5 Speed Swap

Hey all, gonna be doing a 5 speed swap in the next few months and was wondering what all would be needed, what I need to gather, buy, etc.. Looked around a little bit but hard to find the info I need so I figured I'd just ask myself.

I have a 99 xj sport 4wd, and the swap will be coming from a 98 TJ. Motor and trans. Xj is my weekend warrior but still in pretty shape, so I'd like to make it a clean factory looking swap.
Now I assume all the main parts will bolt up(motor/trans) but not so sure about everything else? Pedal assembly, clutch booster, etc.
Also what would you recommend get replaced as far as seals and such. The TJ has about 140k and was well maintained but is from a built crawler and abused a little bit. I've driven it a fair amount, road and trail, and it shifts good 1-5, but does grind sometimes going into reverse. More than likely gonna replace the clutch face also.

Thank y'all in advance. :eeks1:

My first question would be why? Don't forget about the electrics!

RCP Phx said:

My first question would be why? Don't forget about the electrics!

Click to expand...

Always wanted a 5 speed I have a 6.0 chevy as my daily just in case I want an automatic. AW4s rob too much power and mine is going out anyways. And yes, what would work as far as electrics? It's only a year difference.

Read this thread: https://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1161130
And this thread: https://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1161414


Those are both very current. You might PM Agreen if you need more detail.


As to that grinding going into reverse, tap first gear before you shift to reverse. That makes it go away for mine.


I don't blame you one bit for wanting a 5spd. I hunted for over a year in order to find mine.

*Finally* after a year? of collecting and even longer searching:banghead: I should have everything.

AX15
Pedal Assembly
Clutch Hydraulics
(All from 98 TJ, only thing is the TJ pedals bend over to the right but they bolt up the same it seems so I plan on just heating them up to bend and shorten them)
New(to me) NP231 w/ Boostwerks linkage, Advanced SYE, Tera 2low
New LUK clutch kit
SKF T/O bearing(heard kit bearings are junk)

I'd love to find a manual PCM but that can be done later, I'll just wire the NSS for now.

As for driveshafts, I'm just gonna run my front in the rear to get everything tested and then I'll get some custom made.

Sunday I cleaned *very* thoroughly underneath and under the hood all around the trans/t-case/backside of the engine
so I don't have to deal with dirt in my eyes and gunk all over my hands trying to get the old junk out.
Then yesterday I took apart the console and such inside. Just gonna be doing a little bit at a time.

Might fool around with trying to add photos after work..

Also thank you Anak for the helpful links, very good stuff in them.

*Edit: If a mod sees this, is there any way you could swap this to the modified tech please?
In hind sight i should've made it there in the first place as mine is far from stock now*

Been really tearing into this thing today... hope to have all the old junk out by sundown.




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P.S. I still missed cleaning half the earth from under this thing:facepalm:


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No matter how hard you try there will always be more to fall in your eye.

The inside torn down..
Figured out that one thing I don't have is the manual shifter plate.



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While you have that all apart, now is the time to upgrade your T-case shifter linkage. Getting access to the bolts to remove the T-case lever was the hardest part of converting from the factory slop to the Boostwerks kit.

Okay, I'll make sure to do that. Does anybody know if a front driveshaft will work lengthwise in the back? Stock wheelbase and np231, just an SYE. I know you can with an auto and a SYE but its an inch shorter trans. Thought I'd ask before i take off to the junkyard.

Edit: I said i was going to use it just for testing which i know would be fine, but if i can run one permanently f/r, it would be cheaper and easiest for the time being if i can just grab another front while i'm getting replacement D30 shafts that i broke.
I'm also going to be stretching the front an inch w my 3 link so I'm not worried about the front working or not.

I do not think it will work on an AX-15. It is just the AW4 guys that get lucky with that interchange.

So theoretically I just need a 31" driveshaft, like out of a 96-97 ZJ? The u-joints are the same so it will bolt up. You know what length yours is by chance?

No, I don't.

I took measurements after my SYE install and had a local driveline shop modify a driveshaft to be the correct length.