Transmission Has Left The Chat

[LostintheForest]

Sounds (and feels) like something decided to dislodge itself in my AX15, just in time for spring.

Thoughts are welcome, but I’m pretty sure I just need to pull it and crack it open. I will also need to repair the mid section of the frame once the pan is down, because… well I’m sure you know.

 

[jeepguy03]

Ugh that sucks man. I had to replace my AX-15 due to previous owner neglect when I bought the Jeep.

 

[NWPA Jeepy T]

My son is mid-rebuild on 1 of 3

 

[LostintheForest]

He’s rebuilding 3 units? I look forward to seeing what it is that came loose. So far the running theory is a shift fork dislodged. I can enter all gears, and it moves.

 

[BC Moto]

I hope the clutch/pressure plate just let go

 

[LostintheForest]

I hope the clutch/pressure plate just let go

That’s what a few others have guessed, that one of the springs in the PP went rogue. Definitely sounds like some gears improperly meshing inside the trans however.

 

[NWPA Jeepy T]

He’s rebuilding 3 units? I look forward to seeing what it is that came loose. So far the running theory is a shift fork dislodged. I can enter all gears, and it moves.

Yep. He bought his 01 Sahara with a bad reverse gear, so we picked up a junkyard ax15. So, now that's getting tired, so he's rebuilding the original (only a couple things to do yet). When he swaps rebuild 1 into his TJ, he'll do rebuild 2, swsl that into my 97 Sport, then do rebuild 3 to keep as a spare or sell, we're not sure yet

 

[LostintheForest]

Update:

Got a decent deal on a (very) local ax15 and 231j out of a ‘98 XJ that was meant for a swap that never happened.
Gonna swap this in with a new clutch and other accoutrement, and tear down and rebuild the originals when time (and money) permits.

I’ll need to repair the midsection of the frame, my friend has sections of actual frame I plan to weld in. I’m not convinced it will be easier than repair caps; it would probably be a more permanent repair in the end.

 

[astjp2]

My son is mid-rebuild on 1 of 3

Light weight, I am goin on 6 NSG370's, in about 300 miles, seems to be shitting due to thrust loads...

 

[NWPA Jeepy T]

Light weight, I am goin on 6 NSG370's, in about 300 miles, seems to be shitting due to thrust loads...

Oh no, he's not rebuilding then doing it again, he's actually rebuilding 3 different trannys. We had his original in the garage that he bought in his Sahara with a bad reverse gear, so we bought a junkyard one. He rebuilt his original, swapped it in. Next he'll rebuild the junkyard one & we'll swap that into mine. Then he'll rebuild mine for sale or spare. Plus, he just turned 22 on the 9th, so I'm pretty proud dad that he was able to do this on a plywood work table in our unheated tiny garage

 

[LostintheForest]

Update again: we are in the wind!

Was able to get it a free weekend and finally got the swap done. Frame was in surprisingly good shape, so I had wasted a lot of time and got a couple burns cutting safety caps off some old rails for nothing lol.
Only had to cut an access window on the passenger side to drop some bolts in to replace the rotted away captured nuts.

The trans I had bought turned out to be from an 80’s YJ, so it had the smaller pilot shaft, had to make an adaptor for that, and then also swap over a few components to run the external throw out bearing, but otherwise it went well. Got it all done start to finish in about 8 hours with an hour break for lunch. Super stoked!! Got a couple hundred miles on it so far, and just an occasional grind into third sadly, so I am planning to rebuild the original unit and install that some time. For now, I enjoy the TJ

 

[LostintheForest]

Oh here are those accursed salvaged frame rails

Never again.
I didn’t need the caps, like I said, so I have them stored in my shed now for “some day”

 

[macleanflood]

FYSA Black Magic Brakes sells the frame nutserts so you don't have to window the frame to replace them.

-Mac

 

[LostintheForest]

Oh cool, I did not know that. Fortunately I was able to make do with what I had, but I will keep them in mind for the future.

I thought I took a pic, but what I ended up doing was one window at the center of the rail inside, and then fishing some hefty bolts into the holes, and tack welded them in place, closed the window. Was kinda cool to get a look inside the frame and to see how thick the wall was lol. I used lock nuts and washers, seemed to work well in my case.

Perhaps when I inevitably replace the belly pan (was kinda rotten in some spots), and/ or trans mounts maybe I’ll pop the bolts back out and use those thread inserts