MessyJesse

Hi all,

First post. Just got a 96 xj 4.0 5 speed. I'm thrilled. Needs love, it's been neglected.

First thing I need to fix is the shift lever. The original M10 x 1.5 threaded end for the **** is gone. There was just a hint of it still sticking up. Some PO decided to use a die on the wider part, but they didn't do a good just because those threads are boogered up pretty bad. Plus, shift ***** aren't that big a thread, so there would be some adapting happening. I had the brilliant idea of filing the top smooth, and trying to drill, tap, and insert an M10 x1.5 stud. Of course I broke a hardened teeny tiny drill bit off in the hole just as I was getting deep enough. So now I'm kinda stuck. I can continue trying to get that piece out (not fun), I can seek a better way to tap the lever. I've thought of revisiting the die Idea, but I don't know a good way to reduce the OD down to something reasonable and round. I don't want to weld in the interior. I could try to get the shaft off and weld a bolt on or replace the lever (can't find any replacements, new or used online). I've read that the levers are stuck on the trans pretty good.

Anybody have ideas? I'm going to wrap some duct-tape on there and jam the **** on for now.

Thanks,
Jesse

nickfancher1

Any shifters available in the junk yard? Or parts Jeeps on Facebook Marketplace of Craigslist?

MessyJesse

Maybe. Anyone know if the shifter from an ax15 YJ/TJ is the same as an XJ?

And I guess you can't say k* no b*, at least when you aren't logged in...

MessyJesse

Had another idea to cut the lever down another inch (beyond the boogered exterior threads and stuck bit). Next figure out what size thread will work and use a die to cut good threads. Then make myself on the workbench a little adapter that threads onto the lever and has a m10 x 1.5 thread for the shift k****. This sounds easier than taking off the console, wrestling the lever out, and finding a replacement/fixing the lever on the bench.

PatHenry

The shifter shouldn't be all that hard to get out. On my 95 (which should be exactly the same as the 96) I was able to take the 4 bolts at the top of the housing off and lift the whole lever assembly right out. (I had to do this to replace the clutch)

You can then try to find a replacement at a junkyard or on ebay (it looks like there's one for $40 - I'd send the link but ebay is blocked at my work) and replace the whole thing.

You can either remove the console, or put a jack with a block of wood under the transmission and drop the cross-member down a bit and reach up from underneath - it's a lot of feeling your way around but it was actually pretty easy to do and the bolts came right out and went back in without much trouble.

MessyJesse

Thanks. I don't have much junkyard time these days (2 little kids at home), so ebay would be the way to go. If I find one I'll go that route. What did you search? I did see one out of a Wrangler, but I'm not sure it that

PatHenry

If you're going to cut the lever down, just cut it below the broken drill bit and put the stud in as you originally intended - this time without breaking the drill bit.

Also, my dad drove around for *years* with an automatic style (T shaped) shifter duct taped to the lever.

If a broken shift **** is the top priority on the Jeep then it sounds like it's in pretty decent shape.

PatHenry

A wrangler one is fine. Any AX15 lever should work. I took the boot bezel piece (the rectangular plastic one that always breaks) out of my old 00 TJ for my 95 XJ - same exact part even though the TJ was a NV3550 tranny.

Try www.ebay.com/i/112831092601/

Edit - Looks like the seller is "deadjeeps"

I hear you on the small children. I have 2 at home myself and they make literally ANYTHING I'm trying to do at home 1000x harder and 10 times longer than it would have taken without them around.

dave1123

Some cheap aftermarket "hotrod" shift ***** have a large diameter plastic insert in them that will fit just about any size thread. You could take that out and drill it to fit down over your unthreaded part and just jam the **** on, until you can fix it right.

PatHenry

Or this one:
https://www.ebay.com/i/283176636139?chn=ps

They say 2000 TJ with an AX15 -- however in 2000 all the TJ's (and XJ's) had NV3550 manual trannys from the factory. The one pictured is NOT the 00 TJ shifter... lol. It does appear to be the AX15 shifter.

MessyJesse

Got it. That's the new plan. Thanks! Yeah, love my kids, but I had NO idea how much more difficult EVERYTHING would become.

I have a shift **** for another car that came with all the adapters, but none look big enough to go straight onto the threaded thicker section. I'll make something work.

Thanks everyone for the help!

PatHenry

That's what we're here for!

Re: the kids - I'm lucky enough to have my parents living 6 miles away, retired but healthy and that they have a 2-car garage (I have no garage). For all my major projects on the Jeep I take it over to their house so they can watch the kids while I'm tinkering. My wife stays at home so on the weekends I'm on full-time active duty - if not for grandma and grandpa I'd be lucky to be able to do an oil change, much less replacing a clutch or any of the numerous other major Jeep fixes that I've done.

Make sure to report back with how it goes please.

dave1123

I'm always amazed at how many grandparents put their grandkids on the schoolbus every morning. Parents drop them off on the way to work!

PatHenry

I would love to have my parents put my kids on the schoolbus every morning - from their house - in their town's school system. While the school system where I live is very very good, the town where my parents live has one of the best public school systems in the country.

dave1123

IDK about that. I'm just seeing old people putting very young kids on the bus. The rest is conjecture.