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99-04 sterling 10.5 axle swap

14K views 39 replies 11 participants last post by  Taco08jk 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
99-2004 Sterling 10.5 axle swap

Hello, I have been searching all day and have not found anything, maybe I just haven't found it yet... hopefully someone can help.

I have been reading how the 05+ sterling 10.5 will crash into the fuel tank but no one is talking about the pre-05.

I have a 2007 JKU Sahara with a 4" lift runnin on 35s.
Once I do this swap I will be running 40s with a 5.38 gear

So my question is 1) has anyone done this swap? 2) will it crash? 3) what did you do to fix this issue.



Thanks in advance.


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#3 ·
Stretch the rear back to get the narrow part of the pinion by the rear corner of the tank, cut the rear of the wheel wells, weld on your mounts to align the springs and all. If you desperately need more, you can purposely offset both axles a bit towards the driver's side. You'll possibly need to trim the front adjustable track bar if it can't get short enough.

It's not going to fit with tons of comfort space... But you'll figure something out.

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#15 ·
He's dreaming of a bolt in engineered kit that will get this done for less than spending $4500 on a nearly bolt in 60 solution. I think that you, me and Ash are in the same page... These are pipe dreams that will turn into nightmares in this poor fellow.

You can't fit a square peg into a round hole without destroying the round hole first.

Yoda says.... Fantasy land, this fellow be. Hard hit, reality will prove.

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#16 ·
Fyi I am a prototype fabricator as it is, I have no problem cutting the tub, frame or whatever it takes to make the sterling fit. And yes I know I have to buy a drive shaft and a long arm kit. I was looking to see if someone has done this swap before and to see their out come.

I do appreciate the criticism, but was looking for help, if it takes me dropping this off at the junkyard and bringing back a 14B then that may be where I go... but I haven't researched enough to just throw in the towel.

As stated I got these axles for free and wanted to see if it is possible to use what I have instead of buying something off the shelf to just bolt it in...

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#18 ·
If you are a prototype fabricator, then why not just get to mocking and cutting??

The answer is there arent a lot (if any) people who have done the swap using your exact axles but it isnt exactly rocket surgery either. Stick the axle under the jeep where it doesnt contact your gas tank and fab from there.

You will end up having to do some significant body alternations, a long arm stretch, spring relocation or coilover towers, and researching on how to get tone rings pressed on to that axle. Sounds like a prototyper's dream :grin2:
 
#19 ·
Exactly if yo are a fabricator then jump into it and post up the results. Why not just build yourself a new fuel tank that has better clearance? Limit the travel of the axle sideways to keep it from hitting the tank.
 
#25 ·
Okay, sounds like there's a bit of misinformation in the thread here. In all of my searches I've come across at least one forum member that has a 14 bolt that hits their fuel tank so the idea of running one of those may not be the solution. If you have a sterling 10.5, take a look at the pinion housing and see if there's webbing you can notch, I've come across another thread with a post from a member that did that as well and it helped. You don't necessarily have to replace your fuel tank with a cell and Artec says on their website if memory serves that a 2" stretch is plenty to clear one. I'm going to look into the possibility of the center chunks being different between the different years of sterlings when time allows.
 
#27 · (Edited)


^the comment prior to thedirtman's above exemplifies use of this forum's data resources in an effective & useful manner , fwiw. Contributions of this type aren't just approved-of, but appreciated. :thankyou: , @strokinout

@larry0071

fwiw, I ran my pbrake cables under the filler hose & canister breather long ago after testing the 3" coil decompression limit stretched things a little too much for my liking.

- 'just me that gets jealous when I read someone's putting a 5.7 hemi & a good tranny in as replacement for thier 3.8l? :eek:gre:

this is good thread




 
#29 ·
14 bolts don't hit. Im running the exact set up you are looking at..hemi, 545, super duty 60 front and a ...14 bolt rear. I get that you have the sterling already but just because you have a pinto motor in the garage doesnt mean you should use it.
I've had the drivetrain inmy jeep for 50,000 miles. wheeling hard, drive to the trail. works great.
 
#30 ·
14 bolts don't hit. Im running the exact set up you are looking at..hemi, 545, super duty 60 front and a ...14 bolt rear. I get that you have the sterling already but just because you have a pinto motor in the garage doesnt mean you should use it.

I've had the drivetrain inmy jeep for 50,000 miles. wheeling hard, drive to the trail. works great.
Did you shave your 14B? If so what ring gear are you running?

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#36 ·
Not trying to step on toes here but hey OP! Their is a guy on the ole youtubes that did sterlings front and rear on his and iirc his is a ‘07 JKUR. Maybe reach out to him and see what he did to overcome the tank problem.


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