What to swap from dead 97 XJ to a good 88?

Wife rear-ended someone in our 97 XJ and it took some damage to the "framerail" in the front right and the front "crossmember" . The shop I use and trust completely said that they wouldn't repair the damage since it involved kinks in the unibody that they considered "unrepairable" for liability reasons.

The engine, axle and everything else are fine, it still runs and drives with just a slight pull to the right.

A friend found me an almost free 88 XJ with a blown pugeot tranny that is supposedly in otherwise great shape. Question is this, what can I swap over from the 97? With some frame stifferners to help the unibody and the 97 equipment, seems like I could build a pretty solid Jeep.

Will the driveline (with the needed computer and wiring mods, I've looked at 4.0 swaps for CJs) and axles swap over?

I'd think that the axles will bolt right in (I have the 8.25 rear in the 97).

I know that there's wiring involved in the engine swap but I don't see why the tranny and Tcase couldn't be made to work. I don't know if the crossmember would need mods (swap that too?) to go to the AW4? I don't know about driveshaft lengths, but I should be able to swap them too.

I'm more familiar with CJs, so let me know if I'm overlooking something here in making this work or other things that would be useful to swap over.

Yes the driveline and axles will swap over. If your worried about the crossmember, use the '97 one.

I would gut the '88 for the most part, and swap peice by peice from the '97 into it. That way you know exactly what goes where.

I haven't done major swaps for the most part, but everything should work.

You could swap all driveline, crossmember, engine, and trans into the '88 with somewhat ease.

Keep in mind that swapping all engine/transmission wiring from the '97 will be difficult and absolutely necessary. Also the '97 transfer case has an electronic speed sensor as opposed to mecanical (for speedometer) If I were in your shows I'd find a speedometer from a '91 - '96 and wire it in.

As far as I know the following items will bolt right up (wiring differs means that the '88 has different wiring than the '97, I'd swap the entire '97 looms in place).

Engine (wiring differs, some fabrication may be necessary to mount power distribution block)
Transmission (wiring differs)
Transfer case (wiring differs, '88 had a vacuum acuated front axle disconnect and indicator lamp switch if equipped with a 231, '97 had an electronic switch for the lamp and no disconnect axle)
Axles
Spring / Linkages
Crossmember
Exaust
Driveshafts
Mopar skids (except gas tank skid)
Cooling system (some fabrication may be necessary for overflow bottle)

One thing I'd do is get a 1995 power brake booster and master cylinder, otherwise you'll notice decreased braking power. The 1997 booster/master can work with modifications to pedal rod by qualified shop (advanced job there - not recomended for the average human)

Renix brake lines are different than HO. The path of least resistance is to swap in the HO lines since you have free access to them. Otherwise you will need to either get SAE to Metric couplers or reflare lines if doing a double diaphram booster swap and to bolt 1997 front brakes on. You cannot use 1988 brakes on 1997 knuckles.

bigwalton said:

Wife rear-ended someone in our 97 XJ and it took some damage to the "framerail" in the front right and the front "crossmember" . The shop I use and trust completely said that they wouldn't repair the damage since it involved kinks in the unibody that they considered "unrepairable" for liability reasons.

The engine, axle and everything else are fine, it still runs and drives with just a slight pull to the right.

A friend found me an almost free 88 XJ with a blown pugeot tranny that is supposedly in otherwise great shape. Question is this, what can I swap over from the 97? With some frame stifferners to help the unibody and the 97 equipment, seems like I could build a pretty solid Jeep.

Will the driveline (with the needed computer and wiring mods, I've looked at 4.0 swaps for CJs) and axles swap over?

I'd think that the axles will bolt right in (I have the 8.25 rear in the 97).

I know that there's wiring involved in the engine swap but I don't see why the tranny and Tcase couldn't be made to work. I don't know if the crossmember would need mods (swap that too?) to go to the AW4? I don't know about driveshaft lengths, but I should be able to swap them too.

I'm more familiar with CJs, so let me know if I'm overlooking something here in making this work or other things that would be useful to swap over.

Click to expand...

Basically everything will interchange, Yes the drivetrain which will require the wiring but since your doing the wiring the dash will swap as will the doors (although do a search for the proper way to swap the door latch) the headliner will swap so you can keep the cool overhead speakers, about the only thing that wo'nt swap ona direct bolt in is the master cylinder and booster assembly. But don't worry just find a dual diaghrahm booster from a 95 or 96 XJ. The firewall was changed slightly in 97 so the 96- peadal does not line up properly with the 97+ booster. do a search on this and you will also find the info you need to help with the swap.

Depending on how bad the front fendeers, hood, and header panel are they will swap also. the rear bumpers can also be swapped if you remove the brackets for the bumper extension from the 97. The flares will swap too.

If you want to go to all the trouble of swapping the doors PM me and i can help take the front doors off your hands.

Dingo