Column Shift Conversion Anyone...?
 

Actually, I love the fact that the XJ's come with a floor shift rather than a column, but let me explain..

I wanted to convert my auto to a manual, but after reading so many sites and threads (and even pdf documents) there's just way too much contradiction to drop $500+ dollars in parts and have to re-buy half of everything over again, not to mention I need the truck to get back and forth to work every day. I've never even swapped identical transmissions before; just engines (toyota & olds). So my next idea was a rail shifter.

Problem is, all the pics I've seen of the rail shifters installed makes them look like gimmicky little autozone add-ons, clipped to the side of the console or whatever. I don't want to build a whole new console that looks like it belongs in the Delorian from Back to the Future just to accomodate two shifters. So what I'd like to do is remove the factory floor shifter and throw the Baja II (or something similar, maybe even custom built) in there, and go to a column shifter for automatic operation.

The only info I could find on column shifters is that it was an option on early XJ's (most notably police models) and MJ's (actually, every automatic MJ I've ever seen has been column shift). Problem is that I don't see any MJ's around here anymore. Gonna have to get that shipped which means I'm gonna have to pay out the butt for a used part. I really want to be sure it'll work before I do that.

So can I just swap the entire steering column out of an 80-something MJ into my XJ (1995) and call it a day? Or am I going to open up a can of B.S. when it comes to clearance issues and length and reaching the shaft that goes to the steering box, etc?

Oh. My '95 has an airbag. I don't want it in there, they scare the f@#k out of me so it's not an issue to loose them.

EDIT: I'm also fully aware that I'm going to have to rig some sort of shift linkage cable or get one from an MJ, and come up with some sort of indicator for the automatic gears. Possibly some wire splicing, ignition, etc. None of that really bothers me. I just want to know if it'll steer the truck.

Cant help you with the swap but yes police/service package XJs were a column shift.....likelihood of finding one will depend on your location.

MJs were column shift for 2WD models(with bench seat) and floor shift for the 4WD version(with buckets), at least thats how its been in the ones ive come across but as you mentioned they are few and far between these days.

If your just looking to over ride the auto so you have full control of gears and torque convertor lock there are lots of write ups on doing so and just involve running switches to a location that suits you that allow you to power up and lock the solenoids for 1-3 and overdrive along with toque convertor lock.

if thats the case i think i may have some links here that i can pull up as i wanted to go that route but in the end decided to just swap in an AX15

thats too bad.... i until not too long ago had 2 column shifters from MJ's in my garage... they went to scrap though... the only major issue involved is the wiring difference between the 2 columns.... also the ignition module is completely different.... It would be tricky to do... but i think it would be an interesting twist

happy hunting

Attachment 88934
pic i took of my MJ... back when it was still bone stock

I don't think it was dependent on 2wd and 4wd as much as it was on the bucket or bench option. There's this MJ up the road (guy wont part with it even though there's no papers on it, go figure) with a bench seat and this little lonely 4x4 shifter on the floor. It looks a little silly but I'm pretty sure it's stock.

I also heard something about GM/S10 columns being similar... I think the overall style of it would match the jeep nicely if it fit. Old S10's are everywhere. If I find out the intermediate shafts are the same then I'll try and pick one up.

Hmm well thats just been the case with the ones ive seen, and i hate that...there is one in my neighborhood shortbox 4x4 been sitting beside this guys house for as long as i can remember and probly rotted by now but i ask several years back a few times and fool wouldnt part with it and it kills me to see it just sitting there rotting away knowing how hard they are to get a hold of.

For the XJ through about 1996, you should be able to drop in an MJ column.

I don't think the police package really happened until OBD-II (1997 up,) which means a ChryCo column instead of Saginaw. Since you've got a 1995, either look for an MJ column or try to find an "X1" (instead of an XJ) - that's the "stripped fleet" version, and a lot of those had column shift.

Since the column through 1996 was a GM/Saginaw unit, you may want to look into that as a swap - get the upper column from a late 1980's/early 1990's GM vehicle, and see if that will swap in. That can get you column shift, tilt/telescope if you want, and the lock cylinder should swap (1991-1995 XJ used a Saginaw column with a modified ChryCo lock to fit in place of the GM/Briggs & Stratton lock used by AMC.)

Recall that the XJ was designed by AMC, and AMC means "All Makes Compatible." The OBD-I distributors may still have been Ford parts...