looking to convert from 4wd to 2wd

[dvsxj]

I know it sounds crazy but come with me on a trip into my brain haha. I live in Jersey now but Im moving to San Diego. I want to turn my 4wd XJ into a 2wd prerunner baja style rig. Living in San Diego I want really need a 4wd rig, in fact most of the guys in socal run 2wd rigs. Another reason for this is gas millage. I would think it would be better with the front end being lighter and less rolling resitance. My XJ is a 2001 in stock form with 110k on the clock. I figured this would be easy to do seeing as how they came in 2wd. I also figured I could make money on doing this swap by selling the front axle, the trans and the transfer case. Im not sure what else I would need to do this swap, I would imagine a new rear drive shaft. I know some of you are reading this pulling your hair out as to why would you ruin a perfectly good 4wd to have a 2wd. Its just an idea I had that I wanted to build a baja style XJ ( 6" buldged out fiberglass fenders, 500,000 offroad lights haha you get the idea) Any info, advice, hell even sarcasim is welcome.....thanks guys for any help, Jake

 

[rehab]

you can find some pretty nice 2wd jeeps out there for about what you can sell your 4wd for. just a thought. but you will need to take a trip to the junk yard if you want to make it two wheel drive, which might be a problem in NJ since a majority of the jeeps there will be 4wd. you will need the ds, tail cone for the trans (no clue exactly what it is, since i have only seen 4wd jeeps), and a new front beam and something to cover up the whole that will be left in the consul from the 4wd lever. just make sure to get a tail cone that will match the spine count of your trans. (renix engines had aw4's with 2 or 3 less spines than the new HO's)

 

[MetViper]

Yeah, I'd sell it and buy a 2WD. It would probably mean less $$$.

 

[vetteboy]

It's a whole new mainshaft for the trans, not just the tail housing. Either requires a completely new trans or you'll have to pretty much rebuild the entire thing anyway.

I'm 20 miles north of you and I have one of those beam axles from when I converted mine to 4wd, minus knuckles/brakes/hubs. All the outer stuff from the D30 works on it though.

IMO any gains you see from doing this aren't gonna be worth the cost and trouble...

 

[neonrog]

Keep the 4wd, and BUY another XJ with 2wd... And adding all that stuff onto the 2wd will kill your mileage. The bulged fenders alone (on my Ranger) dropped me 2MPG... But its a 4 banger and it still gets 24...

 

[jpcherokeekid]

disconect the front driveshaft and poof, you have a 2wd XJ.:yelclap:

 

[RyleyF]

disconect the front driveshaft and poof, you have a 2wd XJ.:yelclap:

This.



Seriously, it's not worth any gas mileage increase you'll see, if any, and you'll need to buy a new rear driveshaft, new transmission and a front beam axle.

 

[welter5370]

i went the other way and belive me sell your jeep and buy a 2wd, by time you chase down trans,shafts,linkage,frontend peices, and think your home free you need a tcu and have to get all the years matched-up its just plain easier to sell it. its not worth the pain it causes in your head. just my 2 cents

 

[Blaine B.]

If you're moving to California you can afford a few more Jeeps probably

 

[xjj33p3r]

If I were you, I would swap out the front axle, remove the driveshaft from the tcase, and run it as is. You wouldn't save that much weight by removing the tcase, which is only around 60lbs or so. Plus, if you ever come into a situation where you need extra pulling power, you'd still have the tcase there to engage the 4-lo option.

Keep it simple and just swap out the bare minimum.

 

[Skullver]

If I were you, I would swap out the front axle, remove the driveshaft from the tcase, and run it as is. You wouldn't save that much weight by removing the tcase, which is only around 60lbs or so. Plus, if you ever come into a situation where you need extra pulling power, you'd still have the tcase there to engage the 4-lo option.

Keep it simple and just swap out the bare minimum.

my sentiments exactly, we just swap front ends and add a driveshaft, waallaaa, instant 2wd-4wd conversion, or vice-versa. The front D30 really doesn't weigh that much more than the 2wd beam anyways.

 

[purplexj]

My mpg suffered going from 2wd, but maybe i'ts the 31", lift, roof rack, etc. If you have an ax15 there is no removeable tail shaft. If you switch front axle and leave it stock you should see better mpg's. If you lift your loose mpg's just from drag.

 

[purplexj]

If you don't swap tranny's you wont need change the rear ds. By the way front brakes and some other parts are not the same. Don't know if you can swap them but I know the rotor's are slightly larger on 2x.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

, in fact most of the guys in socal run 2wd rigs.

They do? I don't know anyone who seriously uses a 2wd rig. If you're running jeepspeed, it has its benefits, but most of those guys run a rig with an x-case and swap front axles for when they want 2wd for a specific course.

 

[nitrogt101]

They do? I don't know anyone who seriously uses a 2wd rig. If you're running jeepspeed, it has its benefits, but most of those guys run a rig with an x-case and swap front axles for when they want 2wd for a specific course.

My thoughts exactly. Oh, and most of the guys here that run 2wd run em because they were cheaper for their daddy to buy new off the lot and because they are never wheel'd anywhere that needs 4wd... like the mall.


Welcome to SoCal.

 

[builder]

i have a 94 2wd i am converting to 4wd, going to get rid of the front end and auto tranny. interested?

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

My thoughts exactly. Oh, and most of the guys here that run 2wd run em because they were cheaper for their daddy to buy new off the lot and because they are never wheel'd anywhere that needs 4wd... like the mall.


Welcome to SoCal.

Yeah in general there are more 2wd rigs out here than 4wd... simply becuase we dont need it for daily driving. however when you hit the trails most rigs are 4wd, and most trails reccomend it.

 

[dvsxj]

Thanks for all the input guys. I wasnt sure what would be involved in doing this. I thought it would be a simple swap over. As for the guys or" rich kids" running 2wd, it just seemed i seen way more 2wd built rigs than 4wd and I'm not just talking jeeps.
I forget who said if I was moving to cali I should be able to afford buying another one, hahahaha believe it or not it will be cheaper for me to live in cali than this money pit of a state NJ.
I thought there would be gains in mpg in doing this since I planed on doing the buldge fenders and lift and tires anyway with the 4wd. It was just a brain fart I had......maybe I should have just wafted the brain fart away haha. Thanks again guys

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

Most of those are show trucks that never leave the pavement.

 

[dvsxj]

gotcha. hey john whats the lift laws in cali.....here in jersey they can be a pain. when i was out there i seen some trucks on the road that would no way be allowed on the road here in jersey