XJ transfer cases into a wranglers?

2 friends of mine just broke the NP231's on their wranglers, one's a YJ and one's a TJ.

The TJ is a 4 banger with an AX-5 featuring a 21 spline output shaft and the YJ is an AX-15 so it's a 23 spline.

Will an NP231 or NV242 from any year XJ w/AX-15 work on the YJ? For the TJ will any of the t-cases from an auto work or will I have to find one from an AX-5 Jeep regardless of model? Anything else use the NP231 or 242 that will go onto the TJ?

The only reason I ask is because I have several XJ's for parts and our pick 'n pull doesn't have any Jeeps besides XJ's and a ZJ or 2.

Thanks for the help.

For those of you who were wondering...

EDIT: Just realized I accidetially put this in OEM tech, sry guys

How? doesnt look like you lost any fluid? Did he run it dry?

Oh and I do believe you can use a 231 from an xj in a wrangler, but there might be a different input shafts.

Ben H said:

Oh and I do believe you can use a 231 from an xj in a wrangler, but there might be a different input shafts.

Click to expand...

If I grab the shaft from the donor jeep will it work?

I never got a clear story of how it broke but the TJ broke it in a collision and the YJ broke it racing.

I feel like theres something Im forgetting but anyway, the input shafts are different and the case for the YJ needs the switch for the vacuum lines for the axle disconnect.

Ah, so will we need to buy any custom parts or can we use existing parts from the donor or the broken Jeeps to make it work?

Careful, there can be MAJOR screwy differences. Yes, the output shaft locations are diff, there are several 231 incarnations. I had my '97 XJs 231 replaced (reputable tranny shop) and all hell broke loose. The rebuild company used a so-called "universal" 231, which was actually a Universal for Wranglers, I think. Front d-shaft rubbed on my XJ's fenderwell, incessantly, smallest bumps. wearign out the shaft, tunnel and my tooth fillings. Had to raise all holy hell to get the idiot to realize. ended up getting an all-new casing, redone for the XJ. now its smooth as a hookers rear...er, well, it's pretty smooth. pix, measure everything, and doubt any so-called "tranny expert." they're only experts on a few common trannies. these are touchy. no real room to play under an XJ.

So will any xj np231 case work on all xj's? Like i have a np231 from a 4 banger xj with a manual tranny, will this work in my 4.0 aw4 xj?

ok nevermind, i just found out that all 4cyl ax5 tranny's have the same 21 spline shaft that the pre 1990 xjs with 4.0's have.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/np231.htm

go there, that will tell you everything you need to know.

i think you need a np 231j thats what i got when my old case blew up... sorry if this doesnt help

I believe the case clocking is different on Wranglers although I think the clocking is done on the transmission adapter. I have read about guys putting AW-4's and 242's in wranglers.

i've put a YJ t-case into a XJ before. the only problem that i ran to during that one specific install was that the index of the shift rod between the YJ and XJ was opposite. so even though you can hook it up, your shifter will end up shifting in the opposite direction (haven't bothered fixing that yet, so no help there. but it works fine and is being driven).

but there are some differences that you will have to look into. depending on year and application, there is a short imput shaft, a long imput shaft, and different spline counts. obviously the spline count is easy to figure out. but as far as the imput shaft lenght, you'll just have to hold it up and see if it fits.


AND DON'T FREAK OUT THE FIRST TIME. when i did my swap i could not get the t-case to fit. there was about 1/8" gap that i couldn't take up. i kept measuring the imput shaft lenght againts the old t-case and all the numbers matched. finally i noticed that the shift mounting bracket was just in the way enough that it was blocking the t-case from sitting flush. after puting the mounting bracket out of the way, the t-case fit perfectly.

as far as indexing goes, i do not believe there is a difference.

my buddy put a xj case in his 2002 tj , after his front drive shaft seized and cracked the case in half.