Rear end?

[rdnortie66]

Got a CJ6 that has been sitting in a feild since 1982. Whent through fuel and cooling system and started it. Rebuilt front brakes whent to do rears and cant get drum off! Removed castle nut and washer, drum puller is bending drum away from axel on one side.
I have 4.89 gears which doesn't make me happy. Would love to have higher gears. Should I switch out whole rear? If so with what, I would like to keep pretty stock. Have overdrive but still is low geared. Oh yeah on budget too.
Norton

[Orangeamc13]

What rear end do you have? I'm assuming AMC20 if you removed a castle nut. You don't have to remove the nut to take off the drum. The nut holds the axle together, you have two-piece axles. Put the nut back on and spray the drum where it meets the hub with penetrating spray, you might have to repeat this several times for a couple days. Then use a hammer and hit the drum on the face, at the edges, all around (12'oclock, 6'oclock, etc.). The drum should come off this way, but you'll have to be patient.
If you switched out the whole rear, you would have to make sure whatever you put back under the Jeep has gears that match the front.
The AMC20 is a good rear end, but not stock, the two-piece axles are shitty and strip there splines at the axle/hub joint. If upgraded to one piece axles they are a lot stronger and reliable.
Most people would kill to have the gearing you have, I would definitely keep the 4.89's.
You mentioned budget. Well if I was in your shoes, I would work off that drum carefully. Stay with that rear end and upgrade the axleshafts in the future.
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