Picked up a new jeep...

[PK]

Just a little something I picked up this afternoon.

A cute little dark slate color 5.9L Limited

[r6cyclegal]

Ohhh pretty!!

[andrew2516]

Is this going to be wheeled or pimped?

[PK]

This one is a daily driver replacing my '93 ZJ which will be up on ebay in short order... I'd probably wheel the TJ again though... someday. It's been on the pavement for years and years.

[Bill]

Very nice Patrick. I love that color.

[jeepxj3]

5.9's are nice but the price of gas and their MPG's arent...

Good luck! the Transfer Case in that thing is probably junk.

[PK]

Yes the 249 in it is, in fact, junk.

The VC is completely shot in it. I have actually been tossing around the idea of swapping the 242 from my 93 into it and vice versa, but I think gearcut change around 95 will make that a lot more difficult for me... so I may hold out to find a similar year case from an XJ, and then hopefully have minimal swapping of input shafts or planetary gears to get it all done.

That's the priority number one item. I just need to find a donor case for it. I can't get rid of the 249 soon enough, frankly.

[SirFuego]

Nice ZJ!

I'm not sure how the tranny output is on that, but I don't think I've ever read about anyone doing the tcase swap in a ZJ without needing to replace the input shaft. A 96-98 ZJ should also be a good donor vehicle -- if it has the I6, there would be a good possibility it has the 242.

Out of curiosity, what are the specs on your 93 and how rusty is it?

[jeepxj3]

I have done one of these swaps, and its alot easier than you would imagine. Changing the splines on the planetarys is a cake walk.

[PK]

I think some swapping of parts is reasonable, but among other things I'd rather not swap out a bad case into the '93 before I sell it. That's just mean. I'd like to toss the 249 into the ohio river when I'm done, if at all possible. I am looking for a donor case though, if any has one.

The 93 ZJ is a 2" BB, 4.0L, white, new shocks, new cat, new muffler, new lower control arms, new ball joints on one of the fronts, mileage around 150,000. It has minor tailgate rust common to them, some lost paint which I have hit with touch up spray just to keep it protected. It runs great, though. There are a few minor things wrong with it, some dings, scratches, but nothing major. At some point, I'd like to unload it for around $2K, reasonably negotiable on that.

[SirFuego]

Thanks. The rust on my 93 ZJ is getting pretty bad (stupid NY winters...). I'm looking to get a 5.2L ZJ, 5.9L ZJ, or a MJ for my next trail rig, so I was curious. Good luck selling the 93. It should sell pretty quickly if it still runs well.

[OverkillZJ]

Bling Bling!

[PK]

Indeed.

[gonecheenin]

Freaking drool!


as for the t-case swap, almost all automatic ZJ's (except the extremely early AW4 93's which normally came with 231s) have a medium length 23 spline input shaft

the only issue you should run into would be whether the ZJ auto case (assuming it isn't a AW4 tranny) has the "boss" on the shaft or not

even if it does it can be trimmed or ground like MFB did on his 95'

BTW: don't know that a 242J could handle the power of that 5.9, the smarter swap might be a 231 or replacing the VC in the 249 (I actually really dig the 249 for on road use, plus I'm almost positive that a 96&up 249 locks the front & rear outputs together when in low for offroad use)

[OverkillZJ]

The 242 is the weakest of the cases mentioned, but not that much weaker than the 249. I've only seen 242's shatter while offroad, I don't think PK is looking at jumping this thing over rocks.

[SirFuego]

I've seen quite a few posts on the various ZJ forums of people blowing up 242s (off and on road -- though most of the time it happens to those who wheel fairly regularly), and have never heard anything bad about a 231. Other than the VC failing, I don't think I've actually seen/heard anything of really breaking a 249, though?? I'm sure I'm wrong about this, so please correct me...

[PK]

Well, I am certainly not opposed to a 231. I spent a few hours doing some research... and I was under the impression, perhaps false, that it would require a rear driveshaft length change, maybe SYE, to accomodate a 231.

If so, I'm not looking to spend more than I have to. If I can do a 242 by swapping the input shaft from the 249, that'll do just fine for on street use, which is where this baby will end up.

And so, for the time being, I pulled the front driveshaft off in order to buy myself some time for a proper solution without wearing the crap out of my tires around turns, and stressing out the driveline.

Jeez... I gotta tell you, without the front DS in, that baby drives like a dream. Frankly, I bet if it drove like that three days ago, the guy never would have sold it to me.

[TimMichaels]

I might have a 231 from a ZJ up for grabs soon if you're interested.

[PK]

I might have a 231 from a ZJ up for grabs soon if you're interested.

Yep, interested.

[jeepxj3]

I also have a 231J for sale, its in my old red XJ right now.

But honestly I think this is the best move.