AX5 - AX15 swap questions

[mason methot]

hey everyone,
i have a 1995 yj 2.5l ax5, and of course 5th left the room, as i heard is very common.
I have access now to a (believed to be)-1993, ax-15 (and transfer case is still on it). its low mileage, from a friend whos giving it to me. i know advance adapters has a whole kit for this, BUT i read that its geared towards a 1995 and newer ax15 due to the external slave.

Now here's where it gets tricky, the ax-15 is from a 1993 CHEROKEE. First question, does that matter? Secondly, its internal slave, so whats my option to converting it to external slave, or is that possible? or should i worry about it? i want this done right the first time, but i also don't want to waste no time as i really dont have much time to get this done.

Any help is appreciated. Yes i looked around on the forums first, couldn't find my answer.

 

[machoheadgames]

If you use that trans, definitely convert it to external. You’ll need a bellhousing and a few other factory parts. That conversion is quite simple, though buying all the parts might take up some of your lunch money. But it’s totally worth it.

The transmission from the XJ is debatable on being worth it. The clocking for the transfer case is wrong. You can fix that by redrilling the 6 holes in the back. The bad part is that the XJ transmissions are missing a bolt boss that supports the transfer case shifter. The YJ AX15 transfer case shifter definitely needs that hole for stability. I am not sure how the AX5 transfer case shifter attaches. Usually people swapping from AX5 to AX15 need to get the AX15 version tcase shifter from eBay or similar because the AX5 won’t bolt up. Which then puts you at the same problem: Cherokee trans doesn’t have the bolt hole needed.

Also to go to an AX15 you will need to pull the transfer case and tear it apart to change the input gear to a 23 spline gear. Since you have a 95 you would probably need the late cut input gear. So when you look at Novak or something, you’d want a 23 spline, short, late cut, narrow bearing gear. Or you can source a transfer case from a 4.0 Jeep.

5th gear will also be taller 0.79 OD vs the AX5 0.84 OD so you’ll lose a bit of highway power. Also slightly taller 1st (3.83 AX15 vs 3.93 AX5). None of it is necessarily dealbreakers but definitely things to work through.

To adapt the AX15 to a 2.5 you will need either a Dodge Dakota bellhousing (factory style setup) or you will need the adapter kit from advance adapters that gives you a bellhousing adapter. I’d go the Dakota route if I could find one.

Since the XJ is basically a car, they used a really long throw shift tower combined with a short shift lever so that the driver had the proper leverage to work the trans. For that reason you Can’t use the shifter from an XJ in a YJ, it’ll be hard to reach and would have really long throw if you extended it up to you. So bank on buying a YJ shift tower. You should be able to move your current AX5 stick over to the YJ shift tower from eBay once you get that and install it. Buy some shift tower gaskets too.

 

[mason methot]

If you use that trans, definitely convert it to external. You’ll need a bellhousing and a few other factory parts. That conversion is quite simple, though buying all the parts might take up some of your lunch money. But it’s totally worth it.

The transmission from the XJ is debatable on being worth it. The clocking for the transfer case is wrong. You can fix that by redrilling the 6 holes in the back. The bad part is that the XJ transmissions are missing a bolt boss that supports the transfer case shifter. The YJ AX15 transfer case shifter definitely needs that hole for stability. I am not sure how the AX5 transfer case shifter attaches. Usually people swapping from AX5 to AX15 need to get the AX15 version tcase shifter from eBay or similar because the AX5 won’t bolt up. Which then puts you at the same problem: Cherokee trans doesn’t have the bolt hole needed.

Also to go to an AX15 you will need to pull the transfer case and tear it apart to change the input gear to a 23 spline gear. Since you have a 95 you would probably need the late cut input gear. So when you look at Novak or something, you’d want a 23 spline, short, late cut, narrow bearing gear. Or you can source a transfer case from a 4.0 Jeep.

5th gear will also be taller 0.79 OD vs the AX5 0.84 OD so you’ll lose a bit of highway power. Also slightly taller 1st (3.83 AX15 vs 3.93 AX5). None of it is necessarily dealbreakers but definitely things to work through.

To adapt the AX15 to a 2.5 you will need either a Dodge Dakota bellhousing (factory style setup) or you will need the adapter kit from advance adapters that gives you a bellhousing adapter. I’d go the Dakota route if I could find one.

Since the XJ is basically a car, they used a really long throw shift tower combined with a short shift lever so that the driver had the proper leverage to work the trans. For that reason you Can’t use the shifter from an XJ in a YJ, it’ll be hard to reach and would have really long throw if you extended it up to you. So bank on buying a YJ shift tower. You should be able to move your current AX5 stick over to the YJ shift tower from eBay once you get that and install it. Buy some shift tower gaskets too.

Thanks for the detailed response, I'd be lying though if I didn't say it raised more questions than answers.

you mention the t-case and wrong clock and wrong shifter and all that, from an ax5 though. The t-case is already installed on the ax15 from the cherokee, so what are the reasons exactly that it won't just go in? Do i need to reuse my ax5 t-case on the new ax15 for other reasons?

I'm not sure where I can find a dakota bellhousing, i heard its a good way to go but something tells me they're scarce as is, especially in my area (i checked), so i went to advanced adapters and the adapter kit looks all and well, it just doesn't mention anything on my particular situation, and it says it can keep the stock pilot bushing on older models, but it gets confusing from there.

Onto the tranny shifter itself, can my ax5 shifter not just plop in to the ax15? Or are there differences there as well.

It's a free tranny basically, I just gotta detail his cars. So spending money on adapters doesn't concern me too much. It's either this or I buy into one of the many ax5 transmissions available in my area.

https://www.advanceadapters.com/4868 idk if you've seen this kit or read the pdf, but it's what i was referencing and looking at.

 

[machoheadgames]

Thanks for the detailed response, I'd be lying though if I didn't say it raised more questions than answers.

you mention the t-case and wrong clock and wrong shifter and all that, from an ax5 though. The t-case is already installed on the ax15 from the cherokee, so what are the reasons exactly that it won't just go in? Do i need to reuse my ax5 t-case on the new ax15 for other reasons?

I'm not sure where I can find a dakota bellhousing, i heard its a good way to go but something tells me they're scarce as is, especially in my area (i checked), so i went to advanced adapters and the adapter kit looks all and well, it just doesn't mention anything on my particular situation, and it says it can keep the stock pilot bushing on older models, but it gets confusing from there.

Onto the tranny shifter itself, can my ax5 shifter not just plop in to the ax15? Or are there differences there as well.

It's a free tranny basically, I just gotta detail his cars. So spending money on adapters doesn't concern me too much. It's either this or I buy into one of the many ax5 transmissions available in my area.

https://www.advanceadapters.com/4868 idk if you've seen this kit or read the pdf, but it's what i was referencing and looking at.

Hah I expected more questions. Its all good.

The XJ transmissions have a 10° different clocking compared to a YJ. The reason is the transfer case would hit the XJ body with a YJ clocking. So they clocked them lower. The YJ will have problems with that because the transfer case will hit the skid plate. So you need the YJ clocking. You can accomplish that by redrilling the back of the trans. The tcase on the Cherokee transmission may be fine. Verify it’s an np231. XJs could also have the NP242, you need the NP231. You will still need to separate them and reclock the transfer case by redrilling the back of the transmission. then you can bolt the XJ transfer case back on in the new holes you drilled. When you look at the back of the transmission, you basically need to rotate the transfer case 10° clockwise.

As for shifters, the XJ uses a very different style shifter than a YJ and it’s built for the XJ console. If you want it to be remotely like what you have now, you need the stock transfer case shifter made for a 4.0 AX15. The problem is though that shifter will not bolt up to the Cherokee transmission completely. One of the holes for it is cast into the transmission’s 4wd adapter which is different from YJ to XJ. The tcase shifter bolts to two studs on the transmission shifter and then a final bolt going into the side of the trans 4wd adapter. The XJ will be missing that hole and so the shifter won’t be very stable only being supported up top.

Dakota bellhousing can be found here:

Dakota 2.5 AX15 Bellhousing

I would rather the Dakota route because it reuses stock parts. The advance adapter does too to some degree but it also uses some custom stuff. Like I think they give you a slave cylinder to use. I wouldn’t want that, I like pre-bled assemblies that I can just buy and swap out.

I believe you will need a special clutch kit which you might need to get from advance adapters. The AX15 is 10 spline and AX5 is 14 spline. The pilot tip on the transmissions are different sizes as well.

No, AX5 shifter can not be used on the AX15. Well, it kind of can. I believe advance adapters gives you an adapter plate for that with longer bolts or something. And then you have to flip the shifter stick around in the base. I’d rather just use the stock AX15 parts myself, but I’m picky.

Yeah I’ve seen that kit. It’ll get the job done. I just prefer to use as many factory parts as I can if possible. At one point they had a solution for the transfer case shifter too I think but I don’t recall what they did there. I think they give you a different bracket to swap the shifter into or something.

 

[mason methot]

Hah I expected more questions. Its all good.

The XJ transmissions have a 10° different clocking compared to a YJ. The reason is the transfer case would hit the XJ body with a YJ clocking. So they clocked them lower. The YJ will have problems with that because the transfer case will hit the skid plate. So you need the YJ clocking. You can accomplish that by redrilling the back of the trans. The tcase on the Cherokee transmission may be fine. Verify it’s an np231. XJs could also have the NP242, you need the NP231. You will still need to separate them and reclock the transfer case by redrilling the back of the transmission. then you can bolt the XJ transfer case back on in the new holes you drilled. When you look at the back of the transmission, you basically need to rotate the transfer case 10° clockwise.

As for shifters, the XJ uses a very different style shifter than a YJ and it’s built for the XJ console. If you want it to be remotely like what you have now, you need the stock transfer case shifter made for a 4.0 AX15. The problem is though that shifter will not bolt up to the Cherokee transmission completely. One of the holes for it is cast into the transmission’s 4wd adapter which is different from YJ to XJ. The tcase shifter bolts to two studs on the transmission shifter and then a final bolt going into the side of the trans 4wd adapter. The XJ will be missing that hole and so the shifter won’t be very stable only being supported up top.

Dakota bellhousing can be found here:

Dakota 2.5 AX15 Bellhousing

I would rather the Dakota route because it reuses stock parts. The advance adapter does too to some degree but it also uses some custom stuff. Like I think they give you a slave cylinder to use. I wouldn’t want that, I like pre-bled assemblies that I can just buy and swap out.

I believe you will need a special clutch kit which you might need to get from advance adapters. The AX15 is 10 spline and AX5 is 14 spline. The pilot tip on the transmissions are different sizes as well.

No, AX5 shifter can not be used on the AX15. Well, it kind of can. I believe advance adapters gives you an adapter plate for that with longer bolts or something. And then you have to flip the shifter stick around in the base. I’d rather just use the stock AX15 parts myself, but I’m picky.

Yeah I’ve seen that kit. It’ll get the job done. I just prefer to use as many factory parts as I can if possible. At one point they had a solution for the transfer case shifter too I think but I don’t recall what they did there. I think they give you a different bracket to swap the shifter into or something.

thanks again.
so it looks like i have much more shopping to do than anticipated, i will keep you reply for some reference. If the ax15 from the cherokee has the np231, and i get a dakota bell housing, are drive shafts and everything still lined up nicely? transmission skid plate as well?

i'll have to really search for a good cheap bellhousing. and many other things it appear. I was really hoping the ready made kit was all i needed for this