Grand Cherokee 4wd conversion booze cruiser

grcthird · Jan 19, 2018

Got a shop project to fool with in between customer's cars and during slow times.
Last month my sister gave me her 98 Grand Cherokee that she has been driving since 2003. It's in good shape, has 244k on it, and 2wd. I've kept this thing up for years, having to repo it from time to time to just fix everything that was wrong with it. Anyway, going to be a cheap wheeler and just something to beat around in.

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grcthird · Jan 19, 2018

Re: Re: Grand Cherokee 4wd conversion booze cruiser

This Jeep has the 4.0, and the 42RE tranny. I worked a deal with a buddy who had a rolled 94 GC and pulled everything off it to swap onto mine. It has the 242 case. Got it pushed in the shop and went ahead and swapped front axles out in a couple of hours.

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grcthird · Jan 19, 2018

Re: Re: Re: Grand Cherokee 4wd conversion booze cruiser

Worked on separating the overdrive housing from the donor tranny tonight. Going to just swap this out since it just unbolts and slides off. I know my trans is good so I'm not swapping the whole thing right now. The shifter bolts to a plate on the tranny tunnel, and they are specific for the 2wd vs 4wd. Pulled the carpet back and worked on getting all that apart tonight.

Note the rod for the parking pawl engagement, supposed to be tricky to line up when installing, we'll see tomorrow.

Also there is a bracket for the tcase linkage that has to be swapped as well, in the 2wd there are body plugs in the holes that locate it.

For anybody doing this on the ground, the top bolts on the tranny can be removed with this plate out of the car.

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grcthird · Jan 19, 2018

Costs so far:
Tag and title, gear oil for the front diff, tcase fluid, some transmission fluid, and a couple cans of brake cleaner.

RustyC · Jan 19, 2018

Real nice Clark. I like the budget so far. I am going to go ahead and call shotgun from June through September.

grcthird · Jan 19, 2018

Who doesn't like AC?

TacomaJD · Jan 19, 2018

grcthird said:
Who doesn't like AC?

My old SAS'd Taco had AC in it, sure was a nice feature! Track your expenses good, don't want to overspend. LOL. Puttin stickies on it or what? :flipoff1:

grcthird · Jan 19, 2018

TacomaJD said:
My old SAS'd Taco had AC in it, sure was a nice feature! Track your expenses good, don't want to overspend. LOL. Puttin stickies on it or what?

Or what for now. Who got some cheap streetable 31's? :JRich:

BUG-E J · Jan 20, 2018

grcthird said:
Or what for now. Who got some cheap streetable 31's?

I like it. Im actually kicking the idea around of something with windows and ac so we can take the kids or booze cruise at night.

June dog · Jan 20, 2018

There a few of been riding grands for a couple months now. As bad as it is to say, I've had more fun running around on 32's than I've had in my big Jeep in along time. It's nice to throw your days supplies in the back and take off. No trailering, doesn't matter if it rains,cold..who cares you've got wipers and heat. Going back to small rig has made me remember why I like wheeling so well. We have a set of rules for our group. We have to keep the stock axles front and rear. And tires have to be 35's or smaller..it makes for a fun day when everyone has pretty much the same set up. Guess I better get me ars in gear cause we're meeting at 9 this morning to hit the trails today. :dblthumb:

MoparMan · Jan 20, 2018

I dig it man. That's what I love about my Ramcharger.....you can take it wheeling anytime and just about anywhere.

grcthird · Jan 20, 2018

Pulled the 2wd overdrive planetary housing off and practiced installing it on the donor tranny. Parking pawl is kinda a pita to get all lined up but it went on, so threw the 4wd one on and the tcase, linkage, tunnel cover, ect.

Just to piss off the Jeep guys, and make sure it doesn't leak. :flipoff1:

I spliced in the light for the tcase shifter and got the carpet back in.

Also got the all the skid plates off the donor and installed them today.

I'm one driveshaft ujoint, some tranny fluid, splicing the donor plug for the speed sensor, and removing a broken driver seat bolt away from being able to drive it.

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BUG-E J · Jan 20, 2018

Its a chrysler. If it doesnr leak it will self implode :****:

grcthird · Jan 20, 2018

BUG-E J said:
Its a chrysler. If it doesnr leak it will self implode :****:

Troof! And I fully expect it will, at some point blow up. But these are so dang cheap and easy to work on, and they are easily available. Heck over 100k ago it blew a piston up, to the point all that was holding it together was the rings, honed the cylinder and threw a speed pro in it. Been fine ever since.

paradisepwoffrd · Jan 20, 2018

Re: Re: Grand Cherokee 4wd conversion booze cruiser

grcthird said:
Troof! And I fully expect it will, at some point blow up. But these are so dang cheap and easy to work on, and they are easily available. Heck over 100k ago it blew a piston up, to the point all that was holding it together was the rings, honed the cylinder and threw a speed pro in it. Been fine ever since.

I don't know about the 42r, but the aw4 requires some extra switches to be able to hold the trans in 1st.

grcthird · Jan 20, 2018

Re: Re: Grand Cherokee 4wd conversion booze cruiser

paradisepwoffrd said:
I don't know about the 42r, but the aw4 requires some extra switches to be able to hold the trans in 1st.

Good info, I'll check that out if I get to drive it tomorrow. I did manage to break the shift lock cable end, so I guess that counts for a modification.

grcthird · Jan 21, 2018

Alignment tomorrow and it's to the point of being a stock 4wd Grand Cherokee. We'll see how long this lasts...

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DirtMonkey · Jan 29, 2018

June dog said:
There a few of been riding grands for a couple months now. As bad as it is to say, I've had more fun running around on 32's than I've had in my big Jeep in along time. It's nice to throw your days supplies in the back and take off. No trailering, doesn't matter if it rains,cold..who cares you've got wipers and heat. Going back to small rig has made me remember why I like wheeling so well. We have a set of rules for our group. We have to keep the stock axles front and rear. And tires have to be 35's or smaller..it makes for a fun day when everyone has pretty much the same set up. Guess I better get me ars in gear cause we're meeting at 9 this morning to hit the trails today.

There's a lot of truth to this. Whether I want to be or not, I'm a Cherokee guy now.. The gateway drug for me was a 98 XJ. Loved that rig! Now I have a 2000 Grand with the 4.0L. I picked it up for $1400, did some necessary work, added a 3" IRO lift, some $200 JK takeoff rims/32" tires and that thing just goes! Cant beat em for a daily/light wheeler.

grcthird · Feb 16, 2018

Well staying stock didn't last long, being 27 miles from Rusty's offroad doesn't help. Added a set of front tow hooks, 3.5" lift, 31" Iroks off the blem page, lockright in the front and bought a used axle with an Aussie for the rear. Had a stalling issue that ended up being the ECM, and just been fixing other small stuff.

Got it loaded on the trailer today, after driving it all week, and tranny pump started growling. :

I've heard of breaking right off the trailer but breaking while loading... :gtfo: