AW-4 install

[Nightpath]

Howdy all,

Going to be pulling the engine, transmission and t-case from the XJ soon, just need a bit of help.

1 - Should I use the existing Eagle crossmember?
2 - What transmission mount should I use?
3 - For the shifter linkage I noticed that the XJ has sort of a plate bolted over the tranmission mount. Is this something I can put into the Eagle, or will something else have to be fabbed up?

If anyone can offer some insight I'd appreciate it.

[carnuck]

I haven't done it in an Eagle yet (unless you count SOTE) but a custom crossbar seems to be the way to go. I did that in two of my Jeep J10s (ended up parting the one out). XJ mount is similar to the Eagle one, but it's taller, as is the trans tailstock.

[Nightpath]

Might have to modify the Eagle transmission mount bar, possibly lower it. Think I should snag a XJ or Eagle mount to use?

[eaglefreek]

1. I modified the XJ crossmember. I cut it and welded some angle iron that I fabbed up and it bolts in to the stock location. I'm out of town until Sunday and will try to remember to take a pic of the crossmember when I get home.
2. I used a mount for a Volvo to try to get the crossmember up as high as possible. http://www.ipdusa.com/products/8890/101170-hd-manual-transmission-mount
3. No idea. I used the existing transfer case shifter from the NP229 that I already had installed. If you don't use it, you'll have to figure something out to shift the case.

[Nightpath]

The transfer case shifter is directly up through the floor. I image I'll have to cut the floor and make something to steady it up.

As for the cable shift on my AW4 I'll figure something out.

[eaglefreek]

I used an transmission shifter from a XJ. I tried for quite some time to make the stock one work, but couldn't. You might want to look into the transfer shifter cable available from Novak.  http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/shifters/sk2xc.htm You will have to install a Jeep transfer case shifter though.

I finally got the pics of my crossmember.

[carnuck]

Nice! The hang down on each side should be cut down unless you plan rock rails? Building a skidplate?

[eaglefreek]

Are you talking about here?

If so, the "hang down" is exaggerated in the pics. It's only about 1/4". Enough to have some room to get a weld. It is still higher than the bottom of the crossmember and transfer case. I got some 1/4" plate aluminum from the scrap yard that I will use to make a skid plate someday to protect everything.

[Nightpath]

I've read that some people use the stock Eagle crossmember and drill for the XJ transmission mount. Might have to take that into consideration.

[eaglefreek]

I don't see how the Eagle crossmember would work. I tried and it wasn't even close to being able to work.

[Nightpath]

Drilling holes in it to fit the XJ mount is what I saw.

[eaglefreek]

The aw4 is longer than the 998 and the mount is further back. The crossmember needs to be moved back about 2 or 3 inches and I didn't see a way to make the 998 crossmember work.

[Nightpath]

I imagine they used what they had. Drilled more holes and mounted everything onto the Eagle cross member and put it where it had to be.

The post is around here somewhere.

[carnuck]

We added a piece of square tubing on each side between the frame and XJ or MJ (forget which) crossmember we put in. Max98059 welded the tubing to his car. I would figure where the crossbar needed to be and drill holes in a piece of rectangular tubing that over lapped both sets of holes.

[eaglefreek]

From another thread:

Probably better for a different thread, but I would be quite interested to see what you did to wire up the AW4 since it's electronically controlled.

I used a TCU from a Renix era Cherokee. Those TCUs provide 5v power to the TPS. If you use a later TCU and have a carbed engine, you'll need to provide a 5v source to the TPS. I went to the junkyard and cut out what I needed from a harness.The TCU is mounted inside the dash on the passenger side. I pulled the TCU and from the outside, pulled out the wiring harness that had the connector for the TCU. Getting the transmission end of the harness off, can be a bear. The transfer case linkage gets in the way. I was lucky and found a 2wd XJ which made it much easier to remove. After removing the connectors from the transmission, at the firewall I took apart the loom as much as possible and cut the rest of the wires. There will be some power wires, ground wires and the wires going to the TPS.  I took the TPS and connector with a few inches of wire. I made a bracket for the TPS to hook up to my carb. I used the bracket from the Jeep that holds the throttle cable and TV cable to mount the TV cable. I cut it and welded it to the bellcrank for the throttle. Off the top of my head, there only a few wires that will need to be terminated. 3 wires ran to the TPS, a couple power wires, one to constant and one to a switched source, a wire to the brake switch that senses 12v so it unlocks the converter, a few grounds, and NSS.  I ran the TCU harness through the hole in the firewall where the wires for the carb computer went through. The XJ's oval grommet wound up being the same exact size as the Eagle's. Once again, I'm out of town till the end of the month and can't get any pictures.