Maybe a dumb question, but....

My girlfriend has a 2wd Cherokee and wants something new. I think that it's a 99. Anyway. I was wondering how difficult it would be to convert it to a 4 wheel drive. My idea, get an older 4x4 for parts and put them on the newer 2x4 and convert it. Is this swap do able? or just not worth it. I like it cause I can get a newer Cherokee (good engine, trans (auto)) and still have it be 4x4...

Any help or opinions with this would be great.

thanks
Russell

Doable, but probably cheaper and certainly less of a headache to sell it and buy a 4x4.

All you need is a 4x4 front axle/driveshaft/transfer case, then you need to either change the tranny to work with the transfer case or just get a 4x4 transfer case also. The suspension is EXACTLY the same so the front axle bolts right in

have you thought about using the cherokee for a daily driver and just getting something to wheel, something that you can bash on the rocks and not worry about body damage?

yeah, I have though about that, but as it is, I have 3 autos now.. Getting rid of the Taraus SHO, the 300Z and keeping the 79 Bronco that I'm using as my trail machine, but being that it's a little on the large side, though that the Cherokee would function well as both a trail rig and daily driver.

So, are all the years the Cherokee is built using the same 4x4 system, or do I have to look at specific years to transfer the stuff to my so to be "new" truck? I was thinking of buying something older that hasn't been wheeled and using that as my parts truck, I can find them out here in CA for cheap, then junk the rest.

Has anyone done this swap before? And I'd imagine that it's a direct bolt in if I have a donor Cherokee? Is this assumption wrong?

Thanks for the advice and help
Russell

Sometimes it takes a bit of hunting but use the "search" function on this board in addition to the responses here. You should be able to come up with some pretty good stuff.