T-case and Linkage Blues

[flint54]

So I'm planning to swap in a 242 for the 231.

Everything I read says, "get the linkage". So

I got the linkage, and it's real obvious it isn't

going to work. Lengths are all wrong. My 231

is installed on a manual trans. The 242 came

from an auto trans. I have the parts catalog

for my year, and for the 231 application it shows

different linkage depending on whether auto or

manual, however, for 242 application it does not

show different linkage auto vs manual. This

lulled me into thinking the auto 242 linkage

would work on my AX-15. Not. :rant:

 

And, to top that off, even though the 242 came

from same year vehicle (1992) it has a 21 spline

input shaft. I've read the FSM regarding teardown

of the 231 and the 242 and it looks to be open heart

surgery to swap those. The whole thing has to

come apart, piece by bloody piece.

 

So, remind me please, how badly did I want to

do this swap?

 

Suggestions?

[Boilermaker]

i'm in the process of the same swap on a truck with the same specs (92 eliminator aw4/np231)

 

for 242 application it does not show different linkage auto vs manual.

from what i've come across while researching the swap, the np242 was never put behind a manual transmission from the factory so therefore no need to distinguish auto vs. manual in the parts list. Novak sells a pricey kits, or you could fab something up.

 

And, to top that off, even though the 242 came from same year vehicle (1992) it has a 21 spline input shaft.

did you check the id tag of the t-case for its build date? Since its Jeep, its possible they put in an older tcase they had on the shelf at factory or more likely somewhere in the donor vehicle's life an owner did a swap. When i got the build sheet for my truck, i found it started life as a 2wd manual (which explained my crappy gearing). And it wasn't til recently i looked at the id tags on the trans and tcase that came out of my truck and found a previous owner scavenged the parts from a 1987 for the 4x4 swap.

 

regarding teardown of the 231 and the 242 and it looks to be open heart surgery to swap those.

from what i've read, unless you got extremely lucky you were probably going to have to do this anyway regardless of spine count. Post 91 AX-15s came with either short or long input shafts depending on year. Post 91 AW4s that would be found in front of a np242 required a medium length shaft (link to input gear chart). Some of the choices here are find a 91+ np231 behind an AX-15 at the jy and pull apart the tcase for its shaft, put out wtb threads on forums, or get a (or the) shaft from novak.

[mj Mike]

i went W/ Novak's shifter Assembly on my NP 242

http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/shifters/sk2x.htm

i had no downer vehicle & no luck @ local junk yards

[flint54]

Yes, I stumbled across the Novak cable shifter site a couple months ago

and I think it's an elegant solution, but it seems really overpriced for

what is basically two brackets and a cable. I could probably put one

together myself, buy would consume a lot of time doing so, and would

probably end up spending nearly as much. They also offer the input

gear for around $160, which would save me having to rip apart both

T-cases. This "almost free" swap is getting pricey fast!

 

I have to wonder why, if the 242 was never offered behind the AX-15.

Technical reason, or just no demand?