Difference between 2WD AX15 and 4WD AX15
 

I have a 88 Cherokee 4x4 with a Peugeot BA/10. I ran across a 1996 dodge Dakota Sport that had a 5 speed in it. I believe its an Asin AX15.

Is there a 2WD AX15 and a 4WD AX15? Whats the difference besides the 2wd output adapter??

I read some where the Peugeot BA/10 can be either a 21 or 23 spline. How would you know which one you have.

I am not sure about the BA/10 however the the 2wd versions have a tail cone and the 4wd versions do not have the tail cone. And to get rid of the 2wd tail cone you need to be alot of work.

look for a 4wd AX-15

I saw the tail cone on the 2WD and was thinking all ya had to do was unbolt it.

Why is it a lot of work to get rid of the tail cone??

The output shaft is one piece. you need to change out the output shaft with a 4wd ax-15 output shaft which requires complete disassembly of the tranny to sway the shafts

The tailcone is easy to swap - four or five screws, and it's off.

The mechanical difference between the 2WD and 4WD versions of the same transmission is the length of the mainshaft - the 2WD version is longer. I have been told that the Peugeot is splined far enough that it may be cut and dressed to make a 2WD into a 4WD, but this is the exception (and I wouldn't bother doing that with a BA-10 anyhow.)

You can probably cut and dress a mainshaft, but you'll need a shop that can roll splines to do the job properly - I wouldn't cut them. Rolled splines are much stronger (since they're "cold-forged" into the metal.)

The BA-10 is 21-spline. I have been informed that some of the earliest AX-15s used in Jeep vehicles are 21-spline, but I have yet to run across an example of that myself.

Anyhow, once you have a mainshaft of the proper length, simply unscrew the tailcone housing and replace it with a transfer case adapter housing - call it good.

I'm perfectly capable of removing and replacing four or five screw but getting splines rolled around here might be difficult and if I could I doubt if it would be cost effective.

But I think I'll find out just so I know.

Thanks for the info. That saves me from going down a frustrating, costly dead end parts road.

I think we've gone over quite a few swap notes backchannel, so check those avenues out as well. As long as you're not afraid to get your hands dirty (sounds like you're not,) and you're not afraid of a little skull sweat, you can open up options considerably (although projects like this are why I'm writing Swappology...)

After reading your notes and compiling some info from days of internet searches I have enough information to be really dangerous. I just have to make sure my ambitions don't overload my wallet.

Izzat anything like the old "Don't let your bulldog mouth overload your Pekingese ***?":thumbup1:

Also u said its from a Dodge... this means the bellhousing pattern is different and no the ba-10 bellhousing will not work either... so your looking at a rebuild of the tranny with 4x4 main shaft and finding a ax15 bellhousing... this is by no means a cost effective way to do this... in fact ill save you all the work... PayPal me the amount of money you will have in this and ill send you a ax15... then illgo find another one... lol...

I got my ax-15 from a Cherokee at the jy for $120... and that came with mount... clutch... slave cylinder... everything to do the swap...

I got my '95 AX-15 and swapped over from the french crap for about $700. the tranny I picked up rebuilt for $150. Rebuilt the transfer case and replaced the input/sun gear, and bearing to the 23 spline count. Total time was about 10 hours, plus the blood and sweat I went to getting it back home, and getting it out, cleaning it up, almost killing myself getting it back in, and so on....

naaa its easy, if you can take the lawnmower apart and put it back together and it will still cut grass, you can handle this.

I'm probably looking at vehicles I know I shouldn't be looking at because I'm about 260 miles for the nearest big city with a decent parts yard or pick and pull.

I don't mind taking something apart but I'm still trying to figure out the cost verses benefit on some of these used parts. Compatibility is definitely an issue and I was hoping the AX15 from the Dakota would be compatible with the jeep transfer case. I was going to sit on it until I really needed it or came across a bell housing for it.


I'll still keep looking and asking questions.

It should be compatible with the NP231J - or have something better anyhow (NP231D?) so I'd worry less about that than I would about the bellhousing or adapter plate. Solve that, and you'll be on the right track.