AW4 vs. AX15

[Matthew Currie]

I've had two AX-15's, one still on the road at over 250K, the other retired at 263 largely owing to body rot. The AX-15 is good and durable. The clutch is pretty robust too. I had to replace the clutch in my 99 at well over 200k not because of disk wear but because the throwout bearing failed and ate through the diaphragm. But in general one can't complain about that kind of longevity.

The only reservation I have about the stick shift rig is that off the road the factory gearing is pretty tall. I don't do serious off roading, nothing more than logging roads and the like, but you definitely need low range for this if you don't want to be riding the clutch. Of course there is a low range, so all you have to do is use it. I've towed small trailers, and extracted a few stuck vehicles in winter with mine, and that's no worry, but again, if you're pulling someone out of a ditch, you'll definitely need low range.

I've also had an AW4, and it's fine too. Best slushbox out there if that's what you prefer, and also very durable. My automatic 87 got just as good gas mileage as the later sticks. That one, as well as a 93 that a couple of my kids owned for years, went well past 200K miles with zero transmission issues.

I'd still look for the AX-15, but would not turn down a good AW-4 if that's all you can find.

 

[Ivan]

All good compelling reasons for each tranny. However, you can't bump start an AW4 like you can an AX15, if you ever find yourself with a battery dead.

As far as stalling on a 5 spd on a grade....just be sure you have the tranny in 4 lo, and turn the key without depressing the clutch. You should be able to roll-start your rig again.... Of course you'll need to by-pass the clutch interlock switch so you don't have to depress the clutch when you start the engine.

To by-pass the clutch interlock switch (at least on the later models), I found a green connector with yellow wire just looped back to the same green connector. It is taped under the dash right next to the clutch interlock connector. The factory has included this bypass under the dash for you. You just unplug the green connector with the yellow wires and plug it into the other green connector, with the yellow wire looped back to itself....done.

 

[praetorian]

All good compelling reasons for each tranny. However, you can't bump start an AW4 like you can an AX15, if you ever find yourself with a battery dead.

As far as stalling on a 5 spd on a grade....just be sure you have the tranny in 4 lo, and turn the key without depressing the clutch. You should be able to roll-start your rig again.... Of course you'll need to by-pass the clutch interlock switch so you don't have to depress the clutch when you start the engine.

To by-pass the clutch interlock switch (at least on the later models), I found a green connector with yellow wire just looped back to the same green connector. It is taped under the dash right next to the clutch interlock connector. The factory has included this bypass under the dash for you. You just unplug the green connector with the yellow wires and plug it into the other green connector, with the yellow wire looped back to itself....done.

You got a pic of the green connector with the yellow wire? And what year did you see this on?

 

[gradon]

Gotta be at least 97+ cause my 96 doesn't have it.

 

[Bassaholic]

Theres a few AW4 supporters, I was hopin' for more. Sounds like I'll be fine with either but the wife just told me I should get what she can drive, and she cant drive a stick.
I appreciate you guys taking the time to give us your opinions.

 

[87manche]

Think about this. You're 4 wheeling in a tough spot. You've got 2 feet. How many pedals do you wanna deal with only having 2 feet? 2 or 3?

Real men have 3 pedals.

All good compelling reasons for each tranny. However, you can't bump start an AW4 like you can an AX15, if you ever find yourself with a battery dead.

As far as stalling on a 5 spd on a grade....just be sure you have the tranny in 4 lo, and turn the key without depressing the clutch. You should be able to roll-start your rig again.... Of course you'll need to by-pass the clutch interlock switch so you don't have to depress the clutch when you start the engine.
.

I've had to push start mine, well I rolled it down the hill anyway.

My starter really hates it when I start in gear, but it's not died yet. A winch goes a long way for that, just suck it up so you don'e roll back and drive out of it.

 

[cruiser54]

Real men have 3 pedals.


I've had to push start mine, well I rolled it down the hill anyway.

My starter really hates it when I start in gear, but it's not died yet. A winch goes a long way for that, just suck it up so you don'e roll back and drive out of it.

I've been 4 wheeling with 3 pedals since 1967. My preference now is an auto after ownig my 76 Cherokee Chief.

Besides, I drive big trucks every day, and have for over 15 years, from 6 speeds to 18 speeds. I like to relax off-road now.

Besides, the decision was made by the OP. Haooy wife=happy life.

 

[87manche]

I've been 4 wheeling with 3 pedals since 1967. My preference now is an auto after ownig my 76 Cherokee Chief.

Besides, I drive big trucks every day, and have for over 15 years, from 6 speeds to 18 speeds. I like to relax off-road now.

Besides, the decision was made by the OP. Haooy wife=happy life.

I was just joking. Sometimes I wish mine was auto, because my wife won't let me teach her the 5 spd.

 

[R6TeXJ]

I love my AW4 for wheeling and DD duties. I had a ax15 in my first cherokee, and yes it's fun to drive, but offroad, without a hand throttle, it was a pain to climb hills. Going down hills was much better than the auto.

cliff notes: auto for going up hills, 5spd for going down hills

On the rear axle, you mentioned getting another axle, if you get at least a 97 non abs version you will have the 8.25 rearend which is fine for 33's. That is what im using and i have a powertrax no slip in there. LOVE IT.

 

[kastein]

On the rear axle, you mentioned getting another axle, if you get at least a 97 non abs version you will have the 8.25 rearend which is fine for 33's. That is what im using and i have a powertrax no slip in there. LOVE IT.

not quite...

91 and later non-abs have a CHANCE of having the 8.25. 91-95 8.25s are all 27 spline, 96 is mixed 27 and 29 but probably 27 unless it was a very late build, 97-01 are all 29 spline. ALL ABS equipped XJs came with dana 35s, but not all non-ABS equipped XJs came with 8.25s, the non ABS ones got whatever the factory had on hand that day with the right gears installed.

There is a lot of misunderstanding on this subject along with full size spare vs LSD - all LSD equipped vehicles got full size spares, but so did some non LSD equipped vehicles, so a full size spare does not imply that there is an LSD in the rearend.

In both cases, the only way to be sure is to check.

 

[cruiser54]

I was just joking. Sometimes I wish mine was auto, because my wife won't let me teach her the 5 spd.

I know you were joking. When I started 4 wheeling hardly anything had an auto trans. All sorts of unfounded concerns about not enough gear holdback on grades etc. As soon as people got them though, they were instant converts.

 

[Rmart30]

Of all the XJ's ive had (15 if im counting right) 2 of them were manuals and the rest auto.
i highly prefer the auto over the manual when easing around thru trails and at the end of the day it doesnt feel like Ive had a left leg workout with them.
Much more comfortable for me. Ive got one manual left and id trade it for a auto and never miss it.

 

[cruiser54]

Of all the XJ's ive had (15 if im counting right) 2 of them were manuals and the rest auto.
i highly prefer the auto over the manual when easing around thru trails and at the end of the day it doesnt feel like Ive had a left leg workout with them.
Much more comfortable for me. Ive got one manual left and id trade it for a auto and never miss it.

My sentiments exactly. I got a 4 cylinder 4 speed as my first demo at the dealership.
When the 4.0 came out, I got one with the 5 speed.
Next one, through number 13,.......AW4.
I'm on my 15th MJ right now and it's an AW4.
My wife's XJ is AW4 also.

 

[ktwalker01]

ax15 for street and enjoyment, aw4 for off road and towing shenanigans

 

[tiddler75]

I have had 4 XJ's an 87, 93, 95 and now a 98 all but the 93 have been 4.0 with a AW4 behind it. the 93 was a 4.0 with an AX15. I also admit the 5speed is a more fun involving transmission and was tough, I sold that with 328,000km on it with out any issues. But the AW4 is one of the toughest slush boxes I have come across. My 87 had 589,000 very hard and neglected kms, It was my first XJ and first auto with a jeep, when I bought it it had just under 200,000km on it and I thought I would change the fluids and was horrified to find redish/black water ( it really was that thin ) come out of the AW4 I thought it was cooked. A buddy of mine the the Nova Scotia Jeep Club told me that it would be fine, just put some atf in it and i'd be fine. Well almost 400,000km later and he was right.

its great driving a stick, but for an all round trans an auto is better, and the AW4 is one of the best I have ever used.

 

[Matthew Currie]

When I had my 87 (AW4) I thought it was probably about time to change the fluid at 175 thousand miles, so I went through all the rigmarole of unrusting the dipstick tube, getting a new gasket and filter, etc. etc. and took the pan off. It was clean as a whistle, and there was about a half thimble-full of crud in one corner of the filter. A very fine piece of machinery, that.