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I've seen several swaps to different chassis for the j trucks... I would like to use a Jku that I currently have. I can't see where anyone has tried but at a glance it looks like a good fit. The wheel base is within an inch in width and length. I'd imagine that the truck would have a narrower frame so mounts would be fabbed.... any experience with a jk frame/chassis? Anyone know why it wouldn't work?

I have tons of JK experience, having owned a 2dr for 9 years, a new 4dr for, well, 2 days. And I also have my J10.

The wheelbase IS different. A JKU is 116", and a short box J10 is 119". But, JK frames are very easy to length as the center is straight. AEV does this for the double cab Brute conversions. If you just wanted to push out the wheel base, this is not hard either. I know two guys that have pushed their rear axle back a few inches, its not too hard.

The front is where things would get interesting. Frame shapes are quite a bit different, and the JK frame up front is a decent amount narrower as I recall. But thats easy to make up with mounts.

Not knocking it, but it seems kinda backwards to me. Typically it's the sheet metal that melts away from J-trucks, not the chassis. I would expect there to be many more rolling chassis out there than extra bodies. This is certainly the case with CJs, where good chassis way outnumber the available clean bodies ... thus the existence of the MD Juan body kits, and repop fiberglass bodies. The number of existing J-trucks is way lower than CJs, so the availability of chassis may not seem so obvious... except for the number of J-trucks with home-brew flat beds.

I think its a great idea and you get a much better suspension in the process. I was considering it also and my only regret would be using the JK axles as the originals are heavier. The JK frame and Suspension with the heavier axles would be ideal-IMO..

You can buy weld on brackets for other axles for use on a JK. The rear JK axle is quite strong, especially a Rubicon (8.9" ring gear, D60 pinion size, 32 spline shafts). But the front is definitely weaker on the axle tube front, but has a larger ring gear and is high pinion. Sleeping the axles fixes that.

Interesting thoughts here. I've been bench racing the idea of a TJ unlimited or jk frame swap under my 67 commando. If I were doing a J-truck and just wanted a more modern running gear and comfy suspension, I'd probably just build the J-truck on its frame. Sell the JK and buy long arms/coil overs and drop in a 5.3/6.0. my commando has a very narrow frame so for it, a full swap makes sense. I think.


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Ok... I guess I should give an idea as to my finalized plan. I'd like the updated suspension for a 85 mph highway ride of a trip to the trails. The Jk hits the sweet spot for ride even when lifted with 37's. I'd like the same out of the truck. It's my first fsj so I was looking for the hang-ups that folks have when doing these type swaps. Here is my plan... I have a gen v 5.3 with an 8 speed transmission waiting for an install. I have the grandma JKU 2wd that's super clean waiting to donate the chassis... I want it to look old school but function new...something that functions as good as it looks. My last project turned out pretty good... looking for the next one. My son wants us to build a j truck so he can drive it when he's 16.




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I remember seeing one done on the jk frame on the Facebook pages. But I won't even pretend to remember who did it...

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Well.... I'm in it now. Picked up a couple j10's and am about to start it. We'll see how it goes.


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Cool, look forward to Picts. Should start a build thread on it.

Yeah! Build thread and location.

And pics! We all need pictures!

I will do my best to get it documented... I'm bad about working and forget to take pics.


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I will do my best to get it documented... I'm bad about working and forget to take pics.


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Brando0275 wrote:I will do my best to get it documented... I'm bad about working and forget to take pics.


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I had to train myself to take pics as I went. I'd get well past a project or go to sell it and always forgot about half the things I had done.


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