jeep dana 30 is a step backwards from the dana 35 ttb? why not just put soem fullsize coils into the towers and stick with the coils and TTB 35? dana 30 ok solid axle simplicity but to switch to leafs on it
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leafs over coils is for a powerstroke conversion , not a little MB diesel swap.
it is your money/time, fabrication is fine but misguided>misdirected work is wastefull.
this is a situation where that is not necessarily the case.
I think I'm gonna get one from a jeep dana 30 and put perches on it and just make up some leaf packs. Fabrication doesn't scare me. If I can I may make a new engine cross member or majorly modify the factory one to stick the motor back farther.. my issue with the last one was the front end was overly heavy due to the low sump but if I also get farther back motor room for electric fan and bigger rad
not sure where you live, and your end goals this time.
going to a dana 30 and custom k member and maybe fire wall mods can dial this in to an incredible capacity. these engines do pretty well all around as you learned the first time..so its only sensible to take all of your thoughts from then to perfect any previous percieved issues now..
i have run across a few groups of jeeps/cruisers with diesel swaps the last few years touring through appalachia.... and the cummins and benz are the most common. 23-28 mpg seems to be the real world economy as well on 33-37 in tires.. there were several rangers as well with the cummins and running high 20's for mpg.
my n/a 6.2 runs against em to 45 or so real easy...but i average 16-17 mpg with 37 in tires and 410 gears with the 4l80 and foot on the floor.
with 33 in tires and 55 mph 20-23 is normal cruise mpg.
being able to run on used motor and trans oil mix....is a nice option...
i would tend to go with coils and a hp xj donor axle myself with a ttb chassis, but there isnt anything wrong with leafs for this situation either.
my truck is still on leafs...and not in ideal balance either and remains so because it works fine and is tolerable. i can see yours going to ideal easily because you can keep it near or at stock 4x4 ride height easily with the system you are planning to use. you can even go lower then stock..