Got another one! Project: PolarXJ

[Cobound]

Wow, right...was that a chase vehicle for the road salt crew

[6DoF]

[6DoF]

something about rebuilding transmissions is highly satisfying!

this one wasn't quite as satisfying to open up ...

[xj_man_646]

Yikes! How do you clean that stuff off the internal components that don't get replaced with a rebuild?

[6DoF]

my plan is to "polish" everything crusty with a wire knot wheel on a grinder ... anything that's TOO pitted i'll just replace while its' all apart. the one pc counter shaft looks all good, and i have all new bearings for the gears on the main shaft. the main shaft gears are only like $85 each worst case.

all things considered ... i'll probably just clean and send it. it'll work fine, only issue will be for how long. chances are long enough

[6DoF]

well ... that chit did NOT buff out ...

most of the trans came really nice and clean. worst case more staining than pitting from the rusty bits. 2nd and 3rd gears however are fully fubar, no hardened gear face left on too many teeth. i ordered those 2 gears from Allstate Gear, hopefully they come soon.

so i figured i'd try this. after using a 2-bolt puller to get 5th off the counter shaft, and unbolting the plate to get reverse out of the way, pulled the bearing circ-clips and the shift fork bolts. both shafts slid out the front while the shift forks slid off the rails. i feel like this might take 3 hands to get back together, but is way less teardown and less parts to loose by leaving the shift rails entirely intact. even the complete reverse lever is still mounted to the mid plate.

[Cobound]

Holy balls, thought my recent work in my daughter's '98 XJ was bad - that's straight up ocean soaked right there

Wow!!

[MBood82]

....you traded a fully functional transmission, for that?

[xj_man_646]

Well, it came with an entire rotted out TJ surrounding it .

My guess is Matt will be able to sell at least some parts from the donor rig.

[6DoF]

the NV3550 had ZERO 2nd gear synchro left, so it needed to come out for rebuild anyways. i had made money off the XJ i parted to get the 3550 too.

AX15 is generally considered stronger, it's easier and cheaper to get parts for, and easier to rebuild. this was worth the trade trans for trans anyways. $320 she should be good as new.

the TJ had almost nothing left but scrap, and i need to split the scrap with my buddy who i traded with. i'll get a few bucks back against the new gears from that. after that it's basically a sound bar i horded and a buggy hood/cowel i threw behind the shed that i have for sale. i guess i did also sell the ECU already.

[MBood82]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

the NV3550 had ZERO 2nd gear synchro left, so it needed to come out for rebuild anyways. i had made money off the XJ i parted to get the 3550 too.

OK, that makes a little more sense. Otherwise, the AX15 may be marginally better, but it seemed like you were starting from behind with that example.

[nblehm]

Was that TJ a lake rescue or something?

[Cobound]

Originally Posted by nblehm

Was that TJ a lake rescue or something?

That's what I wondered too

[6DoF]

that damn TJ keeps getting more entertaining! this POS tail housing must have felt left out and now identifies as rusty ...

trying to decide what to do about it.

NP231 i was using is now all back together with the long input shaft for the ax-15, and all new seals. i cut up the exhaust down pipe so i can remake it for the new turbo location. and got the passenger engine mount cut up for reworking for the new hydraulic mounts, along with fitting the new turbo brace. new 2nd n 3rd gears show up today, hopefully get the trans together except the tail housing ... i'd really like this thing running again soon.

[xj_man_646]

Are they magnesium or aluminum cases? I don't recall.

Might be able to do a quick spot of TIG on that guy.

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by xj_man_646

Are they magnesium or aluminum cases? I don't recall.

Might be able to do a quick spot of TIG on that guy.

if i had a tig ... or access to ... or a buddy available within 2wks ....

[6DoF]

ax-15 is such a great transmission, way up there with the easiest to rebuild. if not waiting for parts would be a short afternoon project.

a coat of 10 year old leftover silver hammered also does wonders for a rebuild

didn't fix the hole yet ... tail housing is just on there to clamp the RTV of the front case, and for paint. pretty sure i'm just going to JBWeld it tonight, with an RTV top coat before the trans mount.

[6DoF]

all assembled! but back apart again ... totally forgot from back in the day, the soft top jeeps have a different t-case clocking than tin-top. 13deg down for soft, 26deg down for tin. the 231 was hitting the floor you can see the tail housing is cast to accept both patterns. 10deg is even zero hole overlap.

at this very moment the printer it building me a drill jig. i made it for a 12deg drop, 2 lower than the xj would have been factory. should be more than enough crossmember clearance, will help with the front driveshaft angles, and should still be above the crossmember.

[6DoF]

that was seriously satisfying to use. 3D printed drill jig, alignment pins printed in that snuggly fit into the current pattern, and printed holes that i tapped for steel thread-in drill guides. factory is a 10deg difference, i made the jig 12deg up or down. so this TJ trans now has a pattern 2deg lower than factory XJ to help with front drive shaft angles, but is still well over top the crossmember. the other pattern would let a TJ owner take an XJ trans and drill it 2deg flatter than factory for more skid clearance.

I'll probably never use it again, but now i have it! ... i need to get it posted on thingiverse

[xj_man_646]

I know you mentioned the guide pins and drill guide inserts...what are the other holes for?

That is seriously cool and is not something I would have thought to use a 3D printer for.