2wd to 4wd cross over parts?

My 01 XJ is a 2 wheel drive version and I've never dealt with the beam type axle. Can anyone tell me what, of any, of the parts from a 4 wheel drive will fit? Brakes, bearings, ball joints, etc... And do any of the Grand Cherokee parts fit too? Please throw me some info folks...I'm in Germany and need to try and source stuff from the junkyard asap. Thanks a bunch!atriot:

On an 01 literally everything will fit somehow. Just make sure you put the dummy stub axle back through the new unit bearing and torque it to 175 foot pounds to keep the bearing from separating and tossing your tire off rather unceremoniously.

Balljoints: the same for any year XJ (iirc) and 93-98 grand cherokees (ZJs)
Knuckles: the same for 92.5-01 XJs and (iirc) 91-92.0 4wd XJs as well (early 90s 2wd XJs had a different one.) I think ZJ parts will cross over here too but not sure. WJ (99-up grand cherokee) will, but you need to use their balljoints and do other mods as well, search for "WJ swap" using google.
Calipers: same as knuckles, any 92.5-01 should basically have the same ones, ZJ as well I think but not sure.
Rotors: 99.5-01 XJ are all the same, 92.5-99.0 are compatible if you also swap the unit bearing from the same jeep
Unit bearings: 99.5-01 XJ are all the same, 92.5-99.0 are compatible if you also swap the brake rotor from the same jeep (I suggest buying new of the appropriate year instead, or at least swapping both sides from the donor, along with the pads, keeping them matched with the rotor they were with.)

The whole axle housing will swap, actually - any 92.5-99 will bolt right in and you just put your unit bearings and brake hardware on it (if it's a 99.5 donor, you can simply swap your calipers and rotors on, compare the unit bearing center flange height to find out.) Obviously you won't get 4wd, but you'll be one step closer. I ran my MJ with a 4wd axle housing with axles and gears in it for a year before I ended up actually converting it to 4wd and it drove and handled better, though that was mostly because I replaced the front coils and shocks at the same time as I swapped the 4wd housing in so the added unsprung weight wasn't really noticeable.

Very well stated. The beam axle shares all of the major components with the Dana 30 live axle. It was done as a cost management solution at the time as it made zero sense to use any more dedicated parts on a 2wd vehicle. They are the minority production.

Should you, down the road, decide to go 4wd, the conversion is straight forward.

So, ZJ parts. Yes, yes they will fit with all of the caveats that kastein has noted. To my knowledge, there was not a 2wd ZJ ever made. Mayhaps, someone knows better. No matter as the 4wd parts work just as well again caveats noted.

Front ends on the XJ/ZJ were identical (by year model) with the exception of the steering links and the ZJ parts are a common mod to the XJ as they are more robust due to the weight of the ZJ being greater than the XJ.

Hope this helps!

There were plenty of 2wd ZJs made. Also only v8 ZJ tie rods are an upgrade, the rest of the ZJ steering is the same, though the track bar may be different.

So a slightly more specific question...
Would the disc brake rotors and pads from a 91 XJ fit my 2001 XJ? I ordered the 91 parts for my beater before realizing I really need them first on my 01 DD! The 91 is 4WD but my 01 is only 2.
And how about the rear main seal and pan gasket. Any difference between the two years, still a 4.0 and one is a 5 speed and the newer one an auto.

I believe they will but only if you put 91 4wd unit bearings on it as well unfortunately.

Pan gasket is the same, rear main is not. 00/01 use a new design.

Thanks for the great input guys!!! I've never messed with a 4.0 (or any Jeep for that matter)any newer than 91 so this has been a learning experience. Pulled the valve cover off today to reseal it and found some NASA designed VC gasket!?! How'd that get in there? Don't have a replacement and I gotta get this thing on the road. I'll order one tonight but I hope the good old RTV will work ok in a pinch. *crosses fingers!*