4x4 Swap Week 3 - XJ 4x4 Conversion - How to. Kind of...

Part 3 continues with the Track bar, transfer case drop, steering stabilizer, and driving it in the street!
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Getting really close. I'd say besides swapping out the fluids the conversion itself is just about complete.
At this point I just need shocks, new track bar, brake lines, change out all my fluids, lower control arms and get my wheels and tires mounted! Then its off to the off road park!
This isn't a perfect epic swap but thats why this channel is called Jeep Noob. Not Jeep Badass. That and I'm not that conceited. We like to wheel and just have fun along the way. No time for all of that serious drama BS. No frills getting it done and having fun. Classic Jeep Noob.

[@rodbrock6732]

Bro I really appreciate your videos I'm ready to start my 98 jeep Cherokee classic build!!

[@FreedomCrawler]

Thank you! I’m hoping they help out. I’ve had a couple people reach out and i appreciate it.

[@Dalej99]

You can buy angled shims that you put between the leafs and axle to correct your driveline angle rather than lowering the trans/transfer case and putting your engine mounts in a bind. Also appears you put a lift at the same time. If so, you need to get an adjustable trackbar for the front. Otherwise looks good.

[@unidentifiedbomb]

Need an adjustable track bar

[@FreedomCrawler]

just picked one up today

[@pra3t0rian]

Turning the steering wheel always works for me to get the lower track bar bolt back in.

[@FreedomCrawler]

+pra3t0rian That generally works but this setup just needed a longer one so it's good to go now

[@ZR1VengefulMMAGTS]

I just started restoring 2001 xj 2wd but I have another 2001 xj 4wd lifted air lockers gears sye etc etc but rusted out so I searched for a rust free and after looking at about 10 this 01 was perfect but its 2wd so my project begins.

[@FreedomCrawler]

Good luck! It’s worth it

[@ZR1VengefulMMAGTS]

@@FreedomCrawler Update she is finished and so far so good!

[@ericgalindo101691]

looking good...cant wait to see off road...

[@FreedomCrawler]

Getting closer for sure. I'm debating on leaving on this tire/wheel setup so I can compare the original 2wd setup to the lifted 4x4 setup or just finding some tires and going from there. It'll really all depend on if I can get some tires before then. Once I add the wheels it'll really help set the look too.

[@kimtienle4369]

how did you do it can you share with me , thank you

[@FreedomCrawler]

I have a full video series on it. Let me know if you have questions

[@mikestofmikes]

I've got super clean 2WD '98 XJ that I've been fretting over converting. Thanks for posting and showing what it really takes to make the swap. You've got me feeling much more optimistic. Do you mind me asking what part of TX you're in?

[@FreedomCrawler]

+Mike Guy I'm over in the Austin area. I hope it helps. If you have any questions that I can try and help with just let me know. A lot of people message back and forth with me on instagram. Easy to send pictures of things back and forth there too. Helps when someone's trying to describe something lol Good luck with your build and have a great week!

[@michaelsrossi3293]

I have to admit I was a little disappointed when you got rid of the JK and went to a 2wd XJ but after watching and following your videos I'm excited to see how it turns out. Keep up the good work and keep on posting videos!! #BUILTNOTBOUGHT

[@FreedomCrawler]

We appreciate it Michael. I really didn't know how it was going to go either but I knew if I could get it going it'd be worth it. Either way we are spending about 1/10 of what we were on the JK and building something a little different. Thats a win for us. Definitely not the route others will take and that makes it fun too.

[@ronscha-ot-icworld6110]

Why didn't you clean the underneath and rhino line it also clean the transmission and change fluid and filter how dumb.

[@FreedomCrawler]

Because I could do it later.

[@wetbass1828]

Shut yo ass up. More then one way to skin a cat. Stick with ur Chevy.

[@WilliamHarber]

Looking good, Cant wait for the next check in :)

[@FreedomCrawler]

Me either, its slowly coming to life. There's always that moment before you start that you're like. Eh... am I sure I want to tear into this? Then you close your eyes, grab the saw and start doing work. lol

[@raymondaslater4281]

You might get some tire rub with 35s if that's a 4.5"lift.

[@FreedomCrawler]

Going to be running some decent bump stops for sure.

[@quinn9561]

I have a 1999 cherokee 4 door, I'm looking to convert to 4x4, I found a 1998 cherokee donor, I want to change out the whole transmission. I was wondering if there's anything I should watch out for. Or will everything be compatible and bolt on?

[@FreedomCrawler]

+Quinn everything should be comparable. The only issues I ran into was having to convert a wiring plug over from the transmission but mine was from a 94. You should be good to go. That's awesome you found a newer one to use

[@quinn9561]

Okay awesome, is it cool if I message you on instagram with any questions?

[@FreedomCrawler]

+Quinn absolutely, I talk to a bunch of people regarding this channel there so hit me up anytime. I'll do whatever I can to help out

[@MrWilsoooon]

make sure the gear ratio in the front axle and the rear axle are the same.

[@FreedomCrawler]

+Wilson R Agreed. I got the setup from my brother but that's a good reminder for me to double check. Do you check the front the same as the rear? Put in neutral and spin the wheel two rotations while counting drive shaft revolutions?

[@MrWilsoooon]

Well there is a tag on the axle housing that would tell you, I know if you have a front axle from a different year it's most likely will be a different gear ratio but as far as figuring what it is there's a few tricks on line you can do.

[@mattfeist471]

Judging by the hopping and noise from driving around.. and tire squealing... it looks like you don't have the same gear ratios. You can jack it up and count driveshaft revolutions, look on the ring gear if you are changing fluids anyway, or check the tags on the diff cover bolts if they are still there. An automatic XJ has 3.55 gearing. If that diff came out of a manual XJ it probably has 3.07s.

[@FreedomCrawler]

I've confirmed it but it's definitely 3.55 front and rear. I knew it came from and automatic inline 6 so I wasn't worried about it being different and it's good to go

[@mattfeist471]

Hmm.. it's probably quite a bit different in person but that binding sound defiantly isn't good haha. I'm jealous of your clean body though. Up here in Canada I've replaced the rockers and complete floor so far in my XJ...

[@takingu2skoo]

nice now you can conquer that mountain. would it have been cheaper to just buy a Cherokee with 4x4 them jeep Cherokees are a dime a dozen.

[@FreedomCrawler]

Not a clean two door. The four doors are too but most are beaters. I'm at about $1700 with the swap and lift. could I have found a clean 4x4 two door for that? Maybe but that would have been a bit more boring of a video lol

[@jeepinbanditrider]

Not anymore.

[@nipawe]

What happens to the jks?

[@FreedomCrawler]

Someones been slacking on watching the other videos.. lol No but seriously we decided to take a different route than JK's. Honestly we were just blowing so much money into them it was getting out of hand. I finally just had a moment of realization where I was like whats the point really? I can do the exact same things in a less expensive rig that costs 1/10 of the cost. That really just made more sense to me. That and JK's are almost a fad right now and I wanted to go against the grain a bit and build something different.

[@dustinschaefer1]

please lower the back so its level

[@FreedomCrawler]

it looks pretty level. I think the incline made it look worse. I'm going to confirm the wheel gap measurements after I get the shocks and wheels mounted tonight though

[@dustinschaefer1]

Do you measure to the wheel well or the body lines cuz if you look at the bodylines the front wheel wells are always higher up than the rears

[@FreedomCrawler]

I'll have to see what works best. The rear has 3.5" lift leafs and the front has 4.5" coils so I'll have to wait for both to settle before I make adjustments anyways

[@dustinschaefer1]

and looks will change a lot once you put the new tires on

[@FreedomCrawler]

dustin schaefer agreed.