1999
4.0 4x4
242

I'm finally getting rid of my tcase drop. I know my only options for the 242 tcase are to do a hack n tap myself or to buy the output shaft from tom woods.

Do I have to drop the tcase to install the shaft?

I'm pretty mechanically inclined but I just want to know if it's worth the time and effort or should I just do a hack n tap myself?

Thanks for your opinions.

 

Either way it will be easier to remove the transfer case to install a sye. You can get away with doing a hack n tap under the vehicle. Removing the transfer case will allow you to make a cleaner cut, straighter hole in the shaft, and will greatly reduce the risk of snapping the tap off in the spline. With a hack n tap you will still need to replace the driveshaft.
I personally don't like the idea of removing any material from the spline of the transfer case.
I do a lot of winter driving, so replacing the 242 isn't an option for me. I have looked into it quite a bit. The tom woods set is going to be much more reliable in the long run.

 

I ran the hack-n-tap on a 242 for 6 years then sold jeep. Used a stock front drive shaft for the rear, perfect fit. Have jumped vehicle many times, drive off-road at speed, and is my daily driver. No issues.
If leaving TC in jeep for install, output shaft needs to be rotating to make a square and flat cut. Will not be able to grind it flat.
It's only just over one inch that is cut off end of output shaft. The only reason the shaft is long is because it is the slip-shaft for driveshaft.

 

ive run the iro hack & tap for 5 yrs of hard use, no problems at all. did it on the jeep . w/ the hole drilling guide from iro you cant mess it up.

 

You do not need to remove the transfer case for the Hack n Tap. In fact, its easier and more precise to not remove it. It may sound weird but when you are cutting, run the jeep in drive to spin the output shaft. You cant accidentally cut at an angle because of the rotation, it also cuts faster.
Same then when drilling, you cannot accidentally drill at an angle because of the rotation.

Buy the Jig and the Drill and Tap kit with the kit. Some guys use a center punch, I chose to use the larger drill bit and jig to mark the center about a 1/16 of an inch, then swapped to the smaller bit with no jig. Ran the tcase in drive and zipped the small one in. The larger one grabbed pretty hard so I did not spin the shaft for the larger one, I just took it slow. Use lots of cutting oil.

All done under the jeep no problem.

 

hack n tap is not the only option. Advance adapters makes one, but it is expensive. Here it is from Rusty's website

http://www.rustysoffroad.com/advance...nator-kit.html

 

That price is crazy!
I did the Advance adapter kit from Tom Woods, with his CV driveshaft last year for $500

 

$500 for both -- you must have a 231 t-case. A 231 sye is $200.....242 sye is high 400's.

http://www.advanceadapters.com/produ...ixed-yoke-kit/

 

Woops, you are correct!
$720-$750 for a HD 242 kit with driveline.
Just another reason to convert to the 231!