Diff 76 CJ5 Rear Axle options

[bbcj576]

It appears that the front has some kind of a attempt at putting 82 CJ7 disc parts with a 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern.
The rear is drum brakes with a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern I think, so not the same and I can get more exact measure tomorrow.

Questions:
How do I tell definitely what the front and rear is? Dana 30 or 44? Isn't the axle tube larger on the 44?
What are my options for getting the rear updated to a 5 x 5.5 disc Dana 44 (if its not already)?

 

[Manic Mechanic]

Stock is a 5 x 5.5 yes the 44 is a better axle and fairly common on the early 5s. And depending on what you plan to do with it the 30 is more than adequate. I run with my 30 and 33s off road and on with no issues mine is even locked up front.

Here's a quick axle cover guide to identify what you have (rear or front will be the same design)

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[CJ]

It appears that the front has some kind of a attempt at putting 82 CJ7 disc parts with a 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern.
The rear is drum brakes with a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern I think, so not the same and I can get more exact measure tomorrow.

Questions:
How do I tell definitely what the front and rear is? Dana 30 or 44? Isn't the axle tube larger on the 44?
What are my options for getting the rear updated to a 5 x 5.5 disc Dana 44 (if its not already)?

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Some words are orange because they are KEY WORDS.

jeep-cj.com

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[TSB8C]

That '76 CJ5 would have come with an AMC20 rear end stock and would have been 5x5.5 bolt pattern. The drum brakes on the rear and disc in the front would have been stock as well. Now there lots of axle swap options, and the Dana 44 is a good choice. Search this site for lots of info from others that have done swaps. I have an '84 CJ7 and also had an AMC20 rear end that I swapped for a Dana489 from East Coast Gear Supply. Love it. It's basically a beefier Dana 44 (thicker axle shafts, wider tubes, etc). It also disc brakes, so now I have discs all the way around. Also kept my 5x5.5 bolt pattern so that front and rear still match.

 

[bbcj576]

Here is a picture of the rear in my 76 CJ5. I am having a hard time telling which one it is in the above pictures, however it most definitely has 5 x 4.5 inch bolt pattern. From the inside drum to inside drum is like 53.5 inches.
The front axle looks to have a stock cover plate of the Dana 30 and has a 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern.
Can anybody identify this and more importantly what are my options to get a 5 x 5.5 bolt rear back in? I am not doing any serious off-roading or anything, so trying to keep cost to minimum. If I do have to spend $$, I would consider trying to figure out rear disc with 5 x 5.5.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

It's an aftermarket cover but bolt pattern looks like a Chrysler 8.25 which would be a 5x4.5 bolt pattern. These were used on early XJs up to about 92 ish.

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[bbcj576]

Any idea on what my boneyard options are to get a Dana 44 back in the rear? I would like to go back to stock width and a 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

Either a 44 out of 5 or an AMC20 from a 7 or 5 up to and including 1981

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