4Wd Conversion Question

[Hunter]

i have a question i am planing doing a 4x2 to a 4x4 and i was talking to a guy and he said he had a automatic tranmission with a transcase (that i could have for free) i was wondering if that will bolt up on my little 2.5 4 cly or if i would have to have a inline 6 to work?

Thanks.

[Eagle]

If his is the inline 6-cylinder, the transmission will not bolt up to your 4-cylinder.

[Hunter]

I have a question i have a little 2.5 in mine and i have a friend that has a cheeroke that i could buy dirt cheap off him because he just wants to get rid of it but its a 2.8 v6 would the stuff from this work to make my comanche a 4x4 intell i can upgrade to the inline six and better gears and other stuff?

Thanks.

[Pete M]

yes, that one is a much better candidate. make sure the parts you need work before plunking down money. :thumbsup:

[Hunter]

what about my transmission i have right now couldn't i just bolt on a trans case? or do they make the ax 4 so you can't?

thanks.

[mvusse]

You can't bolt a transfer case to a 2wd transmission. The case is different and the output shaft is different.

 

The 2.8 V6 has the same bellhousing pattern as the 2.5 inline 4, so the transmission out of it will bolt to your engine. If it is automatic, I don't know if anything else is needed to make an 86 automatic transmission work correctly. Of course you could swap in the entire engine and engine bay harness as well for slightly more torque, basically the same HP and half the fuel economy of your 4 cylinder.

 

If you want to keep a stick shift, you're going to have to find another stick shift with 4wd to get the transmission from.

[Dadinator]

Hunter, the best thing you can do is either find a 4X4 donor rig to buy or sell your 2wd and buy a 4x4.

 

Doing this swap, you need 4x4 components as stated above.

 

The tranny is different. You will also need to make sure your front axle is the same gear ratio as the rear axle. ?Your rear driveshaft will have to be altered or replaced.

 

 

There are tons of little things you need as well. Getting a donor is the best way to do it.

[Hunter]

Thanks every body for the info. ya the v6 is a stick. look like thats the best choice for the transfer. thanks again.

[mvusse]

In that case, get the Cherokee and use all the parts off it except the engine and rear driveshaft. After you're done, measure how long your rear driveshaft needs to be and have a drive train shop cut your 2wd one down to the correct length.

 

If the axle gear ratio in the Cherokee is the same as in your Comanche you can keep your rear axle. If it is different you're going to have to take the Cherokee rear axle, cut off the spring perches and shock mounts, get some perches from Mopar Performance Part or whatever they are called nowadays and have them welded on in the correct location. Easiest would be to take the new axle, the perches and your old axle to a welding shop and tell them to "make this axle look like that one."

 

Other option in case the gear ratio doesn't match is to not use the Cherokee's front axle and find one with the correct gear ratio in a junk yard instead. No cutting and welding involved this way, but most likely a lot more expensive.

[Hunter]

ya i already have some one that can cut and weld the drive line. and i wish i could turn around a sell my 2x4 but all the 4x4 comanches are going for twice as much as mine would sell for.