1st jeep, t-case swap, dual shocks, plow, fans...

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome my self.:yelclap::yelclap::yelclap:

This is my first jeep.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/30053553/IMG_20121221_135325.jpg
came out huge when i embedded the image, don't know how to re-size.

3 inch springs front and back, BFG AT 31s, 231 swapped for a 242.

One of my fans is out, was wondering about a cost effective replacement.
Seems as though there is too much involved in putting in a ford fan.
I have enough electronics knowledge to get myself in trouble, so the plan was to just go pull something out of a junk yard from something with a big motor, and not too many wires. Probably going to wire in a relay from the stock harness, and while I'm at it, probably rewire the headlights.

The previous owner swapped the 231 t-case for a 242, he had a misconception about full/part time thing. Now since the 242 has more shifting levels, I cant shift into 4 low, simple because the shifter doesn't go that far, was wondering how other people remedied this. Just got the thing, so haven't really looked into it.

The pitman arm is stock, plan on getting a dropped one. How important is this with a 3 inch lift?

Also I think I actually may have a need for a dual shock front set up. The plow really weighs it down, the springs that are installed are pretty soft, to compensate, the front shocks are adjustible air shocks that can be filled with an air pump for more lift, so pretty pump them up for the winter. This does, however, make for a pretty bouncy ride. Looking for advice.

Haha, bet this is not what you though when you clicked on the the thread.

DimaXJ said:

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome my self.:yelclap::yelclap::yelclap:

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hello! nice winter beater have there

One of my fans is out, was wondering about a cost effective replacement.

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There is a mechanical fan, and there is an electric fan. Which fan isn't working, and why do you think its not working? The mechanical fan uses fluid in a viscous clutch, it will vary in speed depending on engine temperature. The electric fan only comes on when the A/C compressor activates, or when coolant temperature gets to around 220-225 (IIRC).

Now since the 242 has more shifting levels, I cant shift into 4 low, simple because the shifter doesn't go that far, was wondering how other people remedied this. Just got the thing, so haven't really looked into it.

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The shifter gate is different. You can either go get one from a junkyard, or you can take a grinder to the one you've got there. Also the shifter uses a rod to push the transfer case lever, and that has to be adjusted, just loosen some hardware.

The pitman arm is stock, plan on getting a dropped one. How important is this with a 3 inch lift?

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Dont mess with it. A drop pitman is not needed until you are way high on lift and after you have monkeyed with the steering parts.

Also I think I actually may have a need for a dual shock front set up. The plow really weighs it down, the springs that are installed are pretty soft, to compensate, the front shocks are adjustible air shocks that can be filled with an air pump for more lift, so pretty pump them up for the winter. This does, however, make for a pretty bouncy ride. Looking for advice.

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I've looked at plows for my jeep but never have bought one. Best I can suggest is to look at some coil spring air bags, they will keep the front end from bottoming out.

I would swap the 242 back to a 231. For what you are doing, the 231 will be better. You can pick up a good T-case for $200 or less.

Make sure you have a tranny cooler on it and replace the stock fan for another, the clutch fan/E-fan combo works great.

Thats a lot of weight on a D-30. I would look into a truss for it and maybe an air bag system instead of the air shocks.

I'm just speculating, i've never used a plow on a XJ. The couple of times I have plowed snow its been with a 3/4 or 1 ton pick-up. A plow is hard as heck on a truck.

Welcome to the forum. I'm fairly new to the world(forum) not jeeps as well.

DUAL SHOCKS: I've got an 80 cj with a 383 stroker, a giant winch, and the biggest gnarliest bumper ever. granted this is a leaf sprung front end. But i run single blistein 5150s on the front. never had any issues. Idk how well the coils should handle the weight though on your xj. I live in Alabama, and colorado(when i can), so i know nothing bout dem plows. (in colorado i try to beat the plows to town. ugh that 242 would be rad for snow runs.)

FAN: As long as you maintain the cooling system, the stock elec fan from any year xj, should be more than enough. I run a ZJ fan clutch napa PN 272310, and the factory elec. fan on my 4.6 stroker. witha 3 row csf of course. it never thinks about 210.(the 98 up ones are supposed to be better with more blades.)

Pitman Arm: dont mess with it. the drop arms are meant for big lifts.

That should take care of you for now. Theres a lot of great guys, with mass amounts of info. Like ehall for instance. Welcome to your new addiction.

its a 2000, 2 electric hans in the front, this thing has been plowing steady for probably 6+ years, in michigan.
I was thinking dual shock brackets so i can just take the air shocks off when it isnt winter, or if i want to. Yeah, winter beater, i dont even have pinch seams, let alone rockers.

But the fan thing i have to focus on immediatly, one of them spins at maybe 1 rpm, yeah, you can watch it slowly try to turn. It overheats with the plow on, not enough radiator air flow, so pretty much tomorrow i am going to a junk yard.

Oh yeah. dual electrics. my bad.


if you want sure safe electric fan glory. Everybody talks about these fans from dirtbound. I've never ran them, but a lot of guys on here have. You can configure them by heat and switch, and they have a rad alum shroud. 3 fans, under 3 hundred bucks. with a warranty shipped to you door. no junkyard goolash mud.

http://www.dirtboundoffroad.com/featured/xj-–-electric-fan-conversion-kit/

DimaXJ said:

its a 2000, 2 electric hans in the front, this thing has been plowing steady for probably 6+ years, in michigan.
I was thinking dual shock brackets so i can just take the air shocks off when it isnt winter, or if i want to. Yeah, winter beater, i dont even have pinch seams, let alone rockers.

But the fan thing i have to focus on immediatly, one of them spins at maybe 1 rpm, yeah, you can watch it slowly try to turn. It overheats with the plow on, not enough radiator air flow, so pretty much tomorrow i am going to a junk yard.

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ah, it seems someone probably replaced the stock mech fan with another electric fan. do they both look identical? its pretty common to use to stock ones since they are pretty powerful. post a pic, then we can know for sure. as for dual shocks... this thing has a 3" lift already? i'd just look into some stiffer coils.

i agree with XJLI sitffer coils either variable rate or with a thicker coil wrap. the xj front coil setup isn't really heavy duty so if you put anything other then a leaf conversion or airbags its going to sag pretty good... dual shocks won't really help you out so much.

tranny cooler is a must for plowing, i've pulled transmissions from plow trucks and rebuild/upgraded them, (blown up planetary gear sets to the point they start eating themselves, burnt up bands and clutches) have seen the wonders plowing can do to transmissions, even though the aw4 is a brick shit house i'd get a tranmssion cooler which was previously recommended and even a tranny temp guage to keep an eye out...high temps is a killer of any and all transmissions.

if you got the $$ especially after the holiday season i'd recommend a fan upgrade dirtbound is a great choice, i also recommend hood vents to keep the engine bay a little cooler as well...post up pictures of your fan set up little lost one post sounds liuke you have a bad fan clutch the other you say 2 electric fans i'm interested to see what you have setup under that hood

Welcome to

Funds are mostly nonexistent right at the moment, like I said its a 2000, i dont think it ever had a clutch fan.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/30053553/IMG_20121228_134512.jpg

So the fans are supposed to turn on when the ac knob is on any of the ac settings?
It does not do so. One fan works, the other spins really really slow (after it heats up a bit), I am going to go check the wiring now.

I think I saw somewhere that an explorer would be a good donor for a trans cooler, does that sound about right?

Also this, last sentence, this is probably the set up I have.


And the AC clutch scares me a bit, it doesnt work, but sure makes some knocks whenever the motors running.

those aren't xj fans defenitley been played with..start at the fan itself to see if you are getting power to the fan and the ground is good to. then work your way up and try to follow the lines. Wonder if their is a switch hidden somewhere.. judging by how close the proximity in which those fans are stuffed the other fan is probably running really slow do to the air coming off the other fan and it is not working at all do to some reason.

Any transmission cooler will do however if you do get it from a junkyard make sure you flush it, god only knows what that vehicle went through (reason why its in the yard) and you don't want crud from the cooler to go into your transmissions valve body or your transmission in general.

The AC clutch "knock" is the clutch engaging and disengaging. could be worn out, could be low on R134a or just functioning properly depending on how frequently you hear it engage and disengage. More then likely the ac-compressor is on its last leg.

Can you ask the PO what he did with the fans? He may have installed a controller with those

I figured it out, the original relay was wired to a secondary relay with power directly from the secondary batter(installed where the airbox used to be), the positive power was not connected, yay, easy fix. Man do those fans blow now. Stays at 210 with the plow directly in front of the grill. I will ask about the fans, just to know. But I did talk to him, and yes the wiring was done by him. Jeep has 131000 miles on it now, i looked at the title, it was 30,000 when he purchased it. And he said it used to be his dad's.

Just for background though, someone bought me the jeep as a contract. All i have to do is plow a 6 hour route every time it snows over 2 inches.

Now about the dual shocks.
I would like to keep the soft springs. The shocks that are installed right now, are air shocks with a inflate line coming out. So i can hook up an air compressor and lift the front end as much as i need to compensate for the extra weight, so not really much extra strain on the springs. The problem is though even though i have this advantage of raising the front end and keeping it up with the shocks, I dont think that there good for much else. The ride is real bouncy, and it really limits my travel. With dual shock mounts, I would be able to install actual shocks in the primary location, and have the secondary brackets to install the adjustable air shock for the winter, or take them off if i so please.

idk about plowing but i love my 242 in the snow... i liked it especially when i was cruising down interstate (covered in snow) at 55MPH

Tacedaddy said:

idk about plowing but i love my 242 in the snow... i liked it especially when i was cruising down interstate (covered in snow) at 55MPH

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Yeah, plowing in full time seems to be the way to go.

DimaXJ said:

Yeah, plowing in full time seems to be the way to go.

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You want to plow in part time.

if there's enough snow to plow, you want to be in part-time