For those contemplating a SYE install

Of all the mods I've done to my junk, installing the SYE on my 231 while still in the vehicle was one of the simplest mechanically I've ever done.

Hard parts: 1. Removing front yoke as the nut had enough RTV for a whole TC. Air tools helpful but not a necessity. Broke it loose with an 18" pipe wrench and a 1/2 breaker bar with the 1 1/8" socket. Cheater pipe helped. My nice new IR2135Ti 1/2 impact wouldn't break that freakin RTV.

2. Not hard but a bit scary. Removing the inside caged needle bearings from inside the drive gear (my 93 had them) A large punch and a hammer, working your way around from in between the two bearings had them out in less than 5 minutes. 2 bearings.

Make sure you have the LARGE LOCK ring pliers from Sears or Lisle. (about $14) You don't really need snap ring pliers at all.

Use a good RTV for reassembly, no need to over do it. Hardest part of reassembly is getting front housing inserted and aligned without pulling the tube out of the oil pump. There are 2 guide sleeves on the corner bolts that need to be inserted just right. Use the little rubber splined washers for the yokes!

DON'T FORGET THE SPRING
DON'T FORGET THE MAGNETIC WASHER
DON'T FORGET THE OIL PUMP TUBE.

Don't sweat the install if you never done one and need to.

DON'T FORGET TO FILL WITH OIL!!! (used about 1.25 qts of Royal Purple Max ATF)

That's it.

I agree, its the best easy improvement you can make. It really doesn't cost that much considering the benifits. They should have came from the factory that way IMO.

I agree with you on everything. Almost. The front yoke on mine wouldnt come off. I just couldnt get a big enough breaker bar in there with my Tnts, so I broke out the air gun.
Also, on my 89, there was a bolt and nut at the top of the case that for the life of me, I couldnt get off. Took me a couple hours to finally get it off. Other then that, was a lot eaisier then I thought it would be.

I've suggested "stubby" wrenches for those top bolts - also, crowfoot wrenches will work (thanks, Andrey!) and I think you can use a deep socket on a flip joint, if you're careful. Still, stubbys or crowfoots are probably the easiest way to go. Either way, you'll want a 9/16" (it's a 3/8" stud.)

5-90

i'm way glad to hear this, i havent done mine yet because i dreaded this install, i've got my parts now i'm going to get it done. btw i wish my friend troy would have seen this thread, a month ago he paid some shop to do it and it cost him $1000 after parts and labor, ouch

Here's another vote for 'glad to hear it wasn't so bad'. I'm going to get an SYE this winter when I go up to 4-5" of lift, and now that I have a full set of tools I'm trying to do all my own work on the Jeep. I think I'm going to buy another t-case so I can take my time on the SYE install.

Mambeu said:

Here's another vote for 'glad to hear it wasn't so bad'. I'm going to get an SYE this winter when I go up to 4-5" of lift, and now that I have a full set of tools I'm trying to do all my own work on the Jeep. I think I'm going to buy another t-case so I can take my time on the SYE install.

Click to expand...

Taking your time isn't very long. After I got off the front yoke, the entire rebuild and reassembly took less than an hour. All the pictures on all the websites make total sense after you get it apart and see how SIMPLE the mechanism is.

A couple things I forgot. MAKE SURE you are in 4 LOW when doing swap.
You'll need a 10mm 12 point socket for the topmost bolt on the cover. AND YES, it has a nut on the back as well. Mine had some kind of retaining bracket thing with nothing attached to it. Left that off.

X10- raising the roof about THIS one!

All I can say, is two words... TOM WOODS. Holy smoke, that guy is just simply AMAZING, from product quality, support- well, just EVERYTHING.

He's not the cheapest around, but I really feel like it's the smartest money I've spent yet.
I read, and then re-read the Jeep shop manual regarding the 231 during the weeks I waited for my new SYE and driveshaft; I managed to scare myself stupid.

Tom sent a beautiful 1 page/both sides printed instructions (that I WISH I had followed),
It would have saved me almost a whole day of wasted effort and frustration. Tom's stuff was right, the very 1st time, and I would have been done in about 3 hours, counting cleanup.

Absolutely NO need to pull the transfer case from the Jeep- but it somehow gave me some kind of mental comfort, being able to work on it on a workbench. NEXT time, I'll leave it right where it sits.

Hey guys, check this thread. The pics and directions make this even simpler.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74749

Aaron

Just did it on my '98 last night and the two things that gave me the most problems were the pressed on dust shield and inner seal. I wasn't expecting them from the instructions and writeups that I read. In the process I found one after a bit of searching but I didn't have a pipe wrench so I couldn't take yuccaman's approach. I ended up using a 3-jaw puller after cutting off a chunk of the output shaft (I'm sure this has to be the easiest way:laugh2: ). And don't try to finess that inner seal out of there, just pound it with a screwdriver until you can pull it out. It was 5 hours by the time I got cleaned up, lots of wasted time in there though. I was in good spirits after the first drive, so much smoother.

footdale said:

Just did it on my '98 last night and the two things that gave me the most problems were the pressed on dust shield and inner seal. I wasn't expecting them from the instructions and writeups that I read. In the process I found one after a bit of searching but I didn't have a pipe wrench so I couldn't take yuccaman's approach. I ended up using a 3-jaw puller after cutting off a chunk of the output shaft (I'm sure this has to be the easiest way:laugh2: ). And don't try to finess that inner seal out of there, just pound it with a screwdriver until you can pull it out. It was 5 hours by the time I got cleaned up, lots of wasted time in there though. I was in good spirits after the first drive, so much smoother.

Click to expand...

The dust sheild is easy to get off.Just take a chisel and strike it parallel to the shaft in about 4 places around the collar.That will expand it and it will slip right off!

footdale said:

Just did it on my '98 last night and the two things that gave me the most problems were the pressed on dust shield and inner seal. I wasn't expecting them from the instructions and writeups that I read. In the process I found one after a bit of searching but I didn't have a pipe wrench so I couldn't take yuccaman's approach. I ended up using a 3-jaw puller after cutting off a chunk of the output shaft (I'm sure this has to be the easiest way:laugh2: ). And don't try to finess that inner seal out of there, just pound it with a screwdriver until you can pull it out. It was 5 hours by the time I got cleaned up, lots of wasted time in there though. I was in good spirits after the first drive, so much smoother.

Click to expand...

do you still have the factory tail cone thing for the 98?
if you do would you be interested in selling it?

Going to bring this one back to life. I'm in the middle of this build and have been teaching my 3yr old a few new words. I printed out yuccaman write up and he kind of glazes over the remove snap rings thing. Which snap rings and how do I get them out while not removing the tcase from the rig. I finally got the one that you have to sqeeze to remove now I'm working on the one that has to expand to get off. What tool did you folks use to remove it the snap ring tool I got is to small but I see folks have used locking pliers, to me that means vice grips but that can't be what is being talked about. I'm getting kind of pissed and thinking I'm in over my head which is normally the case

The largest set of Lisle or Craftsman LOCK RING pliers Sears sells. About $14 IIRC. You don't need SNAP ring pliers. (they have the pin insets for the little holes)

Getting off the lock rings is easier than getting them back on. Then tend to deflect and go askew. It takes some practice. I wouldn't even attempt the job without the big plier. Spend the $14.