95 Cherokee auto trans upgrade

[rlitavecz]

My buddy is having problems with the Transmission in his 95 Cherokee. Serious off-roading causes overheating of the Transmission and a lot of slipping. Does anyone know of aftermarket parts available to upgrade these trannys? Shift kits, HD internal parts, better torque converters??
thanks!

 

[Torxhead]

When I had a '96 Grand, I don't recall any bad history nor did I have any problems with it other than cracking the 4.0 exaust manifold. I do think that series of Grands has not been improved on with later models. I am sure you have considered an auxilary tranny cooler.

 

[HOGHEAD]

Ive got a 98 grand Cherokee & installed a heavy dudy cooler from NAPA,,, works great ,, Its my wifes ride butt it shifts real nice even when the tenps get up to the triple didgits,,,,

 

[Incommando]

The Grand only used the AW4 like the Cherokee Xj in '93 so the trannies are different but every auto benefits from being kept from overheating. Guys abuse the AW4 pretty hard without many issues. I know of several with over 250,000 miles. Mine has never been touched and works flawlessly at 219,000.

Over-sized tires and stock gears are rough on auto's, as well. If it has ever been in water over the breather it is probably a goner,too.

One thing that helps is to wire the Tranny Control Module so that you have manual control over the tranny. There are aftermarket shifter to do this or you can do it yourself easily. The AW4 will not stay in 1st by itself and cannot be made to do so with the factory shifter. Sometimes it will shift to 2nd when you want it to hold first and this is also hard on the tranny. It starts getting good at about post #8
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=975200

If it was me I'd by a good used AW4 ( paid $125 for the last one I found to put in a friends XJ), put a good cooler on it, and call it a day.

 

[jeepjerry]

The Grand only used the AW4 like the Cherokee Xj in '93 so the trannies are different but every auto benefits from being kept from overheating. Guys abuse the AW4 pretty hard without many issues. I know of several with over 250,000 miles. Mine has never been touched and works flawlessly at 219,000.

Over-sized tires and stock gears are rough on auto's, as well. If it has ever been in water over the breather it is probably a goner,too.

One thing that helps is to wire the Tranny Control Module so that you have manual control over the tranny. There are aftermarket shifter to do this or you can do it yourself easily. The AW4 will not stay in 1st by itself and cannot be made to do so with the factory shifter. Sometimes it will shift to 2nd when you want it to hold first and this is also hard on the tranny. It starts getting good at about post #8
TOTM: AW4 electronic shifter mods - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

If it was me I'd by a good used AW4 ( paid $125 for the last one I found to put in a friends XJ), put a good cooler on it, and call it a day.

X2!! I'd try a cooler first. Ive swapped 4.0 engines in 4 xj's and the aw4 trannys are always original. The only aw4 ive seen blow was because the Transmission cooler line split and spit out all the fluid while driving.