Complete Drivetrain Swap/Conversion

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

You asked the general population of this forum a question.......however.......

We do not know you or why you are limited in your ability to do this yourself, we don't know if its a physical limitation or, for example, do you live in an apartment and have no where to do it.........whatever the limitation is.........

Nor do we know anything about either of the XJs you are working with. You have yet to define "built", you have yet to provide pics for us to study.

IOWs, we are blind.

That said-
Let me make a suggestion-

Take it one step at a time.

Have whom you choose, replace the trans with TC and swap the front axle only (assuming the ratios match). Sort out the steering and brakes. Drive it for a while as a stock 4X.

Then- look at the lift/wheels/tires/xxxx as a completely separate project.

This will simplify matters and keep the mechanic focused and keep costs to a minimum ....

You're right ... most people on the forum do not know me or my '92 XJ, but several of the respondents in this thread do, as do many in Naxja NEC. I am an unusual Jeeping female fairly recently transplanted to VA from NJ with limited tools/equipment/knowledge to perform the work. Plenty of space, though! I love the rocks and dislike mud - Jersey wheeling notwithstanding! If I had someone nearby willing to offer help & guidance, I would tackle anything on this Jeep. I have learnt so much over the years. But there remains problems like lifting heavy stuff like a transmission ... out of my league.

My '94 is a bone stock 2WD XJ Country. Nothing special.
My '92, at 155k miles is the "donor" XJ and I have owned it and helped it grow since 2001. I know it very well. The tranny is fine as is the engine & every bit of the drivetrain and suspension except for the drag link. It's due to the sheet metal & non-existent glass that we are forced to part ways and I don't want to talk about it as I am still grieving. As for built, it has earned this label due to the sum of its parts. Both axles will have to be swapped due to gearing.

Really I don't think there is a need for pics at this point. I'm just not ready to deal with that. But I like your suggestion about breaking up the work. It never occurred to me. Drive a stock XJ? Good lord what a strange idea! My RCVs would simply rust from boredom. I just want all the stuff from my '92 swapped over so I can get on with my addiction. But I like the suggestion and will certainly take it under advisement.

 

[TRCM]

Also didn't say (that I saw) where in VA.....

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

Ah yes - Fredericksburg area

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Only 155K on the '92? Whippersnapper.

I've never been down the path you're eyeing here, but as an engineer I can say that methodical steps and meticulous documentation/record-keeping along the way will contribute to both "mission success" and preserving your sanity.

Jordan's got a good starting list there, but there's probably more to add. Those that have said that this is a golden opportunity to check/replace seals on the engine/trans/tcase are right - the best access will be when they're out. Come to think of it, if you're transplanting the engine from the '92, have a good look at the freeze plugs and the exhaust manifold while it's "between trucks". Maybe the CPS too?

Also, if you've been unhappy with any of your accessory wiring in the past, now's your chance to do it better! Just make sure you don't make it impossible to get at down the road if something needs fixing/refreshing.

Doing in stages (as long as time permits) is wise - smaller chunks are more manageable. here's a rough go at a sequence:

1. Transplant engine/trans/tcase into '94 at stock height (address seals/motor mounts/etc. as you go). Bring over your front axle as well, but keep at stock height just for now. Leave rear driveshaft off (you have an SYE, yes?) and do a functional test of powertrain to confirm trans/tcase working properly in their new home.

2. Frame stiffeners, if desired

3. Interior stuff, CB/antenna. Easier to do this stuff when the truck isn't so high off the ground.

4. Move over lift/suspension, rear axle, tires from '92. Since you already proved that the engine/trans/tcase work in step 1, fewer branches on the fault tree if you have to troubleshoot.

Of course, if someone with practical experience with this sort of thing wants to chime in and readjust my list above, go for it - I was approaching the job with the mindset of "what's going to be easier to do at stock height?" and "how to do this in manageable bites?", so if I've got something out of order now's the time.

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

Well, I gave up on the swap and I'm selling the 2wd '94. Too much trouble (and $$) for a 4WD conversion, especially since I bought a stock '99 with NP242. So now all I have to swap over are the rears and aftermarket parts. Slooow build ...
The '99 prolly won't see any offroading until summer 2018, and that's if I'm lucky.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

That does sound like a simpler plan than the '94.

 

[Mighty.Mighty_XJ]

Yeah ... but I do love the looks of the '94. Identical to my '92 except for color.