2x4 to 4x4 conversion???

My jeep is a 1994 2 Door Cherokee. It has the Standard 5 speed Tranny and the Chrysler 8.25 axel in the back. This is a mod I have wanted to do but my inexperience is stopping me. Can anybody tell me ALL that is involved as far as parts go? Do I need a new tranny? New rear drive shaft?? ANYTHING will help!!! I don't want to get a new XJ with 4x4, thats just too easy for me :viking: . I'm also planning on installing a 3" lift, will that change anything I need to get for the conversion?

Thanks!

Not really worth the time and effort,but if you did a donor vehicle would be the way to go, that way you know you have all the parts,crossmembers,brackets and shafts, consoles,ect.

okay, is there anything under the hood that I need to have, fuses, vacumes or anything of that sort? sorry i know Im !!!1 forgot to add that it is a 2.5l don't know if that will change anything tho.

It's been done, and I think there are a couple of links to writeups here.

You will need to replace the transmission - the mainshaft and tailshaft housings are different. I don't think you need to change the crossmember, and I seem to recall that the front suspension bolts right in.

You will probably need to make some small interior changes - like the centre console, to accommodate the transfer case shifter - and I think it's just a matter of pulling a blanking plate to mount the transfer case shifter anyhow. The unibodies themselves should be the same.

Words of Caution - if you can't take the donor vehicle to your shop/garage/lot/whatever, take EVERYTHING you know you'll need, EVERYTHING you even think you'll need, and everything else that comes to mind... Assume you won't be able to go back to your donor, and plan and snag parts accordingly...

5-90

Get a doner and put the 8.25 in it. Or if the doner has one sell it to me

Oliver93XJ said:

Get a doner and put the 8.25 in it. Or if the doner has one sell it to me

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for all the work that is involved in somthing like this what oliver said might just be the way to go, its alot easier to swap an axle than it is to do a 4x4 conversion and then sell the 2 wheel driver once you put the axle you dont want.

But if thats not a possiblity you wil need to get the parts which can cost as much as a compelte jeep if you want to ensure quality.

I vote for selling it and buying a 4wd. You could even upgrade to the 4.0l engine. Honestly it you don't even know where to start, you might be in over your head.

Find a rolled donor of the same year and take it home, put it about 8 feet away from yours, put em both up on jackstands then make the 2wd look like the 4wd.
Do the front axle first, should take about 5 hours, R&R the donor axle first, rotors, calipers, pads, check the ball joints and universals. Make sure the gearing is the same on the donor vehicle otherwise you will need to regear it. As far as the tranny goes, I don't know, I've never seen a 2 wd AX tranny up close so I don't know if it has a removable tailshaft, if so pay attention to the spline count and tailshaft length, they might be different, in which case you might just want to swap tranny/transfer case. You will also need some wiring from the donor to get the 4wd light to work on the instrument panel.
Other wise as a few here can attest to, this build is not a good idea money wise but would be worthwhile as an exercise. Having the donor right next to the one being converted is the way to go, that way you have all the bolts, nuts, brackets and such and can see how they go in relation to each other.

RichP said:

As far as the tranny goes, I don't know, I've never seen a 2 wd AX tranny up close so I don't know if it has a removable tailshaft, if so pay attention to the spline count and tailshaft length, they might be different, in which case you might just want to swap tranny/transfer case.

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Moot point. While the tailshaft housing is removable (2WD and 4WD variants use the same basic case,) the mainshaft is longer in the 2WD version - by a few inches. Making the 2WD transmission work in the 4WD vehicle would entail tearing the transmission down and replacing the mainshaft, then changing the tailshaft housing for the transfer case adapter. Might as well overhaul the transmission while you're about it.

5-90

I did that same conversion on a 94 4.0l. It took me 3 days start to finish working by myself. I say it's easier to just replace the tranny than spending time swapping tranny guts. The front axle is a drop in, make sure that if yours has ABS the doner one does to or you have to swap the knuckles and shafts. All the wiring is the same except I had to run wires to make the "part time light" work. And had to extend the speedo harness to reach the t-case, about 4" the speedo gear is the same. Crossmember was the same. Junkyard or donner jeep the front drive shaft. Have your rear drive shaft cut down as long as it is in good shape. Pop the console out and remove the floor blank and put in the 4wd shifter and linkage, reinstall console and put a bulb in the socket for the shift indicator. Check all fluids.
I have done this conversion on a bunch of DNR Jeeps. It is not really that hard to do. The way I look at it is if you like your Jeep and it's paid for why not do it. It's still cheaper than getting another XJ and hasseling with selling yours.
..... my 2 cents