Mark Pietz

Jim's Tips on how to Build a Scout II for Serious Off-Roading for Netscape 3.0 users

All Scout IIs came with the Dana 44 rear end, as did many of the early Scouts (the earliest of these, beginning around 1964, were of the type with the removable hub. Although not as romantic as a Ford 9 inch, these axles do have a few advantages (a bit better ground clearance, and a cast iron housing which will not bend). The main downside is that they are harder to rebuild, but if well maintained, can give you years of satisfactory service.

The rear seal on my power steering box (1975 Scout II) blew out the other day, making a terrible mess and also causing the box to steer "funny", as in dangerous. I had a "spare" box from a 1979 Scout stashed in my basement from a parts vehicle (who doesn't have a "parts" Scout stashed in the backyard or basement) and discovered that the swap was ALMOST a bolt-in. Here's what's different, and how to prepare for the day your steering goes south...

Lots of people don't like emissions stuff, but let's face the fact that they are here to stay - even the ones on the Scout II, such as they were. In some jurisdictions, maintaining them is a must and the rules tighter (California and Arizona, for example), than in others, where the rules are much more lax. The general exception to maintaining their presence or functionality (legally) is if the vehicle is used strictly off-road or not. Many Scouts fall into this category. However, as you will see, it is to your advantage to keep many of these devices intact and functional regardless of where you drive your vehicle.