4x2 conversion question

[FloridaCherokee1988]

Just curious here but does anybody know if the AW4 is a good transmission in the 4x4 XJ's? The reason I ask is that i'm planning on converting my 88' from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel in the future(yes I know it's easier and cheaper to buy a 4x4 version instead lol)
Anyway, if at all possible i'd rather leave the AW4 in then change to a 5 speed, so i'm just wondering if the AW4 will do ok in a 4x4 application, yall keep in mind i'm a Floridian, i'm not makin a crawler, nothin but deep deep mud around here lol

 

[MudderChuck]

If you seriously overheat an AW4 or let all the fuid leak out and run it dry, it may fail. It is IMO, one of the better automatics ever made.
An aux oil cooler is likely mandatory for mudding, a transmission temperature gage nice.
A cubic yard of mud is a ton, pushing all that extra wieght around can be tough on all drive line components.
Taller tires means leverage may be working against you rather than for you, not to mention the extra weight of the tires and the mud you are pushing. All that extra wieght can be hard on a transmission (any transmission).
I watch my transmission temperature gage and stop whatever I'm doing when the trans starts to heat up. I change out the fluid every spring. 250,000 trouble free miles on one of my AW4's, another not far behind that, also trouble free.
IMO the auto is far superior for mudding anyway, less chance of loosing momentum during a shift, I can use both hands to steer.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

The AW4 is a great transmission but you will need to swap it out anyway for the 4wd transmission, your current 2wd AW4 will not bolt to a transfer case.

It's best to get a donor XJ, one with the body shot or wrecked, and pull the needed drivetrain from it.

 

[FloridaCherokee1988]

Yeah that's what i'm kind of keepin an eye out for right now is an old XJ with a wore out body or something of that sort so that I can just take what I need, a friend has a perfectly good 87' but I hate to buy one that drives perfect just to tear apart lol. I was just curious if the AW4 would be good for what i'm looking for, good to know it's a solid trans.
So a donor XJ, auxillery oil cooler, and a transmission temperature gauge, i'll definitely keep those in mind when I get my hands on the components for this conversion. Thanks for all the help yall, much appreciated!

 

[carnuck]

MJ parts will work for this swap too except the rear driveshaft. PS: Trans/tcase combo are best and avoid the linkage that bolts partly to the body for the tcase.

 

[FloridaCherokee1988]

Linkage that partially bolts to the body, i'll remember that too man lol thanks!