Ok my question on the swap is what's the difference between them to transfer into the v8 is it just the longer trans shaft and driveshaft or is there more that to swap cause the more I read about the 247 and work on it the more I get aggravated

 

The 242 was available in the V8 WJ Limited & Laredo editions from '00 through '03. >->http://www.wjjeeps.com/tcases.htm
If you get one of those it will be a simple bolt in swap. Just disconnect your drive shafts, then remove crossmember, your 247 t-case wiring & shifter, then install the 242 and reverse the above.
You'll want to get the shifter bezel from the vehicle that you get the t-case from also, so you can see your new gear selections.

 

so i'm looking at doing this as well. so as long as it's from the vehicles listed the splines and all that will match perfect? i've read a bunch about having to do stuff with the driveshafts as they won't match up and stuff. slip yoke eliminator and some other things.

so really my question is just that, if the tc is from 00-03 v8 will it for sure just match right up? thank you.

 

The rear drive shafts are different. The 247 has a 27 spline output shaft, and the 242HD has a 32 spline. The front driveshafts are interchangable( you may need to swap the yoke depending on which driveshaft you have currently). You will need to get a new rear shaft.

To adress your slip yoke comment. I think it just has to do with the regular 242 having an external slip yoke, as opposed to the 242HD having an internal slip yoke( hence the longer aluminum tail shaft housing.)

The swap is pretty straight forward. There are several well written wright-ups floating around. If you have the FSM you can also use that.

 

what I did was take my old rear driveshaft to my local offroad shop they changed out the u joint which is one size bigger than the original and put the larger slip yoke on and balanced it for me. Only cost around a few hundred if you do it this way

 

Depending on OPs mechanical ability and location, he could just get all of the parts for the swap from a u pull it for about 250-300( based of the prices around me).

If you're doing the swap and find a donor vehicle just grab the transfer case, the rear drive shaft, and maybe the front one and the input yoke for the front differential( if you have the CV-CV driveshaft and plan on swapping to the double cardan).

I know the driveline shop near me won't balance just a driveshaft. They want you to bring your car with the driveshaft in it to them so they can see if anything else is wrong.