whiskies

Gents;
I have checked the forums for this issue but cannot find anything, If I am wrong please direct me otherwise.
1998 231J with AA SYE installed in 1994 Cherokee behind AW4 with a 3 inch lift, I installed a new chain and low range shift fork and new wear pads on forks.
Everything works perfect until I install the front shaft? It growls almost as soon as I start to move, this happens in all ranges. I use XJ front shafts front and rear and have swapped them back and forth and the noise never changes so I know it is not the shafts, before I swapped out the NP242J I never had this issue so that would eliminate the diff. Am I the only one to experience this?

93gc40

You sure the front AXLE is issue free.

whiskies

Almost positive as I never had that issue when I had the original 242J

salad

Sounds like bearings in the transfer case. I assumr you picked the 231 up used?

whiskies

Salad;
Yes it was a used 231J with a AA SYE already installed, it had a 29 tooth speedo gear indicating to me big tires as the original is 35 tooth in the 242J I was thinking along the same lines, do you think it could be just the bearings on the front output shaft as when I do not have the front shaft attached everything sounds great? As it is my daily transportation at the moment I have been driving it without the front shaft and all sounds great.

whiskies

93;
yes I never had issues with it when I had the 242 in the truck

salad

Yes probably. The transfer case engages the front output shaft by sliding a gear hub along the main shaft to drive the chain. Without the front propeller shaft connected, the output shaft should just sit there. As soon as you add a front propeller shaft you're putting weight on the output shaft and forcing it to spin as the axle assembly is always turning. Remove the front propeller shaft and check for lateral and axial play in the transfer case yoke

whiskies

Salad;
There is no play in the front yoke what so ever.

Kris smith

There is play in my front drive shaft on my np231 j swap

whiskies

Kris;
You getting any noises and how much play do you have