87MJTIM

Good to hear you have the AX15. Since you are 2wd, forget the bit about the tcase. Completing the job in 6 hrs, given that you have never done this and don't have a lift, is virtually impossible. (Some who have done it and have the luxury of a lift will may say otherwise.) I am not sure about having to change the clutch. I've been told (by a real mechanic) that it is not necessary because of a fluid leak. You can pull the clutch to inspect it. If you do, you will need to get a clutch alignment tool to reinstall the parts. It can be a real PITA to get it to line up properly. I would suggest you search CL and Ebay for the ext slave bellhousing, including internal parts. In addition to those, you will need the pre-bled clutch master/slave cylinders. They're at RockAuto for approx. $80.

My truck was on its 5th internal slave cylinder in 28 yrs. It didn't get a 6th. I did the AX15, external slave swap last month. As for your situation, if you don't want to swap to an AX15, I would suggest getting an int. slave from a stealership. It will be (maybe) better quality than you will get from auto parts stores. (Chinese Replacement Auto Parts) I purchased a trans jack from Harbor Freight for approx. $90. It has come in handy on my MJ and CJ, both getting AX15s. If you have never done this before, don't let it scare you. It just held on with bolts. (Some are VERY hard to reach, though.) Plan on a whole weekend, since this is new. There are a lot of write up about this on Comanche Club and JeepForum on removing trans/changing clutches. Before I tackle most auto repair jobs, I will consult my repair manual: You Tube! Search for "Change Jeep TJ clutch." It about 2 hrs long. You can see what is involved in dropping the trans and replacing the clutch (you are only changing the internal slave and this guys trans in ext, but you get the idea). While on YT, search for other videos about changing Jeep trans/clutches. There is a lot useful (and useless) info on there. If this continues to be a problem, start saving up for an AX15. Search Craigslist for Jeep parts and whole Jeeps for sale cheap. I've seen AX15s for sale for as low as $250. EDIT: You did not say what trans you have currently. The 89 year is when Jeep switch from the BA10/5 to the AX15. Both had the int. slave. If you have a later model with the AX15, then you only need to search CL for the ext. slave bellhousing. If you have the BA, then search for an AX15 from a 94+ XJ. These came with the ext slave. You will also need the tcase from the XJ. The tcase from the BA will not bolt up to an AX without changes to the Tcase. Hope this helps.

There are a few write ups on doing HO swaps. You will have to research for it. I have not done it. What I have read, though, it that the electronics are completely diff from Renix to HO. So a complete interior swap may have to be done.

You did not mention what engines are in each Jeep. I will assume both are 4.0. If the MJ runs fine, you could swap over the trans and tcase from the XJ. You will need to get a new rear drive shaft. The MJ will need a longer one than the XJ has. After that you maybe good to go. I say you should swap BOTH the trans and tcase because the output/input shaft spline counts changed. The 87 trans may not fit up with the 96 tcase. If you want to do a complete engine/drivetrain swap, that is more involved. You will need to take everything out of the XJ and put it into the MJ: engine, wiring both engine bay and interior, and swap over the dash as well. Nice find on both Jeeps. The MJ floors don't look as bad as mine did.

http://chambersburg.craigslist.org/cto/5200455862.html Went out to look at it. I need floors that are reasonably intact. This did not have 'em. Here's what it has, if anyone is interested. 88 Pioneer, 2.5, AX5, 2wd, D35. Interior: Tan/beige, except for driver's seat, interior panels were present and looked good, passenger seat present, door panels present and in good shape. Headliner was present and intact. Fabric missing. Dash instruments were missing. Exterior: front end not damaged (a little dirty), leaf springs were present. No tail light or tailgate. Front axle was gone.

The speedo gear is in the tcase for the 4wd. You will need to get a gear based on the wheels you plan on running. The plugs may be diff by mechanical (cable) and electronic (wire). I don't know if the speedo parts from 2wd trans will swap in to a 4wd tcase.

I've had to lower the trans and loosen the pressure plate several times to make sure the input shaft will line up. My suggestion for you is to check the alignment of the pressure plate before you tighten the bolts on it :doh: . I have had to undo them to get things to line up correctly.

Thx. I am not a welder, so I cannot fabricate the parts. What cable can I get to replace the longer cable?

While I have my console and carpeting out, I was looking at converting to an XJ hand brake. The ratchets on the foot pedal won't hold any more. How can I locate the handle on the trans tunnel? I don't see any markings for making a cut out. With out the console installed, I don't know how far backwards/forward to position the handle. Does some have a template or pointers on positioning the handle? Thx

For flushing it, I would fill it with 75-90 gear oil. Run it for a few hundred miles. Drain. Refill. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. You could possibly use just 10w-30 oil for the flushing steps. 10/30 is much cheaper than gear oil. There is a lot of postings about which oil to use/not use. Many people say to stay away from GL5 rating. For a final fill, I use Pennzoil Syncromesh. For the output seal: https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=253205&cc=1185005&jnid=477&jpid=1 You could get one at most autoparts stores.

Looks like a bullet hole. Must have been transmission season down there.

I believe 91 is electric, not cable. That was the first yr. of the Chrysler HO. I know, I had a 91 XJ.

Love your signature name. I guess I am TRBeatlesfan!

After some fiddling with final parts (like the tcase vent tube :doh: ) I've got it all back together. :banana: I drove it around the block to test it out. The clutch feels great. Nice and firm. The shifting is stiffer than the BA, but has a much shorter throw.

74 CJ5 304 V8 http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=628303&cc=1309452&jnid=427&jpid=1

I believe you can change the part on the tcase from electric to mechanical by swapping from old to new. For the alignment tool, you need to measure the ID of the PB with the OD of the tool. I don't believe you need to change the slave. You can keep the one you have.

I think your existing PB will work. The change of the input shaft happened in 95 or later. I just installed a 98 AX15. I purchased the bushing for a 75 CJ5 304, per info I got on CC.

BleepinJeeep on Youtube has a video about changing the input shaft. Plus, there are other videos about that. The drop is about 3/4". You will also need the mounting bracket. I do believe the BA will fit the AX. The holes are threaded. The drive shafts will work with no problems. I have an extra crossmember and mounting bracket I could sell. I painted the CM with Por15 so it will never rust.

I had not thought about that. I hope I did not damage it I had to use an old sparkplug socket to drive it it. :roll:

Yes, but.... I had to lift the carpeting to get the bolts that hold the bracket to the trans tunnel. That means removing the driver's seat (bucket).

Empty Post

I got this sent to me today.

If you do the elimination, you will not be locked on 4wd. You will only be in 4wd when you engage the tcase. The elimination just locks the two piece axle together. Read through the prior link. There is a lot info about how it is "supposed to work" and what the elimination accomplishes. You should use the 4wd shifter and linkage from the donor. There is a diff in the profiles for the BA10 and AX15 that the linkage adjusts for.

the colored line are vacuum lines. Look at your rt front axle for the CAD. You will see the other end of some of those lines. You will need to do the CAD elimination since you will not have the vac lines to control it. Without doing this, you will not have 4wd. The last picture above, the large nut with a cable coming out the end, is your speedo cable for your 87. The later XJ/MJ (91+) use electronic speedos. Those are the three wires coming out of the tail of the tcase. The pieces that are in the same location on the tcase (where the cable plugged into and the three wire plug) can be swapped. Then the cable will connect to the new tcase.

Ok. Those are transfer case items. I thought you were asking about the reverse light switch on the trans. The rainbow connectors are the vacuum lines for the front axle CAD (Central Axle Disconnect) that your 87 has. The new tcase may not have the connection for the vac lines. I don't have the answer for that. Sorry. (Be sure to cap off the vac lines since you don't need them anymore.) See CAD elimination. The two wire connection on the new (?) tcase is probably for the 4wd light on your dash. (On the older tcase, that is controlled by the vac switch) The three wire is for the electronic speedo in the later XJ/MJ. The large cable is the older speedo in the Renix XJ/MJ. You will need to unscrew the connections on the tcase and swap them over. I believe (?) they will just swap over.