Drahcir495 Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I have a few questions about the AX15. I know a few of you on this board have done the swap, so I am seeking your wisdom before I get started. I just picked up a 1990 AX15 from a 4X4 Cherokee. I have read that the older AX15's don't have a vent - mine does not. How important is this, and where is it located on the transmission? I would also like to know if the transfercase linkage from an 4wd AX5 would work? I know that they are similar in design. I will need the input shaft for my 231, the linkage for the transfercase. Will I need to get the AX15 crossmember? Or will my factory BA10 work? Anything else that I am forgetting? So, my questions are; 1) Do I need the crossmember from an AX15? 2) What linkage do I need to make the conversion work? 3) Where is the vent tube located on the AX15, and how impotant is it? Thanks, Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87manche Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 you shouldn't need the crossmember, but you may need to move yours so you may need some nutcerts. You'll need the proper trans mount. You'll need the bellhousing and everything in it. You'll likely need the t-case atached. Vent is on the top, just put a rubber hose on it and a hose clamp, run it to the top of the firewall. You'll probably need the t-case linkage. You'll definitly need the shifter from the AX-15, as the BA-10 shifter is way different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejndssn Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 the only draw back to the AX-15 is that it is setup for internal slave which some on this board like and can be found on the pre 94 XJ to 89(was switch yr for the MJ/XJ) I have found them to be :headpop: the external seems to work for me The ba10 the spline count are 21 and the ax-15 is 23 so that won't work for unless you already have the transfer case from the donor which will make things easy. :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 The crossmember from the BA-10 will work and shouldnt have to be moved. I didnt move mine and I just drove the truck 450 miles yesterday. You will need the AX-15 trans mount. My AX-15 came from a YJ so I had clocking issues on my t-case and the shifter looked like it belonged in a mack truck in the MJ interior. I simply popped the shifter arms off of their gear selectors that bolt onto the trannys and swapped the arms. It is a square mount and they are very much interchangable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bounty Hunter Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 The vent is located in the base plate of the shifter, and you don't really need one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 Thanks everyone. I do have the bellhousing, but I want to switch over to the external. Have the shifter also, but no vent - that is ok ;) . I will try to use my old cross member. I am getting a new 23 spline shaft from NOVAK. Anyone have the part number on the AX15 trans mount?-Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejndssn Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 hey 500$MJ are you saying that the cross member remain in the same location when swap from ba10 to ax15 :dunno: that didnt happen in my case i had to move the cross member back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 hey 500$MJ are you saying that the cross member remain in the same location when swap from ba10 to ax15 :dunno: that didnt happen in my case i had to move the cross member back. But it did work, what year MJ do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejndssn Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 early 89 model before the change to the ax 15 and the orignal owner so i had to move mine back to the next set of holes and it work for me. I'll try to send pic when i get a chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 Yah, I used the same cross member that I used with the BA-10. There is a multitude of holes in the crossmember and I used the ones that fit. I can get picks if you want me to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted November 28, 2006 Author Share Posted November 28, 2006 Any pictures would be appreciated - Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted November 29, 2006 Share Posted November 29, 2006 This is the only pic I have on file that kinda shows it. I had some pipe spacers in between the tranny and mount but took them out to help my pinion angle... If you want more I can take more pics, it is just a lil dirtier under there now... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 The crossmember from the BA-10 will work and shouldnt have to be moved. I didnt move mine and I just drove the truck 450 miles yesterday. You will need the AX-15 trans mount. My AX-15 came from a YJ so I had clocking issues on my t-case and the shifter looked like it belonged in a mack truck in the MJ interior. I simply popped the shifter arms off of their gear selectors that bolt onto the trannys and swapped the arms. It is a square mount and they are very much interchangable. My '88 came with a YJ AX-15 and the YJ transfer case linkage still on it -- and the floor pan/trans tunnel badly hacked to allow the YJ transfer case shifter to extend up through it. Were you able to use your stock MJ transfer case shift linkage? Did you need to make any modifications? Which transfer case did you use, XJ or MJ? (I assume you must have used the one that matches the AX-15, because of the spline count issue?) I'd really like to get mine looking a bit less redneck on the inside, so any advice regarding the transfer case linkage would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=22282&highlight=#22282 This link goes to a spot where I have already posted pics and explained things. Basically I used an XJ/MJ main linkage component and welded a bracketry around it that will mount to the two places the bracket mounted to the AX-15 before. I am assuming that it mounted in these places because when I got the tranny the bolt and nut were missing from these locations, one being a tapped hole on the tranny and the other being a stud that joins the T-case to the tranny. I made it out of 1/4" steel so it will be stronger than I'll ever need and the nice thing about it is that I have a factory looking setup in the cab by using the XJ/MJ handle. I can get more pics if you want... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanche09 Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Reviving and old one here... :cheers: Hi Drahcir495, I am getting ready to do the AX-15 swap and have the same problem you had. I have a '90 AX-15 with no case vent and a '95 shifter with no vent in the base. Did you run into any problems with the lack of a vent??? I was wondering if I should tap a hole into the shifter base? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 Reviving and old one here... :cheers: Hi Drahcir495, I am getting ready to do the AX-15 swap and have the same problem you had. I have a '90 AX-15 with no case vent and a '95 shifter with no vent in the base. Did you run into any problems with the lack of a vent??? I was wondering if I should tap a hole into the shifter base? Thanks Wow, it has been a while :yes: . I just got done with the majority of the swap this weekend. I am doing a write-up on it, but I will not be able to complete it until after my final on Monday. Not sure about the vent hose - I am no longer concerned over having one. I been running it for two days now and it has been great. This AX15 is a huge improvement over the BA10. I was considering getting a short throw shifter for it, but after driving it for a short while I don't believe it is necessary. It has a real tight shift pattern - night and day difference over the BA10. I will be updating my build-up page when the write-up is complete. It will mainly focus on the differences between the two transmissions & what I was not able to find in the other write-ups I had found. I have plenty of pictures to go along with it too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakal Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 i did a write up on transfer case linkage. ax-15 and 231 trans case. it works great without the extra gar-bage. see write ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drahcir495 Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 i did a write up on transfer case linkage. ax-15 and 231 trans case. it works great without the extra gar-bage. see write ups. I am not done with that yet, so I will check that out :thumbsup: . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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