The good old discussion about trans swaps. I have been doing a lot of reading, but still have a few questions to ask, as well as some things to consider.
**Important disclaimer** I do NOT rock crawl. Rock crawling does not apply here. I never have, and now my body thanks to Uncle Sam is too broken so I never will. The TJ is my daily / grocery getter. The LJ is the weekend fun vehicle - sight seeing, camping, forest roads, river banks, etc. MOAB type stuff is not in my wheelhouse. Just to make sure my particular use case is different than the majority here. Being my DD, is not normal to most - my DD use involves going to work 2 minutes away maybe once a week, groceries also only 2 minutes away, and running to town 1-1.5 hrs one way half a dozen times a month. I do not sit in city traffic, through dozens of traffic lights every day to get to work. My town has one stop sign and is 60+ miles from the closest place for major services.
Quick background. 06 LJ already has the 42 and I intend to order a @Wranglerfix PCM possibly this week. Working on getting the right trans pan so temps can be monitored. It currently has a few symptoms, and if not warmed up or shifted slowly will bang excessively hard on the 1-2 shift so I avoid driving it until the PCM is ordered. Future plans of course include a re-gear to probably 4.88's, a setrab cooler, and gauge. Definitely appreciative of all the great knowledge and info here.
The 06 TJ is the main one in question as it currently has the NSG370. As it sits (on 33's currently, waning to return to 31's), the clutch and flywheel need replacement. The last clutch job, the dealer screwed up the flywheel and machined it far too much, so a replacement is needed. Replacement parts looks like they will be in the $1,200 range. Labor (not a job I can reasonably do) is probably somewhere around 700-1K. Pretty steep it seems but that's from a few different sources using a MOPAR flywheel and a aftermarket crown or similar OEM style replacement. Contrary to 99% of people, I actually like the 6 speed. It's fun, it has for me been reliable. However, I have had this Jeep for 10+ years and intend to keep it at least another 15. So as my joints continue to fail swapping into an auto intrigues me. But I am trying to weigh the cost/value relationship to determine when. Obviously the $2,500 or so I put into a clutch replacement could go toward the swap. But I want to make sure I fully understand what is involved before proceeding with either option. It would be lame to replace the clutch only to do a trans swap 6 months later, and equally frustrating for the clutch to fail knowing it might be another 5 years before doing a trans swap. So here are some bulletpoints as far as I understand them.
Does this about cover everything? Are there any other components I haven't considered? Maybe driveshafts for different lengths of the trans. Probably a flex plate as well.
Please let me know if I am missing something here. At the moment, I am feeling inclined to keep the 6speed for now simply due to cost, time needed for the swap, and winter is already on the way and I have other needed things to do that are costly - some house stuff some LJ stuff, and fixing the TJ's suspension. But I'm curios to hear what folks have to suggest.
**Important disclaimer** I do NOT rock crawl. Rock crawling does not apply here. I never have, and now my body thanks to Uncle Sam is too broken so I never will. The TJ is my daily / grocery getter. The LJ is the weekend fun vehicle - sight seeing, camping, forest roads, river banks, etc. MOAB type stuff is not in my wheelhouse. Just to make sure my particular use case is different than the majority here. Being my DD, is not normal to most - my DD use involves going to work 2 minutes away maybe once a week, groceries also only 2 minutes away, and running to town 1-1.5 hrs one way half a dozen times a month. I do not sit in city traffic, through dozens of traffic lights every day to get to work. My town has one stop sign and is 60+ miles from the closest place for major services.
Quick background. 06 LJ already has the 42 and I intend to order a @Wranglerfix PCM possibly this week. Working on getting the right trans pan so temps can be monitored. It currently has a few symptoms, and if not warmed up or shifted slowly will bang excessively hard on the 1-2 shift so I avoid driving it until the PCM is ordered. Future plans of course include a re-gear to probably 4.88's, a setrab cooler, and gauge. Definitely appreciative of all the great knowledge and info here.
The 06 TJ is the main one in question as it currently has the NSG370. As it sits (on 33's currently, waning to return to 31's), the clutch and flywheel need replacement. The last clutch job, the dealer screwed up the flywheel and machined it far too much, so a replacement is needed. Replacement parts looks like they will be in the $1,200 range. Labor (not a job I can reasonably do) is probably somewhere around 700-1K. Pretty steep it seems but that's from a few different sources using a MOPAR flywheel and a aftermarket crown or similar OEM style replacement. Contrary to 99% of people, I actually like the 6 speed. It's fun, it has for me been reliable. However, I have had this Jeep for 10+ years and intend to keep it at least another 15. So as my joints continue to fail swapping into an auto intrigues me. But I am trying to weigh the cost/value relationship to determine when. Obviously the $2,500 or so I put into a clutch replacement could go toward the swap. But I want to make sure I fully understand what is involved before proceeding with either option. It would be lame to replace the clutch only to do a trans swap 6 months later, and equally frustrating for the clutch to fail knowing it might be another 5 years before doing a trans swap. So here are some bulletpoints as far as I understand them.
- Currently needing clutch -$2,500
- ATS stage 1 trans - $4,500 (minus $1,200 for core)
- https://www.atsdiesel.com/cart
- I know there are other options @mrblaine has mentioned but I didnt see any links. A local shop says nobody in my area will do a rebuild so if I opted for a rebuild and check on current case, it would have to be shipped out - also a problem considering the only 'shipper' is more than an hour drive away
- Replacement harness - $1,200 minimum
- only ones I have seen are on eBay. It would be fantastic if there was a 'new' replacement OEM option just to avoid potential internal wire problems
- Temp gauge and Setrab cooler
- Trans pan bung
- I know there are options. But just for future reference what are some other options folks have had good experience with?
- Other parts
- shifter
- plastic bezel on floor (tan seems a rare color these days....)
- key interlock?
- steering column change?
- Replacement radiator - OEM is no longer an option apparently but I will call around. I hear 90% of the time aluminum replacements are terrible and fail. What's a guy to do for a swap, or what about 10 years from now when the OEM I do have fails.....
- bellhousing
- cooler lines
- trans mount (maybe the time to do a skid plate - someone please enlighten me what the problem/issue with UFC is - I like savvy but they require a TT and I'm trying to avoid lifting the body)
- OD switch
- I might have just read somewhere that the crank bearings or RMS cap needs to be replaced? So you have to drop the oil pan too?
- PCM
- of course if I get a PCM for the TJ now being a manual, I would have to get another new one during/after the auto swap - approx $850
- Labor
- this is the biggest concern and potential issue. My only option for a quality shop to do this (or anything really) is J&K Customs in Missoula. They have done fantastic work for me in the past. But they seem to be going through a change in personnel and a few folks there are so new (nothing against them, it just takes time to learn) don't even know anything really about the JJ's on my current lift. So that has me concerned with 1) quality of swap, 2) how much extra cost would be added due to new employees 'learning at my expense'. Everyone has to learn, not really a big deal there. But, it still makes a guy a little nervous, I think that is a justifiable concern.
- Rear end gearing
- this is a biggie. I am in need of another rear rebuild, long story, and the front is probably due. I have been looking to swap in true tracks front and rear for a while for better winter traction, and change gearing. With the NGS370 and 31's, my understanding is 4.56 is a good ratio. however, with the 42RLE, it looks like 4.88's is preferred. Keeping in mind I do not plan to go the 33" route unless a 10.5" wide tire can be had, I just don't care for the extra resistance of wide tires especially since I don't rock crawl. So if I regard to 4.56 for the current 370, my understanding is that would not be deep enough for the 42RLE. But if I went to 4.88's, that might be too deep for the NSG370 at highway speeds. It's 80 here, but I rarely go above 70 in the TJ or LJ. Using grimjeeper, 4.88's in the 6spd nets a 3100rpm at 70. Which is probably ok... But if I have a tailwind it's nice to be under 3k, which is what the 4.56's offer. So ultimately before I do any gearing I really need to decide on doing, or not doing, a 43RLE swap, and when.
Does this about cover everything? Are there any other components I haven't considered? Maybe driveshafts for different lengths of the trans. Probably a flex plate as well.
Please let me know if I am missing something here. At the moment, I am feeling inclined to keep the 6speed for now simply due to cost, time needed for the swap, and winter is already on the way and I have other needed things to do that are costly - some house stuff some LJ stuff, and fixing the TJ's suspension. But I'm curios to hear what folks have to suggest.
After chatting with him I wouldn't even consider having anyone else build a transmission unless he closes shop some day. Funny thing he was just in my area earlier this month visiting family. What a small world. I will probably schedule time for him to rebuild the LJ trans, not that it's bad but just to avoid future issues.
