Lowly Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Okay I know this topic is lurking about but I wanted to get commanche approval before I go ahead and waste a lot of cash. My rig is 2 wheel drive it's driving me up a wall. I found a donor tonight for a great price. I have been searching forever. The donor is a 98 XJ automatic with 3.55 gears. straight 6 4.0 liter. My rig is a two wheel drive Comanche 88 4 speed. 3.55 gears 2.5 liter. ALL I would need for this swap is: -front axle -transmission -t-case -shifter linkage -front driveshaft-rear driveshaft Should be a pretty straight forward swap? I shouldn't need anything else right? I am a newbie soooo I don't really know. Or am I looking at hell in a hand basket on this one. My skill level to give you a good idea is well... it took me 3 days to swap a rear end out and I almost pulled my all my hair out doing it. How much harder would this be? Would I be pulling my own teeth to try and accomplish it? Let me know thanks! -Clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 The AW4 won't bolt up to a 2.5 without a new bell housing. The drive shafts will not work either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 Also I was thinking of offering 350 for the donor is that about right price wise for the parts I want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 So I have to find a ax15 then to make it work? Anything else I would need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 The AX15 won't bolt up to a 2.5. You will need an AX5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 So a AX5 then. Not a AX15. Those are not easy to find are they? Anything else? Or should I keep searching. This 2.5 4 speed makes things difficult part/swap wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 Since mine is currently a 4 speed wouldn't I need a AX4 not a AX5? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 The AX4 is an AX5, just missing 5th gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 Could I use a AX15 if the bell housing was swapped? Maybe it would bolt up? I say this because I've seen it discussed about using an AX15 on the 2.5 as a better choice of transmission when the AX5 craps out. The only issue being the output is different so that it is easiest to use the AX15 and it's mating transfer case to avoid the problem with the output shaft being different? Would this work? Or am I just talking silly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 You can. You will need to locate an elusive AX15 BH from a Dodge Dakota. I am not sure of the years or the engine it bolted to. Search on here for more info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 You will need a 96-98,99 dakota bellhousing from a 2.5 to bolt up an ax15 to your 2.5....I'm actually in the process of doing that... There was a 2.5 dakota at the lkq by me with the bellhousing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 Okay so to make it a successful swap. For these two. I would need. From the XJ donor -front axle -transmission -t-case -shifter linkage -front driveshaft-rear driveshaft From some dakota in a junkyard yet to be found. 96-98,99 dakota bellhousing from a 2.5 an ax15 from a dakota 2.5. If I have those parts I should be golden for the swap correct? OR I could From the XJ donor -front axle -transmission -t-case -shifter linkage -front driveshaft-rear driveshaft Junkyard find an -Find an AX5 This would also work for a complete swap correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 The drive shafts won't work. The front will be to long and the rear will be to short. The 4.0/AW4/231 combo will be way longer than your 2.5/ax4 setup. You will have to find MJ Shafts or get the donor shafts modified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87MJTIM Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Shelby - I thought the XJ front drive shaft will fit since the axle and the Tcase came from the same vehicle. True, the rear DS will need to be modified. Lowly - I thought you claimed to have an AX15 already. If so, you just need the BH from the Dakota. If the Dakota has the complete AX15/BH, get them and sell your other AX15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 Nope I have no AX15 but will start to look for one. Gosh so I will have to modify the drive shafts. Hmm this is a more complicated problem than I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 What about gear ratios in the axles? You've got an AX4 which should put 3.55s in the stock axle in your truck. If you're using the axles from a donor XJ with a 4.0/AX15 then it should have 3.07s which would be a terrible combo when paired with that 2.5 of yours. Or, if you're looking for a donor front axle to match the rear you already have in it, then going with an AX5 or AX15 still won't be very much fun with 3.55s. If going with any five speed trans while keeping your 2.5, you should really have 4.10s in the axles. Geez... things are getting complicated now. :papers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 O shoot. So you don't think that donor has 3.55s? I have not seen it personally. I will ask him to send my a picture of the gear ratio. He told me that this 98 XJ 4.0 liter 6 cylinder auto had 3.55 it's not a manual it's an automatic so wouldn't it have 3.55 and not 3.07s? Regardless that makes me nervous I will have him send me a picture. This donor is an Automatic and not a manual. "Or, if you're looking for a donor front axle to match the rear you already have in it, then going with an AX5 or AX15 still won't be very much fun with 3.55s" Why do you say that? I am just curious. Mine is currently a 4 speed 2.5L two wheel drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 If the donor is a 4.0/AW4 then it should have 3.55s. If you keep the 3.55s and go with a five speed trans then fifth gear will be pretty much useless without the proper gearing to back it up with a 2.5. Why not swap everything over from the donor and have a 4.0/4wd MJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Engine is missing from the donor. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowly Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Not having much luck might have to let this donor go. :( Found this in the hours of scanning the web for options. http://www.advanceadapters.com/products/712564--jeep-ax15-adapter-plate-kit-to-the-jeep-ax5-bell-housing-w-internal-slave-cylinder-replacing-ax5/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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