2BIGTJ
RUKKASTIXX Motorsports
- Location
- Highland, Utah
I am writing this in hopes that someone might find it useful, as when I was starting this build I searched and could not find any information.
I found a 2007 Unlimited X at my friends car lot that I could pick up for a steal of a deal. The only Problem was that it was only a 2WD Jeep (?) I did not even know Jeep made such a thing. After looking around and talking to a few people I decided that I would buy it and try and do the conversion my self.
After picking it up, my first call was to John Williams at Mount Logan Offroad, in Logan Utah (Great Shop and great People, I highly recommend them). I knew that they built a lot of JKs so I was hoping he would have a few of the parts I needed. After hanging up I had a new front end, t-case, and front and rear Drivelines. I live about 5 hours from him but it ended up we where both heading to Salt Lake the next week so I could pick them up.
Next was the tear down, the old 2WD front end was pretty simple to remove, in fact I did it myself in about 2 hours. The only hard part was getting the break sensors disconnected. With the old axle gone I made a call to my buddy down the road to come help me lift the new High pinion Dana30 into place. This was very simple and literally bolted up with no problems. The hardest part was getting the track bar bolt in, and after waking my wife up and having her push it in while we pushed the axle over it slid right in.
The 2WD axle is really kind of cool, It is basically a 4WD axle without the differential. The brackets are the same as well as all the inner and outer knuckles. The unit bearings even have the spines on the inside of them.
Once I hung the front end it was time to take it over of a friends shop and put it up on the lift to make it easier to do the t-case. After removing the tail shaft housing for the 2WD set up it was apparent that there was a different tail shaft for the 4WD. The 2WD shaft is about 5 inches longer than the 4WD. I had also researched before the start of this project and realized I needed a short adapter to go between the t-case and the tranny, most t-cases you will find from people that swapped out other cases will not have the adapter because it is a needed part if they are putting in an Atlas or something like that. So I called the dealership and picked up the new adapter.($130) I also ordered the needed 4WD shorter tailshaft.($36)
Shorter Shaft
Adapter
While waiting for the tail shaft to come in we decided to install the t-case shifter. This was much easier that I anticipated and only took about 30 minutes. All you have to do is is take the top piece of the Center consul off and then remove the lower section(you will see what I mean about the top and bottom of the consul when you start working on it) the shifter will bolt right next to the transmission shifter and the cable runs right through the existing hole. There is a bracket that bolts up to the side of the adapter using three bolts. (Shifter package was $80 shipped from Daveys Jeeps www.daveysjeeps.com )
The only other part need for the swap was a new cross member tranny mount. ($85) Once the Adapter was on place and the new shorter tail shaft was installed you just have to mount the t-case to the back for the adapter. I was very surprised at how simple this all was and it literaly bolted into place.
While I was doing the work I chose to change my gears to 5:13 and add a Detroit locker to the rear.
I hope that if there is anyone thinking of doing this swap or in the middle of this swap you might find some good information in this write up.
Here are some pictures of my shake down run before I head to Moab next week.
See you on the trail!!!
Special Thanks to...
Mount Logan Offroad
www.mtloganoffroad.com
Daveys Jeeps
www.daveysjeeps.com
Sun Country Jeep of St. George Utah
Part Manager "BC" 435-673-1600
Testing the Flex and Clearance
After the first Climb I got out to inspect everything and it looked good
My Beautiful, Supportive, awesome driving Wife climbing a small ledge
Jeep Specs
07 Wrangler Unlimited X
4" Procomp short Arm Lift (upgrading this fall to long arms)
High Pinion Dana 30 Front with 5:13 gears
Dana 44 rear with 5:13 gears and Detroit
35x12.50 Cooper STT on 17 inch wheels
I found a 2007 Unlimited X at my friends car lot that I could pick up for a steal of a deal. The only Problem was that it was only a 2WD Jeep (?) I did not even know Jeep made such a thing. After looking around and talking to a few people I decided that I would buy it and try and do the conversion my self.
After picking it up, my first call was to John Williams at Mount Logan Offroad, in Logan Utah (Great Shop and great People, I highly recommend them). I knew that they built a lot of JKs so I was hoping he would have a few of the parts I needed. After hanging up I had a new front end, t-case, and front and rear Drivelines. I live about 5 hours from him but it ended up we where both heading to Salt Lake the next week so I could pick them up.
Next was the tear down, the old 2WD front end was pretty simple to remove, in fact I did it myself in about 2 hours. The only hard part was getting the break sensors disconnected. With the old axle gone I made a call to my buddy down the road to come help me lift the new High pinion Dana30 into place. This was very simple and literally bolted up with no problems. The hardest part was getting the track bar bolt in, and after waking my wife up and having her push it in while we pushed the axle over it slid right in.
The 2WD axle is really kind of cool, It is basically a 4WD axle without the differential. The brackets are the same as well as all the inner and outer knuckles. The unit bearings even have the spines on the inside of them.
Once I hung the front end it was time to take it over of a friends shop and put it up on the lift to make it easier to do the t-case. After removing the tail shaft housing for the 2WD set up it was apparent that there was a different tail shaft for the 4WD. The 2WD shaft is about 5 inches longer than the 4WD. I had also researched before the start of this project and realized I needed a short adapter to go between the t-case and the tranny, most t-cases you will find from people that swapped out other cases will not have the adapter because it is a needed part if they are putting in an Atlas or something like that. So I called the dealership and picked up the new adapter.($130) I also ordered the needed 4WD shorter tailshaft.($36)
Shorter Shaft
Adapter
While waiting for the tail shaft to come in we decided to install the t-case shifter. This was much easier that I anticipated and only took about 30 minutes. All you have to do is is take the top piece of the Center consul off and then remove the lower section(you will see what I mean about the top and bottom of the consul when you start working on it) the shifter will bolt right next to the transmission shifter and the cable runs right through the existing hole. There is a bracket that bolts up to the side of the adapter using three bolts. (Shifter package was $80 shipped from Daveys Jeeps www.daveysjeeps.com )
The only other part need for the swap was a new cross member tranny mount. ($85) Once the Adapter was on place and the new shorter tail shaft was installed you just have to mount the t-case to the back for the adapter. I was very surprised at how simple this all was and it literaly bolted into place.
While I was doing the work I chose to change my gears to 5:13 and add a Detroit locker to the rear.
I hope that if there is anyone thinking of doing this swap or in the middle of this swap you might find some good information in this write up.
Here are some pictures of my shake down run before I head to Moab next week.
See you on the trail!!!
Special Thanks to...
Mount Logan Offroad
www.mtloganoffroad.com
Daveys Jeeps
www.daveysjeeps.com
Sun Country Jeep of St. George Utah
Part Manager "BC" 435-673-1600
Testing the Flex and Clearance
After the first Climb I got out to inspect everything and it looked good
My Beautiful, Supportive, awesome driving Wife climbing a small ledge
Jeep Specs
07 Wrangler Unlimited X
4" Procomp short Arm Lift (upgrading this fall to long arms)
High Pinion Dana 30 Front with 5:13 gears
Dana 44 rear with 5:13 gears and Detroit
35x12.50 Cooper STT on 17 inch wheels
Last edited:
