96 xj tranny swap
I have a 96 xj that I blew. I bought a 98 for the engine but mine is 2wheel and the 98 is 4wheel. Anybody know if it's able to swap the 98 tranny and diff to the 96 with out having to rewire the whole thing. I was looking at it, it looks like I might be able to splice a couple connections and make it work. Figured someone has done it already, just wondering if anyone has.
No, I don't lick fish.



Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,169
Likes: 26
From: Northern Kentucky
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
From: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1053970
Originally Posted by http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1053970
If you have a 1990.5-1996 XJ:
1987-1990 AW4s are bolt-in... as long as you also swap the input gears in your transfer case, or the whole transfer case. Remember that the NP231 input gear cuts changed in 94 or 95 and that the rear output of the transfer case changed from 95 to 96 when selecting a donor. I would NOT suggest this swap unless in dire straits (need to get off the trail, need to get to work tomorrow or be fired, etc) as you are limiting yourself to a rapidly disappearing selection of 21 spline spare parts in the boneyards.
1990.5-1996 AW4s are bolt-in.
1997 AW4s are bolt-in, except you have to cut and splice the wiring harness connector. Again, 5 butt-splice crimp terminals and a few minutes and this is done. You may need to add custom wiring for the transfer case indicator lamps (see this bullet under the 87-90 section, above.)
1998-2001 AW4s require more work. All the transfer case input gear info from 1990.5-1997 applies, on top of that, the sensors have changed! You can either build the circuit given here by lawsoncl or swap the transmission tailhousing, sensor drive rotor, and output speed sensor as shown here by Frank Z to make this work. You may need to add custom wiring for the transfer case indicator lamps (see above.)
1987-1990 AW4s are bolt-in... as long as you also swap the input gears in your transfer case, or the whole transfer case. Remember that the NP231 input gear cuts changed in 94 or 95 and that the rear output of the transfer case changed from 95 to 96 when selecting a donor. I would NOT suggest this swap unless in dire straits (need to get off the trail, need to get to work tomorrow or be fired, etc) as you are limiting yourself to a rapidly disappearing selection of 21 spline spare parts in the boneyards.
1990.5-1996 AW4s are bolt-in.
1997 AW4s are bolt-in, except you have to cut and splice the wiring harness connector. Again, 5 butt-splice crimp terminals and a few minutes and this is done. You may need to add custom wiring for the transfer case indicator lamps (see this bullet under the 87-90 section, above.)
1998-2001 AW4s require more work. All the transfer case input gear info from 1990.5-1997 applies, on top of that, the sensors have changed! You can either build the circuit given here by lawsoncl or swap the transmission tailhousing, sensor drive rotor, and output speed sensor as shown here by Frank Z to make this work. You may need to add custom wiring for the transfer case indicator lamps (see above.)
The other forum won't let me see what the guy did that swapped out the tailhousing and stuff. I'd like to use the 98 tranny but if I'm having to do any thing more than just splice it together I'd rather not, as to I'm not that great. Splicing is easy and I can make connectors for it.
Sadly the passenger side was hit and crumpled in. Wanted an older year for some interior pieces. But I kinda blew my jeep and decided to put the engine in it. Why not swap a 2 wheel to 4 in the process.
No, I don't lick fish.



Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,169
Likes: 26
From: Northern Kentucky
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Ah.... yeah it might be more trouble than it's worth man.... at least for now. You can always grab the parts you want from it, part out the rest, then buy a 4wd AW4 from the junk yard... they usually come with a warranty. The AW4 is a pretty stout transmission too, so as long as it's working when you put it in and you keep clean fluid in it, you should be good to go.
I did the 4wd conversion in mine, but mine is a 92 and the donor Jeep was a 96 so it was a heads up swap except for the shift indicator light - which I don't care about.
I did the 4wd conversion in mine, but mine is a 92 and the donor Jeep was a 96 so it was a heads up swap except for the shift indicator light - which I don't care about.
I have a use for the body too, next project after I get my 96 running again. But I will be parting out pretty much everything but the body. (anybody need parts off a 98 xj?). Back to the 96, I will just be getting a tranny thats plug and play.
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No, I don't lick fish.



Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,169
Likes: 26
From: Northern Kentucky
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Yeah that's what I would do, man. Sounds like it would be a pretty big undertaking... well, big enough that your Jeep would be down longer than you may want it to.
If you're parting out the 98, I really could use this....

Everything in that picture.


