Extra leafs on front

[PETE K]

Hi all, what are the two extra half leafs for, on the front? I bought a pair of GPW diffs to put under my CJ so I don't know anything about military jeeps, other than they are alot cooler than cj s Pete

[JIMN]

Called a torque reaction spring. Sort of like an anti-wrap bar.

[JIMN]

Wait a minute, Why would you want to swap in GPW axles? You can have better upgrades for your CJ installing less valuable parts. IE cheaper. You could sell those GPW axles here.

[Johnr]

PLus the CJ front axle has a different steering attachment setup where they fixed a lot of the problems that the GPW/MB had. I would suggest that it was dangerous to mix/match CJ and GPW front ends.

Wasn't there even a bell crank change during the CJ2A life?

[Fred Coldwell]

Hi all, what are the two extra half leafs for, on the front? I bought a pair of GPW diffs to put under my CJ so I don't know anything about military jeeps, other than they are alot cooler than cj s Pete

Hi Pete:

Two differences between GPW and CJ front axles immediately come to mind. As others have mentioned, the location of the bell crank pivot is different, on the axle tube for a GPW but on the tubular front frame member for a CJ. A GPW axle can be installed in a CJ using he CJ bell crank pivot on the frame, but watch out for different tie rods if your CJ is later than roughly the first five thousand CJs built by early 1946.

But then the factory axle ratios are different, 4.88 for the GPW and 5.38 for the CJ. You cannot use 4 wheel drive if the axle ratios are different between the front and rear axles on the same jeep, simply doesn't work. But if you have both front and rear GPW axles under a CJ, that should work. Good luck!

[Ben Dover]

PLus the CJ front axle has a different steering attachment setup where they fixed a lot of the problems that the GPW/MB had. I would suggest that it was dangerous to mix/match CJ and GPW front ends.

Wasn't there even a bell crank change during the CJ2A life?

All CJ-2As had the Bell Crank on the front Crossmember, The CJ-2A Jeeps prior to Serial #199079 had a lighter duty Bell crank using the same small shaft as the MB except it was on the front crossmember.
After the above Serial Number, the heavier Duty Bell Crank was used. There was retro fit kit to change over the earlier CJ-2A Bell Crank. It could also be used on the MB. In order to install the MB/GPW axle assembly in a CJ-5 or M-Series Jeep, it is best to install the CJ-5 Steering Knuckle Flanges and CJ-5 Tie Rods. It is a lot of work.
I have done it.

Also when the MB rear axle is installed in place of the Spicer 44, the Rear Propeller Shaft must be lengthened.

[PETE K]

Thanks guys for your reply's. Jim I drug these out of a friends barn that is falling down. I traded him a set of white spoke wheels- for both diffs and the 16" wheels that came on them. I think the 23-2 full floater and 4.88 ratio is a awesome up grade. The Dana 41 with two piece axle and 5.38 is a better boat anchor than the Dana 30 in later CJs IMO. This project did start out as a restoration and I did think about historical preservation of these parts. I hope know one see's this as disrespectful to the men or machines of this important era in our history. Thanks again Pete

[Fortyeight2A]

That model 41 axle isn't really that bad. Much of its guts are the same as a model 44. Check out what Dr. Vern says about it on vernco.com:

http://www.vernco.com/rearaxle/index.htm

[Ben Dover]

The 41 is obsolete, only internal parts that will interchange with the Spicer 44 are the axle Shafts and some bearings, and possibly the Differential cover bolts.
The MB/Gpw rear axle shafts and gears are lighter duty than the Spicer 44 parts. MB/GPW axle shafts break much much easier than the heavier ones in the Spicer 44. That is the reason Jeep used the Semi Floating axle in Post War CJ's.

[JIMN]

What year CJ, what size tires do you want to run, and are the 16 " wheels of the split rim variety with the 8 bolts holding them together? I am just thinking that you may come out money ahead, and have more durable parts if you did something different. Check out earlycj5.com.

[PETE K]

Jimn, it's a 46 cj2a. I'm going to power with a 2.3 ford, power steering and 16" x 6" rims. I thought these would be the best and easiest since they will bolt in and are the right width. And found them for next to nothing. I'm not trying to build a rock crushing monster flatfender, just a light, simple, easy to maintain driver that I can find parts for down the road. Pete

[Fortyeight2A]

The 41 is obsolete

So are the axles under the MB/GPW. There are just more of them around.

[JIMN]

Sounds like you are good to go then. The 4:88's will be better than the 5:38's especially with the 2.3. I am sure you will figure the steering out. You can probably get by without the torque reaction spring, besides hooking it up requires a sort of extension down from the rear spring mount. For some reason, I got the idea you were building for some trail use, in which case I would have recommended robbing axles from a 72-75 cj, and then adding front disc.