01 cherokee 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive

I have an 01 Cherokee sport 2 door 2 wheel drive. I have had it since 03. I found an 01 Cherokee sport 2 door 4 wheel drive in a junk yard and I am thinking of doing the swap. What all would I need from both 01's. both are 4.0 both are automatics both are 2 doors!!! I also have a 92 Comanche that I will get into later but I plan on doing its swap someday to. for now lets talk the 01 xj

everything from the bellhousing back. The case shifter linkage, the center console cutout for it.

no computer stuff needed.

I would skip the OEM shift linkage and buy one of the aftermarket setups (still get it, you need a few small parts). The OEM linkage bolts half to the transmission and half to the body, and is subject to shifting itself when the drivetrain flexes.

Novak offers a series of shifters, some that re-use the stock shift handle but new mounts, some that replace everything (and IMHO are better). Consider going one of those routes for the shifter.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/shifters/kit_sk2x.htm


You need:

transmission
transfer case
front driveshaft
front axle
rear driveshaft (assuming same rear end)
OEM t-case skid if it has one

There will be some plugs for 4x4 indication lights on the dash that you may not have anything in your harness to plug into. No ill side effect, just no lights.

verify both axles have the same gear ratio.

vin numbers says that both 01's have the same transmission??? I truly was looking for the 92 MJ swap when I found the 01 in the junk yard. Things to look for to make sure the junk yard 01 tranny and transfer case are good??? 15 years ago I had it in a transmission shop ( I was on crazy overtime) and the shop said it had the Heavy duty tranny in it??? I did a fluid change and no problem after 15 yrs. They wanted $3000 for a tranny rebuild. What ever!!!

Is there a chance they put the same tranny in both. Are the 4 wheel and 2 wheel drive auto trannies in an 01 different???

My 01 is the cream of the crop. It is a true Black Beauty. It is the cleanest 01 2 wheel drive 2 door you will find. I never thought much about swapping to 4 wheel drive but the junk yard 01 is a rare find and has me thinking.

The 92 MJ has been a project I have been working on for years. List of things done. Radiator all hoses thermo housing fans, Harmonic balance (completely separated) All seals rear main front main, valve cover, New clutch slave cylinder, Brake calipers rotors drums cylinders E brake had to come out of a Dakota (not messing with MJ's bad E brake ratchet) Dash replacement, Drove to Tenn. to get head liner and bench seat. (recovered both) Cut my own sunroof in it. Line X bed liner and plastic bed liner over the top, full under coating. 2001 front end swap. Replaced both window actuators all window seals. Viper alarm system and auto start (yes auto start on a 5 speed manual) I am not scraping windows at 4 am to go to work. Step Bars. All matching alpine system with 8" subs and amp. New American racing wheels and BFG AT's.

The new rims and tires are what led me here. It had Hercules 31's I switched to BFG's and now I get a little rub on the front drivers side. It seems to have a maybe a 2" lift on it and well who lifts 2 wheel drive so. I am up for a 4" lift but would like to make it 4 wheel drive if I am going to lift it.

I am totally up for the MJ swap and lift seeing as it is my daily driver and have the Cherokee to drive while I do this. But there is nothing wrong with the XJ it is perfect as it sits. I keep it in the garage most of the time. (it is my corvette and someday will be my super hero ride. Fold out machetes and all!!! Should I do the swap on both??? I have had many jeeps over the years and always seem to spend more money getting pulled out of the hole I got myself into. But then again that's the fun of jeeps. Now after 20 years of working in the same machine shop on way to much over time. I just drive them because they are the most reliable rides out there. 4.0 I6 "tractor motors" are bullet proof!!! Both have over 120000 on them and run great!!!

So should I do the XJ swap I don't trust the junk yard parts yet. It would be different if I bought it running. I know what is involved with the MJ swap and that I need the ax15 tranny drive shafts linkage transfer case axles and all. But am not sure on the 01???

there is no heavy duty transmission.

the 2x and 4x transmission are the exact same, except the tail housing is different. you cannot easily convert a 2x to a 4x, but its actually possible (not worth the work considering you have to start with a 4x transmission for parts).

the aw4 transmissions are pretty stout, i'd be fine with one out of a junkyard.

same goes for the transfer case and front axle.

if you have ~4" of lift, the earlier (99 and down) front axle is stronger, but it wont fit on a stock 00+ (hits exhaust).

cal said:

there is no heavy duty transmission.

the 2x and 4x transmission are the exact same, except the tail housing is different. you cannot easily convert a 2x to a 4x, but its actually possible (not worth the work considering you have to start with a 4x transmission for parts).

the aw4 transmissions are pretty stout, i'd be fine with one out of a junkyard.

same goes for the transfer case and front axle.

if you have ~4" of lift, the earlier (99 and down) front axle is stronger, but it wont fit on a stock 00+ (hits exhaust).

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this, and the 01 doesn't have special parts.

Anything 98+ is a suitable donor for your drivetrain, as long as you're lifting it.
Otherwise yo uwill need a low pinion D30 and driveshaft from a 00-01.

cool all kind of what I figured. You know I have never had the tranny out of the Cherokee. (never had to) This could be fun. I am going to hit the yard this weekend and get a better look at it. just a rare find for an 01 to be sitting in a yard not wrecked. body was straight. I am hoping to find just a blown head gasket and not a shattered bell housing. I don't have to lift the 01 but if the parts are there I just might have to grab them. Now the old Comanche that's getting swapped and lifted at the same time. I find the right donor. It is on!!! (done had the tranny out of this thing a couple of times) Its a good thing its all new pipes and muffler. thanks for all the help

By the way I will keep you updated to what I do.

01xj92mj said:

cool all kind of what I figured. You know I have never had the tranny out of the Cherokee. (never had to) This could be fun. I am going to hit the yard this weekend and get a better look at it. just a rare find for an 01 to be sitting in a yard not wrecked. body was straight. I am hoping to find just a blown head gasket and not a shattered bell housing. I don't have to lift the 01 but if the parts are there I just might have to grab them. Now the old Comanche that's getting swapped and lifted at the same time. I find the right donor. It is on!!! (done had the tranny out of this thing a couple of times) Its a good thing its all new pipes and muffler. thanks for all the help

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Since this an 01, it has the infamous 0331 head, so it might be in the junkyard due to a cracked head, then coolant in the oil destroyed the bottom end. On a 2wd this would probably be enough for some people to junk it.

Check it carefully!

so if I find a 4 door donor for either the 01 XJ 2 door or the 92 MJ do I have to have a different drive shaft. or will donor parts bolt right up to my 2 doors??? I would like to just swap all the parts. Are the wheel bases the same???

Ok so I went to the junk yard and the motor was locked up. All axles turned and linkages and shifters moved. So we pulled it all. Transmission front and rear axles transfer case drive shafts linkage plate and shifters even the control arms. the whole deal was just over $500. Now begins the clean up and rebuild of the yard parts. I am looking into local Axle Boy shop to maybe do some of the rebuild on yard parts but I will try and do as much of it as I can myself. Lets see what their costs are.

2dr/4dr doesn't matter. Same shafts and such.

Since you have an 01 and pulled form an 01 it will all bolt up. Most you may need is some nutserts for the trans crossmember.

honestly I'd not bother rebuilding the axles. Check the sealsand bearings and if it looks good run them.
shove new u joints in all that stuff and go.

I just did my 98 Cherokee from 2wd to 4wd. (My 3rd conversion, did a friends 96 and anothers 01)

• 98-01 are all the same AW4 transmissions - But you can not use a 2 wheel drive trans easily with out swapping a lot of parts.
• Most likely your 2wd has a Dana 35 Rear Axle - So swap it out for an 8.25 - Dana 35 are weeeakkk !!.
• Your 01 Donor Front Axle is a probably a Low Pinion - find a 96 High Pinion for a much better option.
• Its tough to find good driveshafts that have not been bent by JY forklifts getting moved. I ordered Tattons on eBay for $400 for the pair shipped. You will need both driveshafts from a vehicle that has the same transfercase and rear axle.
• I agree, stock transfercase linkage sucks, I used Boostwerks Linkage $35 and got a junkyard transfercase shifter and bezel for $10
• Its a good time to get a Slip Yoke Eliminator SYE for the transfercase if you can swing it. (Choose your rear driveshaft accordingly - with SYE a front driveshaft will usually work in back)
• I would look at getting a 231 Transfercase (more options and easier SYE) over the 242 Transfercase some can have.
• You may have to extend the wires for the speedo, and give up the dash indicator for 4wd as those wires may not be there.

Hollar if you have any questions.

I don't get these swaps, regardless of how much sentimental value there is. You have to put some value on your time. Start with a 4x, your 2x isn't going to be so pretty after you wheel it anyway. I wouldn't bother saying this if you had already dismantled the 2x, but it seems like there's still hope.

paddlernate said:

I don't get these swaps, regardless of how much sentimental value there is. You have to put some value on your time. Start with a 4x, your 2x isn't going to be so pretty after you wheel it anyway. I wouldn't bother saying this if you had already dismantled the 2x, but it seems like there's still hope.

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I don't get these lift kits. Dont people put some value on their time? Start with a Humvee with 37's, your XJ won't be so pretty after you lift it anyway. I wouldnt bother saying this if you already had a lifted XJ, but it seems like there's still hope?


:doh:


Sometimes you want what you want, and the 10 hours of labor it takes to get it is worth it.

that would be fine if I ever even planned on taking it off road. which I don't. it is because I am a boy with a frog in my pocket!!! I love my GIRL,GUNS,HARLEY and JEEP. I am an AMERICAN first and for most!!! and because I can!!! this jeep is kept in the garage 99% of the time that is why I have the Comanche as a daily driver. this all started again when I put new tires on the old truck same size it had but different brand and it rubs just a little when driven. so I started looking to lift the truck. well I found the parts to make the Cherokee 4wd the exact 2001 bolt up parts in a junk yard to easy. the main thing is last month I pulled the Cherokee out of the garage to get it inspected and it snowed while it was in the shop getting inspected (thought I had enough time to get it home and didn't) on the way home this thing is USELESS in the snow!!! I slid spun and barley got it home. for as pretty as it is I thought what a piece of junk. might as well sell it if it cant even make it home in a little snow!!! well this will at least fix that. and I have a brain a shop and the will power to do it. so why not. it will increase resale value not that I plan on selling it. cant wait to do the Comanche also!!!

again I have no intentions of doing any serious 4 wheeling in my Cherokee I will save that for the Comanche I am doing this just so I can have the 4 wheel advantage if I have to drive this thing in the snow or for that matter if I have to park in the grass at a friends gathering and get stuck on a flat yard that is a little wet. (which really happened!!!) with that said. I have an add a leaf in the rear to level the ride and look which helps with sag in the rear end if I put any weight in it. DO I really need or want the Slip Yoke Eliminator SYE. if I am not lifting it. I have no problem doing it but is it something I should do? also yes the rear drive shaft is dented from the JY fork truck. so I will be needing to replace it seeing as the stock 2wd wont fit. so as I am replacing should I do the Slip Yoke Eliminator SYE??? and new drive shaft or just pull a stock drive shaft out of a 4dr 4wd if I can find one not dented.

by the way I did find a stock drive shaft not dented on ebay for $50 but it is made in Canada. I just cant bring myself to buy it. My Harley was built in Wisconsin both jeeps in USA Springfield SOCOM 16 .308 USA and Schwinn bicycle was made in Chicago Ill. I will keep looking.

01xj92mj said:

by the way I did find a stock drive shaft not dented on ebay for $50 but it is made in Canada. I just cant bring myself to buy it. My Harley was built in Wisconsin both jeeps in USA Springfield SOCOM 16 .308 USA and Schwinn bicycle was made in Chicago Ill. I will keep looking.

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Lots of American rigs are built in Canada.