Swapping Axles

S

shapps13

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Paxinos,PA

• Oct 30, 2003

• #1

I've got a 95 XJ with 3:07 gears and have a chance to get axles from an 86 XJ with 4:10 gears for cheap. I'm not sure if the front end will fit since mine is a HP30 and I'm not sure about the "new" axle I'll be getting. The current owner says its a HP. I know the rear end will pretty much bolt in. Now ,I have been told that I will be able to keep my ABS if I very carefully press off the reluctor rings and remount them on the "new" axles. Anyone ever done this with the ABS?

Bill

 

Vug

NAXJA Forum User

Location

West Michigan

• Oct 30, 2003

• #2

I can't help you with the ABS thing.

The rear will bolt right in.

The front from the '86 will be a disconnect style axle. The one in your '95 is non-disco. You should be able to use it by removing the vacuum motor and sliding the locking collar over and retaining it there. The older axle has smaller (weaker) ujoints also.

 

xj-grin

NAXJA Member #1096

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Oct 30, 2003

• #3

both will work fine. I would use your solid front axle shafts and just bypass the disconnect altogether - keep those 297 ujoints. the 86 is high pinion too, so you shouldn't have any driveshaft issues. Is your 95 a D35 or a 8.25 chryco? you are seriously downgrading your rear axle if you have the 8.25, as the 86 will be a terdy-five...

 

Vug

NAXJA Forum User

Location

West Michigan

• Oct 30, 2003

• #4

I believe there is a bearing or seal issue with swapping the axles from a non-disco to a disco. It is not a direct swap.

Search for info, it's been covered before.

 

A

ashmanjeepxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Vail AZ, Jimmy's Cherokee Buggy

• Oct 30, 2003

• #5

Vug said:

I believe there is a bearing or seal issue with swapping the axles from a non-disco to a disco. It is not a direct swap.

Search for info, it's been covered before.

Click to expand...

you need a seal that goes where the shift motor was..

drivetrain direct has them, order it..

probibly $3ish.

 

S

shapps13

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Paxinos,PA

• Oct 30, 2003

• #6

swapping axles

Thanks for the info.

Now I just need to know about the ABS. This is my wife's Jeep and I would like to keep her and the kids as safe as possible in a lifted Jeep as I can.

The rear is a 35 so strength is not a concern here. It will be mostly street driven with a monthly trip offroad. But it does have 3 inches of lift and 31's so that is why I want the 4:10's.

Bill

 

D

David - Atlanta

Guest

• Oct 30, 2003

• #7

About a month ago I obtained the same axles (30 & 35 with 4.10's) from the same year model ('86) and the front that I got is NOT a disco. I'll be putting them on my '89 which DOES have the disco currently in front, not a problem there though.

Bill, Have you picked up the axles yet and IS the 30 a disco?

 

X

XJTripp

NAXJA Forum User

Location

eastern North Carolina

• Oct 30, 2003

• #8

Disco Vs Non-disco

Others on here will know for sure, but I think if David's non-disco originates from the front of an older XJ, it must have had the 242 T-case which has a full-time 4wd setting in addition to the part-time locked 4WD setting. My understanding is that the older NP 231 T-case equipped XJ's had the disconnect axle. Mine does.

 

D

David - Atlanta

Guest

• Oct 31, 2003

• #9

Tripp, you are correct in that the donor XJ DID have a 242 Select Trac t-case (If I remember correctly it had a seperate switch from the 4wheel engage handle that was used for full or part time). I didn't know that was the difference for the earlier XJ's as to whether or not they would have the disco 30. Was the disco feature the only difference between the two 30's?

 

sidriptide

nobody of any consequence

Location

western massachusetts

• Oct 31, 2003

• #10

ill throw in my $.37 .... i thought 87 was a big changeover year for the XJ... wasn't it the first year the 231 and 242 were offered? beofre that would be the 209 and 208 t/cases.... not positive though.... another thought on that front axle.. not sure what year they changed over but i had an 85 non-disco unit that was a cv-joint axle, not open u-joints... not sure if i'm helping ya out of confusing the issue more....
mike

 

Eagle

Lifetime NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Terra Firma

• Oct 31, 2003

• #11

Sidriptide is correct. The 231 and 242 were introduced in 1987. Prior to that, the Command-Trac t-case was an NP207, and Selec-Trac was either a 228 or 229 (they used both, according to the '86 FSM). The Command-Trac models got the disconnect, the Selec-Trac models did not.

However -- front drive shaft and axle shafts had true CV joints, not u-joints on the axles nor a double cardan on the drive shaft.

All are high pinion.

 

D

David - Atlanta

Guest

• Oct 31, 2003

• #12

Eagle,
Mine has u-joints on the axles but I'm not sure what the front drive shaft had because the pull-it yard I got the axles from pulled them out for me, I just had to drop by and pick up the parts. Sorry for the lack of proper technical terms but the connection on the front axle looks like a standard connection for a drive shaft with a u-joint. Would it look a lot different if it was for a true CV joint?