2x4 to 4x4 swap question

Had a few questions about this conversion I was hoping some one could answer before I moved on(invested money)
Will a 1990 XJ 4x4 AW4 swap out with my 1998 2x4 AW4 with out any modifications?
will the same 1990 xj AW4 and A 231 that is currently set up with my AX-15 fit together without any modification? the 231 is a 23 spline input.
Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on these question.

bump

with all the money you're going to be spending doing this, you'd be better off just buying a new jeep that has the 231. there's so much work involved and way too much $$. i helped my friend do it on his yota and he sunk over $3000 doing it. not worth it for that truck.

Well the 98 cost me 600. its got 198k, is VERY clean and has a bad aw4 4x2 tranny. I was under the assumption any aw4 trans would bolt up and then i can swap in my axles/lift tcase and drive shafts to make it a clean rig for under a thousand bucks.

not sure if any aw4 will work or not due to the cpu's. as far as the swap goes, it is pretty easy, ive done it twice. your tcase shift linkage should bolt right in, but you will have to remove the cover plate in the 2wd( some have rivets and some have bolts. your tcase is going to have some differences like the vac port for the vac disco front axle and the cable driven speedo as oposed to the electric one. if youre re useing your vac disco front and havent upgraded to 1 piece passenger side shaft then you will need all the vacuum stuff too.

awaiting further verification i am gonna say no, it will not bolt up.
but im no expert, so consider this for what it is! an opinionated bump with a fuzzy memory

Usually the 4wd trannys have a different output shaft/tail housing than the 2wd models.
I haven't taken an AW4 apart, but generally it's a trans/xfer case swap along with the front axle, and interior parts/xfer case shifter.

A 90 should be a Renix engine and the tranny and t-case should be 21 spline and the tranny should be selectable for power/economy. If everything is as it should be this is not a direct swap. Not every model is the same. I have an 89 with a stock non-disco front axle. Jeep did some strange things at times, but chances are there are one or more reasons these will not be a direct swap.

Does any one have some 2x4 to 4x4 threads saved? couldnt find much out there

just wondering what the front endoof a 2wd cherokee looks like anyone care to describe?

kenny schmitt said:

just wondering what the front endoof a 2wd cherokee looks like anyone care to describe?

Click to expand...

A tube in the place of the pumpkin... otherwise the whole front end looks identical...

The speed sensor changed sometime around the introduction of OBD-II (1996) from a two-pole job to a four-pole, as I recall. However, it should swap out with a little work.

The control setup shouldn't have changed. The internals may have, so note that you've got a 1998 transmission if you need repair (the filter/gasket kit should be the same, and it will still want Dexron II/IIE/III/V fluid.)

The later models (1991 or so on up) had the "Power/Comfort" option hardwired into the Power mode - so that is probably still in place (it's a function of the TCU anyhow, and moving the shift points. Nothing to do with the actual transmission.) Spline count isn't an issue, since you're bringing the tcase along anyhow (but again, make a note of it. I'm not sure if there were bearing/seal differences between the 21-sp and 23-sp, and that's not a section I'm researching at the moment anyhow.)

As far as swapping the 231 from one transmission to the other - as long as the spline count is the same and the "stick-out" on the input is the same, no worries. You may need to adapt or replace the shifter linkage if you get happy with converting (Novak has one I understand is nice,) but that's about it.

no u need an aw4 from a 97-01 xj same with tcase, paul(homebrew) and i did the swap on my 00'', works like factory! plus it was only $400 to do! dont be discouraged when everyone tells u to just go get a 4x4 xj.....its really not that bad, but the computer changed in 97 and up, spline count and cant remember what else... really tired....

ok guys- thanks for all your advice. To all the haters who say its not worth it- suck it hard. Your all lazy. I just picked up an 00 aw4 for 325. MY question is this: will I need a newer T.C. or will any 23 spline 231 do? I would like to keep my 87 231, I had it rebuilt with a 23 spline input. Thanks again.

The spline length has to be correct also.

SUA SPONTE said:

ok guys- thanks for all your advice. To all the haters who say its not worth it- suck it hard. Your all lazy. I just picked up an 00 aw4 for 325. MY question is this: will I need a newer T.C. or will any 23 spline 231 do? I would like to keep my 87 231, I had it rebuilt with a 23 spline input. Thanks again.

Click to expand...

As long as it's 23 spline, you should be ok, but as RCP Phx said, make sure the length, as well as the diameter and cut are the same. If it was converted using Jeep parts, you'll be fine. If not, I'm sure you can find a 23 spline 231 in the junkyard to borrow the measurements from (unless someone here has them).
FWIW, the XJ 2x4 to 4x4 swap is probably one of the easiest out there. Considering you can find pristine 2x4s for cheap, why not? In the end, you will probably have less money in it, plus you know your Jeep wasn't beat up in the woods by the previous owner

If you've got the electronic speedo (if it's an 87, probably not...) make sure you can swap over the speedo sensor in the tcase as well.

Two reasons I bring this up:

1) I honestly don't feel like figuring out which way you're going again.
2) This datum will probably help someone other than you doing this swap.