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Chris

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OK here is my problem, I am most likely going out tonight and picking up another work truck if it checks out. If I do that I will be retiring one of my old ones which would be a 96 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 with a utility bed and other stuff, the only reason I am retiring this one is because it has some cracks in the frame and has had a rough life of dirt roads and abuse but is otherwise a great truck. A few moinths back the output shaft of the tranny stripped in the input shaft of the Tcase so I pulled them and it has been sitting since.

Now heres the problem? Do I fix it and have a fourth work truck that I don't use or do I strip the drivetrain and put the 5.9 with the auto in the Jeep along with the Dana 60 axles that are already geared to 4:10? This has been bugging me for a few months what to do?

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We know you need help... ;)

I would say with a cracked frame, if you don't need the truck, or can't find someone to weld the frame, pull what you want, sell the stuff you can, and scrap the rest.

If that pic is the truck, you should get a lot of money for the bed and other parts... I know there's a lot of people around looking for rust free parts...
 
I have already welded the frame a few times, It is cracked between the bed and cab from I am assuming years of being overloaded on dirt roads. It was owned by Verizon and used for there towers and I picked it up from an auction a few years back for 2 grand and only have sunk some labor and 50 bucks worth of paint on it and it has made me much more so I am not to worried about losing any money and i can probably sell the bed and body parts. It is just hard for me to strip a nice truck like that.
 
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You are correct, I actually went out and picked up an older Dodge ram with the cummins and only 64 thousand miles on it so I am going to swap out the bed and call it a day.
 
Looking at that lumber rack and all those utility boxes makes me want to get off my butt and start working again in home repairs! (almost!)
 
Anytime you want to borrow it let me know. Havasu what do you think about Dana 60's and a 5.9 liter in the jeep?
 
That would be a beast! You can't get much better than a Dana 60, but are parts (if needed) readily available?
 
It would all be stock parts from the dodge so parts would be easy only change will be the axle perches and drive shaft.
 
I would leave them full width with rims that have no offset so it would only be a few inches per side wider.
 
It can but I would also toss in the one from the Dodge which is the NP241 supposed to be a bit stronger than the NP231. The AX15 and 231 that came stock in these jeeps were very good setups, it was just that rear axle that sucks. If I do this I am gonna have lots of good parts for sale and a set of almost brand new tires.
 
I have to finish the CJ before I can start it and have to wait until after my wheeling trip in September but I can do all the prep so it's done in a few days after I start. I guess this gives me more motivation to finish the CJ.
 
Well here is some progress, We like to call it redneck engineering. This is not how I would have liked to do the swap but I didn't have a crane available.

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And a couple more. I choose the ugly older truck first because it was dirt cheap and second it has the Cummins with very low miles. I think I have decided to not waste the newer dodge but find a regular bed for and toss it on after I fix the frame. I just cant justify cutting up such a nice looking truck.

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