Project Spartacus
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 60
From: Pasquotank, NC
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I know what you mean about life taking you down a different path for a while. My XJ has sat on the back burner for the last 6 months or so while I've:
Worked on the new house.
Worked out of town too much.
Spent as much time as I can with my 3 year old daughter.
Try to see the wife once in a while.
Play with the Camaro once in a while.
Buy a truck.
..... and so on.
Last week I tightened up the tilt mechanism on my XJ. It's a 90 so it has the GM column KNOWN for loosening up. Spend an hour tearing the column down, put locktite on (4) screws, put it all back together. Then took it out to the OBX with the wife and daughter. They play in the sand while I take the jeep back in the trails and bounce around. WIN-WIN. It's great to work the Jeep into the family activities.
Worked on the new house.
Worked out of town too much.
Spent as much time as I can with my 3 year old daughter.
Try to see the wife once in a while.
Play with the Camaro once in a while.
Buy a truck.
..... and so on.
Last week I tightened up the tilt mechanism on my XJ. It's a 90 so it has the GM column KNOWN for loosening up. Spend an hour tearing the column down, put locktite on (4) screws, put it all back together. Then took it out to the OBX with the wife and daughter. They play in the sand while I take the jeep back in the trails and bounce around. WIN-WIN. It's great to work the Jeep into the family activities.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,929
Likes: 5
From: York PA
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Litre I6
I know what you mean about life taking you down a different path for a while. My XJ has sat on the back burner for the last 6 months or so while I've:
Worked on the new house.
Worked out of town too much.
Spent as much time as I can with my 3 year old daughter.
Try to see the wife once in a while.
Play with the Camaro once in a while.
Buy a truck.
..... and so on.
Last week I tightened up the tilt mechanism on my XJ. It's a 90 so it has the GM column KNOWN for loosening up. Spend an hour tearing the column down, put locktite on (4) screws, put it all back together. Then took it out to the OBX with the wife and daughter. They play in the sand while I take the jeep back in the trails and bounce around. WIN-WIN. It's great to work the Jeep into the family activities.
Worked on the new house.
Worked out of town too much.
Spent as much time as I can with my 3 year old daughter.
Try to see the wife once in a while.
Play with the Camaro once in a while.
Buy a truck.
..... and so on.
Last week I tightened up the tilt mechanism on my XJ. It's a 90 so it has the GM column KNOWN for loosening up. Spend an hour tearing the column down, put locktite on (4) screws, put it all back together. Then took it out to the OBX with the wife and daughter. They play in the sand while I take the jeep back in the trails and bounce around. WIN-WIN. It's great to work the Jeep into the family activities.
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
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,929
Likes: 5
From: York PA
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Litre I6
04/22/18
I had a chance to get to work on the Jeep today. I decided it was time to install that Boostwerks NP231 shift linkage I had laying around on the Jeep.
Decided to work outside today, it was nice out!
I began by prying away at the old factory linkage. A big screw driver will help pry the nipples (lol) out of the grommets. The factory brackets can be left in place if you choose. I choose to leave them in place.
You have to remove the center console to access the hand shifter assembly. I cut the carpet a little bit to give me access to some of the more hidden fasteners holding the hand shifter assembly to the vehicle body. One fastener gave me trouble. It just spun in place, meaning rivnut thing was rotating with it. Nothing a pair of vice grips under the vehicle couldn't solve
Next up was drilling a 3/8" hole in the shifter bar so I could install a second fastener on the shifter bar
Got everything put back together
Hand shifter poking through with new hole drilled in it, the two fasteners and the extension bracket. After drilling, I hit the shift bar with some shelf-etching primer to inhibit rust
Completed assembly. Well not totally complete. I still need to adjust the throw, but I'll need the Mrs. help with that. She will sit in the cab and shift the hand shifter while I watch the t-case go in and out of gears
That's it for now, hopefully I will get the linkage adjusted sometime soon. Probably in this coming week. Cheers.
I had a chance to get to work on the Jeep today. I decided it was time to install that Boostwerks NP231 shift linkage I had laying around on the Jeep.
Decided to work outside today, it was nice out!
I began by prying away at the old factory linkage. A big screw driver will help pry the nipples (lol) out of the grommets. The factory brackets can be left in place if you choose. I choose to leave them in place.
You have to remove the center console to access the hand shifter assembly. I cut the carpet a little bit to give me access to some of the more hidden fasteners holding the hand shifter assembly to the vehicle body. One fastener gave me trouble. It just spun in place, meaning rivnut thing was rotating with it. Nothing a pair of vice grips under the vehicle couldn't solve
Next up was drilling a 3/8" hole in the shifter bar so I could install a second fastener on the shifter bar
Got everything put back together
Hand shifter poking through with new hole drilled in it, the two fasteners and the extension bracket. After drilling, I hit the shift bar with some shelf-etching primer to inhibit rust
Completed assembly. Well not totally complete. I still need to adjust the throw, but I'll need the Mrs. help with that. She will sit in the cab and shift the hand shifter while I watch the t-case go in and out of gears
That's it for now, hopefully I will get the linkage adjusted sometime soon. Probably in this coming week. Cheers.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,382
Likes: 4
Model: Cherokee
I bought this kit for my 242 never put it in yet. According to what directions said I was under the impression I needed to remove that shift lever on the TC. I can't tell on yours but kind of looks like you didn't have to??
The last photo you posed where shift linkage connects to TC is that part of the kit or factory shift lever?
The last photo you posed where shift linkage connects to TC is that part of the kit or factory shift lever?
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,929
Likes: 5
From: York PA
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Litre I6
I bought this kit for my 242 never put it in yet. According to what directions said I was under the impression I needed to remove that shift lever on the TC. I can't tell on yours but kind of looks like you didn't have to??
The last photo you posed where shift linkage connects to TC is that part of the kit or factory shift lever?
The last photo you posed where shift linkage connects to TC is that part of the kit or factory shift lever?
esit: I reread your post. I see you are talking about the TC lever. Yea I had to change my stock lever to the boostwerks lever. It’s one 9/16th nut that holds the lever on.
Last edited by CurrySoSpicy; Apr 23, 2018 at 05:21 AM.