I swapped the front axle from my 1978 J10 parts truck into my 1972 J-4000 Gladiator. I also swapped in the power steering gear box. Everything lines up except the Pitman Arm. It's too long and causes the tie rod to jam into the steering linkage. I tried a drop Pitman Arm but because the tie rod end inserts through the bottom, it causes the same problem.
The major difference between the J-4000 & J10 axles are the leaf springs. The J-4000 were outboard of the frame rails on posts, the J10 are under the frame rails (like a CJ). Mounting the hangers and shackles under the rails has given me a 4" lift. This puts the steering linkage on a direct line with the Pitman arm when the wheels are straight jamming the tie rod into the linkage.
All feedback is appreciated!
Thanks!
Rick