and put it into the newly-freed stock Scout hole.

This set-up essentially gave me all factory CJ-7 geometry.

For round 2, check out my build thread. I didn't really change anything, except for welding new spring perches on top for SOA. The steering did have to get monkeyed with, and ultimately I just need to spend the $1000 it'll take to do proper high-steer with custom drag-link and tie-rod.

In addition to the link to Kane's thread, keep in mind that Scout axles also have zero degrees of pinion angle. Steel shims can adequately address this, but take that measurement into account when you go to set your castor. Otherwise you'll be going ahead 8, and then back 5. (Or something like that.) If you want all my research on the factory CJ angles, let me know and I'll find my notes when I'm at home.
 

Kane

CJ-8 Member
City
Berlin
State
ct
My link does address the pinion angle. I hit mine with a hand grinder and straight edge. I was able to get 4 degrees up then i set my castor from there.
 

AK-RWC

Legacy Registered User
Gold Member
City
south central
State
AK
My link does address the pinion angle. I hit mine with a hand grinder and straight edge. I was able to get 4 degrees up then i set my castor from there.

DOH! Shows me how close I (didn't) read the thread. :banghead: :thumbsup:
 

Kane

CJ-8 Member
City
Berlin
State
ct
Haha. No big deal. Your steering linkage info is good stuff. Wish i new that before i bought the gigantic one ton gear.
 
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