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88 XJ:AW4 to AX15 Cross Member Alignment Problem

R

RAVC1

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Michigan
My donor is a 1989 XJ w/4.0L and AX-15. I am converting an 88 XJ w/AW4 to the AX-15.

I installed the aluminum spacer plate (between the 4.0L and the AX-15), the AX-15, NP242, AX-15 mounting bracket and AX-15 isolator yesterday. All AX-15 components are factory original and were transferred from the 89 XJ Laredo donor. My 88 XJ Limited was built with the NP242 so I installed it on the back of the AX-15. The engine/clutch cover bolts have been torqued so the AX-15 is tight to the 4.0L.

When I attempted to install the 89 XJ AX-15 cross member I discovered the mounting holes for the AX-15 isolator are correct considering left/right alignment but are too far forward in the fore/aft direction. If the cross member could be mounted further toward the rear of the XJ I would be okay. However, the additional set of mounting holes for the cross member move it further forward.

I also converted from the internal slave to the external slave cylinder but I do not see a difference in the clutch covers for these two types of slave cylinders. Both appear to measure 7 3/8" tall.

I estimate the misalignment between the AX-15 isolator studs and the cross member holes that accommodate them to be 3/8" - 1/2".

Can anyone explain or verify my observations?

Thanks,

Rick
 
Spin the crossmember around and check the alignment.
 
X2....the crossmember may look symmetrical, but it isn't (by about 3/8-1/2")

BTDT, twice.

Also, when installing the bolts, jack the driveline up by the trans body not from under the Xmember. Line up one bolt on one side and loosely thread it in, then line up one on the other side (may need to use an aligning punch or screwdriver in the other hole to get it aligned). Once you have two in, thread the other two in, then do a final tighten on all.

Jeff
 
Guys,

Thanks for the support. However, these suggestions were attempted much earlier my time (EST) before returning the x-member to the machine shop to have them perform fabrication round #2. Round #1 was conversion of the AW4 x-member to an AX-15 x-member.

Turning the x-members around does not work. It and the AX-15 isolator (not the AX-15 bracket) possess "handedness." Forgive the chemistry reference (I'm a physical chemist) but, this is what the more common term "stereo" means; 3-dimensionality. Note the small ramp in the right hand trailing edge of the raised tunnel across the x-member. This is for the exhaust so it must be at the right rear corner.

The AX-15 rubber/steel isolator is also misaligned such that the central/inboard pair of studs (those that extend downward through the x-member clearance holes) are nearly centered on the long axis of the AX-15 (i.e., drive line). The other pair is intentionally offset to the driver's side of the Xj body.

Lastly, the clearance holes in the x-member are a pair of holes and a pair of adjustments slots. The holes positively locate the x-member the the driver's side of the car whereas the slots are located on the passenger side (along with the relief ramp for the exhaust).

This just makes no sense to me that ~1/2" of length would be observed between consecutive model years on early Xj's.

I remain baffled but I will have a proper x-member tomorrow.

Rick

P.S. Joe, we must stop this; we're becoming friends...
 
reading your first post again, it sounds like you have the bracket and the isolator bolted onto the tranny, which is jacked up, and you have the crossmember installed on the framerails and are attempting to lower the tranny back down onto it.

I'd try it the other way......bolt the crossmember to the isolator first and then raise the whole assembly up (jacking on the trans body not the crossmember) to the framerails and then aligning the bolt holes in the rails with the crossmember. The islolator is thick rubber but it does have a bit of give to it, and you can use the mechanical advantage the crossmember gives you to be a bit flexible while you align the holes.

Jeff
 
Good thought, if I was working with "correct" alignment. Somewhere something is different on this 88Xj than it was on my donor 89 Xj and I have not yet been able to identify the culprit(s).

I do not mind the misalignment, nor the fact that I missed this and cost myself further machine shop fees. What I cannot accept is, "What is the source of this misalignment?"

Thanks,

Rick
 
I have seen engine mounts that "give" a little when the trans is raised and lowered. Is it possible that you lowered the transmission and the engine mounts "gave" and let the entire assembly shift backward 1/2" or so?
 
Shorty,

I think your engine mount idea was good one so I checked them. There are some large cracks beginning at the edge that penetrate further into the rubber as far as the boundary of the metal it is molded into. However, I noticed the mounts from the 89 4.0L I have siting on a crate to be in the same condition.

Round #2 on the cross member caused the AX-15 isolator studs to drop right into their clearance holes on the cross member. This is what I am accustomed to as I have never found the cross member alignment to tolerate much misalignment; a little thread scrapping on the studs or bolts that fix it to the undercarriage is all I have ever experienced.

The only thing I can state for certain is that I cannot let this issue end here. The cross member from my 89 AX-15 donor remains untouched so I can use it as a reference in the next few weeks when I tackle my 87 Xj AW4 - AX-15 conversion. It will be interesting to see what the 87 presents me with!

JJacobs - All the spacer plates I have are aluminum; 1987, 1988, 1989 & 1997 Xj's included. AW4's to AX-5 and pure AX-15 included.

More on this subject later.

Thanks all,

Rick
 
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